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Classic Camera Repair » Archives-2007 » OM-1 light meter stuck/sx-70 roller assembly « Previous Next »

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499alicia
Tinkerer
Username: 499alicia

Post Number: 1
Registered: 07-2007

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Posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 10:32 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

just found an om-1 at a thrift store, everythings works perfect except for light meter, is it even worth tinkering with? I read that this is a "bear" to replace...how does one pin point the actual/exact issue.. and.....
could a novice take apart an sx-70 roller assembly and switch parts with success? it's scary..even more so when i look at repair manual.
help.
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Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson

Post Number: 324
Registered: 07-2006

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Posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 06:57 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I used to have an SX-70 repair manual but I never tried taking one apart... if you've seen the manual you know as much as I do.

A working OM1 is an excellent camera with or without a working meter... it's almost like having a Leica with a through-the-lens viewfinder. Here are some possibilities for the light meter problem:

1. Remove the baseplate and see if the screw holding the battery contact is broken. Early OM1's had a plastic screw that tended to break.

2. Next check to see if the wire is soldered to the terminal. The wire tends to corrode and break at this point. If it's separated, you will probably need to replace at least a couple of inches of wire. I think you can fish the wire out if you remove the top cover.... attach a fresh wire to the end, and as you pull the old wire out it will pull the new wire into place.

3. If the bottom end is ok, fish around the top end wiring with an ohmmeter.

4. Another possibility is that the meter is fine but the needle is stuck to the rubber stop. To clean this you'll have to remove the prism (take the focusing screen out too to keep from getting it dirty). It's no harder in the OM1 than in other SLRs.
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499alicia
Tinkerer
Username: 499alicia

Post Number: 2
Registered: 07-2007

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Posted on Monday, July 23, 2007 - 08:38 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

rick, thanks so much for your help, i really appreciate it....you have restored faith...yeah, the om-1 was such a score, the light meter issue was just a small bummer.
anyways, thanks soooo much!
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Olly_ympus
Tinkerer
Username: Olly_ympus

Post Number: 4
Registered: 08-2007

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Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 09:58 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I had an OM 1 with a similar problem. Sometimes when I turned it on, the needle would just jump all the way up and stick there. I found that if I merely switched it off and on again, it would then function normally. I didn't have the know-how, or feel confident enough at the time to crack the body open and fix the problem.

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