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Ianpiper
Tinkerer
Username: Ianpiper
Post Number: 1
Registered: 04-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 - 05:00 am: | 
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Hi all,
I am new to this forum and have a question about a problem with a newly-acquired camera. This is an Olympus Pen F that seems generally to be in good condition but seems to have a shutter problem. When the lens is on the camera and I press the shutter release the mirror flips over but doesn't return and the shutter doesn't open. If I remove the lens and touch the little spring lever at the bottom of the lens mount opening then both the lever and mirror return and the shutter fires.
Without the lens fitted it seems fine - all of the shutter speeds seem to work and sound OK. The mirror flips over and back smoothly and the shutter releases without complaint.
At first glance it seems like the problem is in the lens, but I don't want to jump to conclusions. Sadly I don't have a second Pen F lens to test with, so I can't exclude it as the source of the trouble.
Does anyone have any thoughts about what might be the cause? Is there a way to isolate whether the lens is the issue? Finally, can anyone tell me whether there is a company (preferably in the UK) that would repair and service Olympus Pens? I am a mechanical moron so am reluctant to wield a screwdriver anywhere near this otherwise lovely machine.
Thanks for any words of wisdom,
Ian.
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Mareklew
Tinkerer
Username: Mareklew
Post Number: 51
Registered: 03-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 - 06:04 am: |
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I don't know the Pen lens system, but commonly there would be some lever on the lens that closes its aperture to a pre-set value. If aperture blades are sticky (oil on blades is a common problem), the camera might not be able to activate said lever.
This was a common problem on M42-mount cameras.
Inspect your lens and try to see, if aperture blades are clean. Any liquid residue is sign of trouble.
Marek |
Monopix
Tinkerer
Username: Monopix
Post Number: 126
Registered: 11-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 - 07:35 am: |
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I have some experience of these and what you describe isn't uncommon. It could be a combination of body and lens but clearly the lens is making a difference.
In the mirror activation module, there is a slide mechanism that has probably become stiff and is increasing the load on the spring that drives it. It may be the spring has also become weak. There is a description of the mechanism on this site at https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/penexploration.html if you want to read it but I have to say I don't agree with everything the author says about servicing this part - at least, his methods didn't work for me.
If the module is already on the point of only just working, then the extra load of the lens may be enough to stop it from doing so, even if the lens itself is OK. On the other hand, the lens itself may have problems and the iris mechanism may be stiff. If you try operating the iris using your finger on the actuation lever you should be able to get a feel for how well it's working. Any stiffness of slugishness (is that a word?) indicates a problem. I have seen the lenses where some well meaning person has squirted oil in it to try and loosen up the mechanism. The effect of this is to actually dampen it, even if the oil doesn't get on the blades themselves, and this caused the exact symptoms you describe.
I would suggest you try checking the lens closely for any signs of oil and see how the iris operates off the camera. If it all seems fine, then the body probably needs servicing. If the lens is suspect, get that sorted first. If you do get the body serviced, worth getting the old foam stripped out of the viewfinder while you're at it as it's probably causing more dust than it's preventing.
Sorry, I don't know anyone in the UK that does these. |
Ianpiper
Tinkerer
Username: Ianpiper
Post Number: 2
Registered: 04-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 - 03:17 pm: |
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Thanks for the replies - very useful. I contacted John Foster of biofos and he pointed me to someone who repairs Olympus Pens. I'll post the outcome here. |
Ianpiper
Tinkerer
Username: Ianpiper
Post Number: 4
Registered: 04-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 02, 2010 - 03:04 am: |
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Just to follow up on this - I sent my camera to Keith Leedham of http://www.klcamerarepairs.co.uk/ and he did a magnificent job of repairing it. Thoroughly recommended and I will be using his services again soon. |
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