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Bob

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Posted on Friday, April 09, 2004 - 07:25 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I have a nice little Honeywell Pentax SP1000. The problem is that once in a while the mirror hangs in the up position. Like about every third or fourth time the shutter is fired. My question is: #1 is this easy to fix? #2 is there a book or a website that tells how to do it? #3 is there someone that fixes these old cameras?
Any help will be appreciated. I don't want to part with this fine old camera.
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Richard Clarke

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Posted on Friday, April 09, 2004 - 08:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Bob- Look at the mirror foam at the top. Sometimes if the foam has failed, it gets sticky, causing the mirror to hang. It is easily fixed using "foamies" 2mm foam sheet found at Wal-Mart in the art/crafts section
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John Farrell

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Posted on Friday, April 09, 2004 - 08:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

The mirror return is tripped by the second curtain, at the end of its travel. When the lubricant dries out in the shutter bearings, the curtain sometimes doesn't make it all the way across. Then it is CLA time. The Spotmatic is easy to work on. There will be other threads on here covering the repair - you could search. Thomas Tomosy covers the stripdown of the Spotmatic in his "Camera Maintenance and Repair" Book 1.
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Stuart Willis

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Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 06:45 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Bob - may I supplement Richard Clarke's contribution on replacement of the mirror buffer.
When you knife-off the old foam gunk - keep the camera pointing downwards so as to ensure that none of the old stuff gets on to the underside of the acrylic fresnel screen. You might wish to use a paper mask protector. Any attempt to clean the fresnel will wreck it. It must NOT be touched. If a air-blower will not shift any specs - then you might be able to attract them electrostatically. Otherwise leave them where they are.

Hope this helps

Best

Stuart Willis
ethos@uq.net.au
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Jon Goodman

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Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 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 second Stuart's comment, except I have never been a fan of placing paper, etc as a protector. I've seen too many situations where bits of old foam (and it doesn't take but a tiny bit) have become trapped under a piece of paper and smeared on the screen, creating a near irreversible mess. I use an X-Acto knife and tweezers and work slowly and carefully. By the way, as for the light seal kits I sell, they've just been enhanced...the new ones include an OEM-style foam in a special compound that will NOT turn to goo. This foam is supplied in three thicknesses (1/16" or 1.6mm, 3/32" or 2.4mm and 1/8" or 3.2mm). The prices of the kits have not changed at this point. To see them, please go to E-Bay and search "by seller". Enter my ID...Interslice, and there you go. Thanks for the support of the kits. I think the selection in them is now the best there is anywhere.

Jon
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Elia Vecellio

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Posted on Saturday, June 12, 2004 - 07:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I have exactly the same problem with my SP1000. I have deduced that it is not due to the foam going sticky: 1. if I feel the foam it does not feel sticky at all; 2. When the mirror locks up, I am not able to pull it back down with my finger(nail).

So it sounds like John Farrell's suggestion is probably the correct suggestion (for my situation, at least). What is a CLA? Does anyone have URL's to repairs for this issue on the SP1000 (I am concerned I wont be able to find anything by searching).

Thanks
Elia

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