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hpearce
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 03:04 pm: | 
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My students are doing something to my cameras which causes the film advance lever to freeze. It will not advance the film and the shutter button will not release. I have a feeling it is something to do with forcing a film rewind without pressing the rewind release button but I can't be sure. It is not a battery problem and the mirror is not stuck. I sent one back to the factory and $85.00 later, it was fixed. It must be a simple adjustment but I cannot find anyone who will tell me how. HELP! Our school cannot afford these repair bills. |
Jon Goodman
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 10:34 pm: |
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Actually, I think maybe the shutter switch broke in the camera. It might not have anything to do with your students. Some cameras used a little rubber bulb with a contact piece in the very top of it. When pressed, it makes a contact between two points of the printed circuit board and fires the camera. They simply wear out over time. When they do, the camera can be cocked but not fired. Since it has not been fired, it refuses to cock again, making it seem like the cocking lever is frozen. I can't think of anything else that would cause this offhand. I also can't recall what sort of switch this model used, but whatever it used, it sounds like it quit working. Good luck!
Jon |
rick oleson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 05:51 am: |
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I had thought these were a mechanical shutter, though.... but i've never worked on one so i'm not sure.
in any case, if you've seen this multiple times on the same model of camera, i think it might not be a bad idea to cut the school's losses and change cameras. right now there are LOTS of reliable older SLRs that can be had for less than $85 each. i think you'd have a hard time, for instance, trying to pay more than $50 for a good Minolta SRT-101...... |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 08:56 am: |
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These Cosina made cameras seem to fail when they are abused. Otherwise they perform as you would expect a camera within that price bracket.
My answer to your problem may appear to be rather radical:- Teach your students to use the school equipment properly.This soon cuts the repair bills.
This approach has always worked for me over the last thirty years or so, also the equipment involved has been far more complicated and costly than an OM 2000. |
hpearce
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 10:17 am: |
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Jon and Rick, Thanks for the response. I will take both ideas into consideration. The Olympus is not the only model that this has happened to, also a Nikon FM10. I thought the "cure" might be similiar for both.
Glenn, Unfortunately, your response was more of a criticism than a camera repair suggestion. Thanks anyway. (By the way, I have taught for 38 years!) |
Spy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 12:13 pm: |
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i have the OM2000 and never had such problem. though i noticed that when i apply force on the advance lever before shuter release, then release the shutter - the advance lock is still engaged (the lock that prevents from advancing multiple times without firing shutter)
i think it just needs time. tell your students to give the camera at least one second without pressure on the advance lever between firing shutter and advancing film.
hope this might help |
hpearce
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 02:55 pm: |
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Spy, I will be sure to warn them about this. I have not had a problem, either, and assumed the teenagers were doing something strange. I was able to fiddle around with one of them and got it to work again but darned if I know what I did! Thanks for your response. |
rick
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 06:20 pm: |
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Interestingly, the OM2000 and the Nikon FM10 are essentially the same camera, a private-branded Cosina. Although top-line cameras if the same brands, such as the OM1 and Nikon FM, are more expensive than the cost of repairing these, you can find some very good older cameras that are more ruggedly built at a very attractive price these days.
In addition to the SRT101 I mentioned above (I got a near-mint one for $15!), the Nikkormat FTn and Canon TLb are relative bargains that hold up very well. |
hpearce
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 05:26 am: |
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Thanks for the info, Rick. We are planning a carwash to earn some money through our club and will certainly look into the cameras you suggest. |
