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Sébastien F.

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Posted on Monday, February 28, 2005 - 03:15 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi all. Great forum ! I went through most of it, found many similar shutter problems, but not the same one.

I inherited a GSN that looks ok. Without battery, the shutter worked normally at 1/500.

As i put a 6V battery, pressing the battery check button lights the counter, as it should do. But now starts the problem. When I push the shutter release button, only the yellow light turns on, at every aperture in every mode (B, Auto and flash). Impossible to get the red one.
When I push it further down, the yellow light goes off, there is a small click and then, with a louder click, the shutter opens... and doesn't close anymore. To close it, I have to pull the film advance lever about 30-35 degrees. This happens with every mode.

Is anyone familiare with the same problem(s)? As I never opened or fixed any camera, I'd need some very basic explanation of why it happens and how to fix it. But since I've got this nice camera and read so much about it, I'm very interested to use it!

Thanks for any help.
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Casper

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Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 06:43 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Probably the 'Pad of Death', a well-known weakness of this camera.
On www.yashica-guy.com is explained how to repair this. Actually I'm fixing this problem right now on my Electro 35. The only thing you have to do is replace a small rubber pad on the inside. To reach that place however (you have to remove the covering plastic on the front to reach four screw for instance), will probably take a few hours. Make shure you read the instructions carefully! Good Luck! Casper
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Sébastien F.

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Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 08:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thank you Casper. I read everywhere about this famous "Pad of Death". I guess it's time to face it ! I'll try to follow your advice and to fix my first camera...
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Reiner

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Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 01:09 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Sebastien,

your GSN behaves as if it measures allways too few light. Given that it behaves reasonably. The "Pad of Death" issue causes other symptoms and I would not expect this to be the reason of your problems. I assume an electrical problem perhaps too few current. I would check the power supply and the wiring. What kind of battery did you use and what kind of adaption?
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Winfried

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Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 01:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I found similar (shutter opens very long) when using weak batteries. Some batteries seem OK when checking them with the test button or a voltmeter but fail when the shutter solenoid consumes a lot of current. Somehow the circuitry seems to latch up in this case and will always actuate the solenoid which keeps the shutter open.

I would suggest using another battery, and then check everything you find in this forum. As long as the yellow light goes off just BEFORE the shutter clicks, and as long you hear the 'Yashica clunk' when advancing the pad still should be OK.
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Sébastien F.

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Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 04:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

OK, thank you for your comments as well Reiner and Winfried. For battery, i used a Kodak Lithium 6V 28L. I wraped it in a piece of cardboard to fit to the size of the battery compartiment, and put a flashlight spring to hold it in place.

Is there something specific to check in order to know why and where the circuit would consumes too much current ? If it measures always too few light, could it be the CdS that is the problem ?

The yellow light goes off just before the shutter clicks. As it is the first Yashica I ever held, I can't compare its clunk with any other, but, to me, it sounds like a clunk, yes...!

Thanks for any help again !
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Sébastien F.

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Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 04:27 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Just two more things to add, i dont know if it helps understanding the problem here:

1. the previous owner of the yashica seems to remember that he stopped using it because of a shutter problem. It is just not certain 100% if it is the same problem I have, or just the fact he couldn't find a mercury battery and, therefore, not shoot with another speed than 1/500.

2. When I release the shutter, it opens and remains open. But when I take off the battery at that point, it closes... does this indicate a wrong battery ?
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M.Yonezawa

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Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 11:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hello Sebastien:

These are possible defective points based on my experiences.
( It is assumed that the pad is health.)


Cds is bad:
Its resister value is always high.

Capacitor is bad:
Its leakage current is high so the current through the Cds cannot charge up the capacitor.

Diaphragm contact or mode sw contact is bad:
The contact is always open so the 1st stage transistor is always off.

Transistor is bad:
The 1st and/or 2nd stage transistor is dead (always off).
The last stage transistor is dead (always on).

Please refer to Roger Provins' nice page.
http://www.provins.org.uk/
"Yashica Electro 35 meter schematics" (FIG.64)

(Thank you Roger.)

M.Yonezawa

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