Having your granddaughter helping out was simply adorable! Young minds are hungry for knowledge, and they will only continue to grow as long as they are being fed heaping portions of new and interesting material. Your granddaughter already possesses more mechanical aptitude than about 78.3% of grown adults, and I’m guessing that she will grow up with a fondness for these old mechanical cameras, clocks, watches, etc.. You’re providing her with not only precious memories of time spent with PopPop, but also with skills and abilities that will serve her well for her entire lifetime.
My mirror was stuck in the up position on two K1000's but after watching this and putting a drop of oil on that cog it freed up and they both work perfectly now, thank you.
The original fix worked a charm for me on an early Japanese K1000 model I picked up for peanuts as broken. Also managed to clean the light meter battery housing at the same time such a brilliant and simple fix. Awesome channel thank you for these concise tutorials.
Thanks for this video. My K1000's shutter was jammed but after taking the bottom off like in this video, I realized the problem was the button itself. I suppose it was gunked up from years of use and would stick after depressed. So I carefully dabbed bits of rubbing alcohol into and around the button. Slowly but surely the shutter button began to loosen up and now it fires!
Thank you for this! This fixed my original problem but it went back to getting stuck when screwing back in the plate. If I hold the camera upside down it works perfectly, is there a solution to this?
Could be in the upper wind gears. Could be the wind ratchet or wind ratchet gear. Could be the wind idler gear next to the ratchet wind gear. Remove the top cover and inspect the gears that are located under the counter plate.
Thanks for the prompt reply. I reckon that's a fix too far for me having looked at the vids with the top cover being removed, I don't have the tools for it. I'll be taking to the local bloke who does my repairs. Great videos though, if it had been the small fixes in these 2 bottom plate fixes you'd have saved me £70.00.
Hi, Thanks for the series of tutorials they are super helpful. I did not find one on Nikons so I am posting here. What can be wrong if a Nikon FE with battery working (meter works and battery check LED glows) but when shutter button is pressed the mirror flips up and stays up, and shutter curtains stay open at any speed other M90/B? Shutter will close and mirror goes down when switched to M90/B. Where should I look? It's different from the behavior when FE has no battery - shutter will not remain open in such case.
Some quick checks: If the auto-speeds hang open and the manual speeds and the meter indication is normal the purple wire connecting B+ to the Speed Control may not be connected or is not being contacted by the wiper. Auto and manual speeds hang open and meter is normal try desoldering the green wire from the shutter magnet. If the shutter still remains open, there is a short to ground on the black wire. Also check to make sure the resistance element of the Speed Control is not cracked.
Fix Old Cameras Hangs open manual or auto, except B/M90 so I am going to try desoldering the green. No idea on how to access/where is the shutter magnet. Can you tell me a bit more?
Fix Old Cameras Hi again FOC,I think I gave you the wrong information on meter. The meter does not work. Only the battery check red LED works.With or without battery installed, mechanical speeds M90/B always work.W/o battery, at other speeds manual or A, mirror goes up and stays up, first curtain does not trip. Turn to M90/B and mirror goes down - this should be normal behavior.W/ battery, manual or A, mirror is up and first curtain trips but 2nd does not. Removing power one way or another (push the lever flush, remove battery or set to M90/B) gets the 2nd curtain go.I removed the bottom plate. Saw a green wire soldered to one connector on the motor contacts module. Desoldered it while the shutter hanging open, nothing happened. Check the black wire. It looks like soldered to a collar ring of the battery holder thus by design it is the ground. Continuity between the black wire and body chassis is good.Anything else would you suggest?Thanks again.
The problem involves electronic issues and to troubleshoot correctly requires an entire series of steps, each one building on the other. The suggestions given in the previous post leap-frogged to some of the more common and easily accessible tests. Unfortunately there are no immediate plans to do a series on these type of repairs. However the FE would be a good candidate and possibly in the future such series on the FE could be produced.
If you have not already solved the problem or moved on, there on some photos posted on the FOC google plus that might help in your trouble shooting efforts.
I still can not figure out why mine won't work! it is in the correct place; however, the gears won't turn all the way. the lever doesn't extend completely and the button on top is just stuck. i didn't even know it was a button until i saw one of your videos. this is a camera i recently inherited from my father-in-law. i have been trying so hard to get it running, but i'm stuck. any ideas?
+Kristi Weise From what can be gleaned from your description of the issue it sounds as if the upper wind / transport gears are the root cause. The top cover will probably need to be removed and the gears inspected for an issue.
Bent as instructed and has fixed the problem but now when I advance the lever, the mirror locks upwards ... anyone know why this has happened or how to fix? Thanks
My middle screw is completely stripped, I tried rubber bands and super glue to get it out. Can’t get it out. Any way I can get to the bottom? Edit: got it out by applying super glue to the screw and using a flathead
I have a Rolleiflex SL35 and i'm completely lost as to what to do! I can take a photo but after I press the shutter the mirror gets stuck up and I have to manually take off the bottom plate to reset the mirror release so I can take another one! Obviously I can't do this when i'm out and about so i'm wondering if there are any videos or tips you have to fix this problem? I've searched the internet but i'm new to using film cameras so i'm not sure on the correct terminology or what the exact issue is! Thank you for your videos 😊
Obviously it appears like the mirror release has issues. Most cases the mirror box would needed to be removed to address such a problem. If you can get your hands on another working SL35 you might be able to watch the function of it to help shed light on the issue that the malfunctioning camera is having.
As always, a great video! I am having a different issue with my K1000. The light meter reacts correctly, and will change if I adjust the shutter speed or asa dials. However, changing the aperture setting does not change the metering. The actuator behind the lens mount is moving smoothly and I tried it with multiple lenses. I also cleaned the battery compartment and confirmed the soldered connection is intact, as well as installing a fresh battery. The meter is acting like the lens is always wide open. Any thoughts on how to fix?
Am I correct in assuming the problem appears to be caused by the contact surface on the lever having worn/dented with age/use? Would another possible fix be to build back up the worn surface with something (I'm thinking possibly epoxy)?
Depending on the quality and properties of the chosen epoxy that should work. A little filing might be necessary to get the proper thickness. It might also to be a good idea if the epoxy route were tried that the cocking lever be taken out of the camera before the epoxy is applied.
I have this issue where the mirror is not returning to its original position after pressing the shutter, rather it remains up, blocking the prism, but only at low shutter speeds (8 & below). Th mechanism cocks correctly but when the shutter is pressed it sounds like a gear slips quickly, and the mirror return mechanism, the same you adjust in this video, remains in the cocked position. Any ideas on this?
This is great thank you! Now we know what's causing it, is there anyway to stop it happening continually? With my Pentax it happens every 4-5 shots where the camera lens jams.
Hello, great videos! Unfortunately even with my mirror cocking lever in the correct position, the shutter won't go. The indicator next to the shutter button is red and the advance lever won't move, but when I press the shutter button, it feels like something is blocking it, like it does before you advanced the film. I appreciate your time :)
The shutter wind gears probably have not been completely wound, therefore they are not positioned such that the release button can complete a full stroke. There could be an issue with the wind ratchet gear and wind idler gear. As a possible next step in the diagnostics, you could remove the top cover to inspect the gears.
If the mirror rises during advance the mirror latch lever failed to latch. The front plate on the Pentax K1000 can be removed with the mirror box left in place so as to observe and hopefully correct the malfunction.
I have the opposite problem . The part holding that pin down down doesn't move far enough back once the shutter goes off and holds the pin down in place
What screwdriver did you use? I'm really struggling to get the screws out of my camera but I'm totally clueless about tools so I'm wondering if this is the reason why they won't budge.
The bottom plate screws are JIS #00. Available here - astore.amazon.com/fixoldcam-20 Although the screws in Japanese cameras and lenses look like Phillips #00 and #000, they are not. They are JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) crosspoint screws #000 (1.4mm) and #00 (2.5mm). Sooner, than later, you will likely be sorry if you don't use the JIS screwdriver tips since the Phillips tips make virtual roto-rooters in tightly set JIS screw heads because the Phillips tips do not fit properly into the cross slots. If a gentle application of torque with a Phillips screwdriver tip does not work in a crosspoint screw you should switch to the proper JIS tip before damage is done. As a substitute to a properly sized JIS screwdriver, you might try filing a suitable flat-bladed or Phillips tip to the correct angle before you completely strip the JIS screw head.
Hi Mike, Another informative video thanks. I see your granddaughter will be the next one making repair videos. Quick question, off topic. Do you use or do you have any shutter testers? Reason for asking is I picked up a Nat-Cam analog shutter tester. It works, but needs adjustment. I'm trying to find a instruction manual or schematic. I thought perhaps you owned one. I did Email Nat-Cam but so far no response. THANKS keep the videos coming.
Just having a little fun with one of my little "helpers." A practice ear and eye is surprisingly accurate up to 500, but a good simply to use analog shutter tester is nice for speeds under 1000. There should be some information floating around for your unit. See if you can get a hold of some Camera Craftsman issues from the late 70's for some insight into you unit.
You will need to try the lens on another camera as it is typically the lens. If the lens works correctly on another camera of if multiple lenses on your camera have the same issue than the reflex mirror is not seating completely or the focus screen was taken out at some point and reinstalled incorrectly.
Could not say for certain. There is probably some good informational web pages out there that might get into the difference. With the Spotmatic... cameras were Asahi and Honeywell. The Honeywell intended for USA sales... so it has been said over the years. Do not know that is absolutely authoritative. The ones with plastic rewind knob and shaft were probably all manufactured in China, otherwise they were made in Japan.
Having your granddaughter helping out was simply adorable!
Young minds are hungry for knowledge, and they will only continue to grow as long as they are being fed heaping portions of new and interesting material. Your granddaughter already possesses more mechanical aptitude than about 78.3% of grown adults, and I’m guessing that she will grow up with a fondness for these old mechanical cameras, clocks, watches, etc.. You’re providing her with not only precious memories of time spent with PopPop, but also with skills and abilities that will serve her well for her entire lifetime.
My mirror was stuck in the up position on two K1000's but after watching this and putting a drop of oil on that cog it freed up and they both work perfectly now, thank you.
Good to hear of a double whammy. Keep'em going.
besides your skills and easy-going style, the inclusion of your granddaughter makes this so heartwarming.
Thank you... for your comment brings a smile and is greatly appreciated.
Not only was this helpful, but wonderfully presented. Thank you both.
Thank you for your kind comments and you interest in FOC.
The original fix worked a charm for me on an early Japanese K1000 model I picked up for peanuts as broken. Also managed to clean the light meter battery housing at the same time such a brilliant and simple fix. Awesome channel thank you for these concise tutorials.
Great to hear of your success and thanks for your interest in FOC and the nice comments.
I tried this and it worked! Thank you what a relief!
Send positive vibes to you and your granddaughter! Thanks a lot from Ukraine! :)
Very cool. We will look at a globe or an atlas so she can see where you are from.
Great, clear, and informative vide. Very helpful. Thanks for posting.
Thank you for posting this video - very much appreciated! 😊
if only we all had three hands!
LOL. Indeed. Thanks for the humorous comment and your interest in FOC.
ok, for a second I was freaked out by the extra little hands! have you seen the original Total Recall movie? look for Kuato...
Your comment no doubt brings a smile to all who have seen that movie. Great fun. Thanks for your interest in Fix Old Cameras.
This channel is really damn helpful.
saved me a $100 dollar repair, thank you!
Good to hear of your successful camera repair.
What a great grandpa!
Thanks for this video. My K1000's shutter was jammed but after taking the bottom off like in this video, I realized the problem was the button itself. I suppose it was gunked up from years of use and would stick after depressed. So I carefully dabbed bits of rubbing alcohol into and around the button. Slowly but surely the shutter button began to loosen up and now it fires!
+Nicholas Koenig
Perfect. Very good to hear.
Nicely done the job,thanks.
Thank you so much! it seems like i save my dads camera! thank you
Thank you for this! This fixed my original problem but it went back to getting stuck when screwing back in the plate. If I hold the camera upside down it works perfectly, is there a solution to this?
those extra fingers tripped me out for a sec
Excellent in every possible way, and she must be 8 by now!
Thank you and yes they do grow up fast. She is one of 13 grand kids... a very rich life.
@@FixOldCameras A blessing for sure!
Hello, I've looked at both these fixes for film transport and neither seem to be the issue - any other suggestions or guidance please?
Could be in the upper wind gears. Could be the wind ratchet or wind ratchet gear. Could be the wind idler gear next to the ratchet wind gear. Remove the top cover and inspect the gears that are located under the counter plate.
Thanks for the prompt reply. I reckon that's a fix too far for me having looked at the vids with the top cover being removed, I don't have the tools for it. I'll be taking to the local bloke who does my repairs. Great videos though, if it had been the small fixes in these 2 bottom plate fixes you'd have saved me £70.00.
Well you gave it a shot... anyway thank you for your interest in Fix Old Cameras.
Hi, Thanks for the series of tutorials they are super helpful. I did not find one on Nikons so I am posting here.
What can be wrong if a Nikon FE with battery working (meter works and battery check LED glows) but when shutter button is pressed the mirror flips up and stays up, and shutter curtains stay open at any speed other M90/B? Shutter will close and mirror goes down when switched to M90/B.
Where should I look?
It's different from the behavior when FE has no battery - shutter will not remain open in such case.
Some quick checks: If the auto-speeds hang open and the manual speeds and the meter indication is normal the purple wire connecting B+ to the Speed Control may not be connected or is not being contacted by the wiper. Auto and manual speeds hang open and meter is normal try desoldering the green wire from the shutter magnet. If the shutter still remains open, there is a short to ground on the black wire. Also check to make sure the resistance element of the Speed Control is not cracked.
Fix Old Cameras Hangs open manual or auto, except B/M90 so I am going to try desoldering
the green. No idea on how to access/where is the shutter magnet. Can
you tell me a bit more?
Fix Old Cameras Hi again FOC,I think I gave you the wrong information on meter. The meter does not work. Only the battery check red LED works.With or without battery installed, mechanical speeds M90/B always work.W/o battery, at other speeds manual or A, mirror goes up and stays up, first curtain does not trip. Turn to M90/B and mirror goes down - this should be normal behavior.W/ battery, manual or A, mirror is up and first curtain trips but 2nd does not. Removing power one way or another (push the lever flush, remove battery or set to M90/B) gets the 2nd curtain go.I removed the bottom plate. Saw a green wire soldered to one connector on the motor contacts module. Desoldered it while the shutter hanging open, nothing happened. Check the black wire. It looks like soldered to a collar ring of the battery holder thus by design it is the ground. Continuity between the black wire and body chassis is good.Anything else would you suggest?Thanks again.
The problem involves electronic issues and to troubleshoot correctly requires an entire series of steps, each one building on the other. The suggestions given in the previous post leap-frogged to some of the more common and easily accessible tests. Unfortunately there are no immediate plans to do a series on these type of repairs. However the FE would be a good candidate and possibly in the future such series on the FE could be produced.
If you have not already solved the problem or moved on, there on some photos posted on the FOC google plus that might help in your trouble shooting efforts.
I still can not figure out why mine won't work! it is in the correct place; however, the gears won't turn all the way. the lever doesn't extend completely and the button on top is just stuck. i didn't even know it was a button until i saw one of your videos. this is a camera i recently inherited from my father-in-law. i have been trying so hard to get it running, but i'm stuck. any ideas?
+Kristi Weise From what can be gleaned from your description of the issue it sounds as if the upper wind / transport gears are the root cause. The top cover will probably need to be removed and the gears inspected for an issue.
Bent as instructed and has fixed the problem but now when I advance the lever, the mirror locks upwards ... anyone know why this has happened or how to fix?
Thanks
Watch the video again and put a drop of oil on the cog as instructed, it worked on 2 cameras for me
My middle screw is completely stripped, I tried rubber bands and super glue to get it out. Can’t get it out. Any way I can get to the bottom?
Edit: got it out by applying super glue to the screw and using a flathead
I have a Rolleiflex SL35 and i'm completely lost as to what to do! I can take a photo but after I press the shutter the mirror gets stuck up and I have to manually take off the bottom plate to reset the mirror release so I can take another one! Obviously I can't do this when i'm out and about so i'm wondering if there are any videos or tips you have to fix this problem? I've searched the internet but i'm new to using film cameras so i'm not sure on the correct terminology or what the exact issue is! Thank you for your videos 😊
Obviously it appears like the mirror release has issues. Most cases the mirror box would needed to be removed to address such a problem. If you can get your hands on another working SL35 you might be able to watch the function of it to help shed light on the issue that the malfunctioning camera is having.
excelente mini micromecanico tu hijo ,gracias vida eterna para ustedes
As always, a great video! I am having a different issue with my K1000. The light meter reacts correctly, and will change if I adjust the shutter speed or asa dials. However, changing the aperture setting does not change the metering. The actuator behind the lens mount is moving smoothly and I tried it with multiple lenses. I also cleaned the battery compartment and confirmed the soldered connection is intact, as well as installing a fresh battery. The meter is acting like the lens is always wide open. Any thoughts on how to fix?
The resistor ring behind the aperture dial linkage is probably dirty or open.
I figured out for me that the piece you put oil on is the reason why mine keeps getting jammed. what do i do about this?
Am I correct in assuming the problem appears to be caused by the contact surface on the lever having worn/dented with age/use? Would another possible fix be to build back up the worn surface with something (I'm thinking possibly epoxy)?
Depending on the quality and properties of the chosen epoxy that should work. A little filing might be necessary to get the proper thickness. It might also to be a good idea if the epoxy route were tried that the cocking lever be taken out of the camera before the epoxy is applied.
Do you know to fix an advance jam?
I have this issue where the mirror is not returning to its original position after pressing the shutter, rather it remains up, blocking the prism, but only at low shutter speeds (8 & below). Th mechanism cocks correctly but when the shutter is pressed it sounds like a gear slips quickly, and the mirror return mechanism, the same you adjust in this video, remains in the cocked position. Any ideas on this?
If the shutter is not completing the release cycle below 1/8 the slow speed escapement is probably hanging up.
@@FixOldCameras I believe I'd have to remove the front panel to access that? Do you have any resources on this problem that could help guide me?
Thank you very much for this video
You are welcome and thank you for your interest in FOC.
This is great thank you! Now we know what's causing it, is there anyway to stop it happening continually? With my Pentax it happens every 4-5 shots where the camera lens jams.
Just tweak the latch lever ever so slightly to make a more positive engagement.
how about "how to fix stuck ASA wheel on Pentax ME Super"?
Would this same method fix a locked canon ae-1 film advance lever?
No, however you might go to the Fix Old Camera Canon playlist to find some videos that should be helpful.
It worked! Thank you so much!
Stacy Sherwood Good to hear.
Hello, great videos! Unfortunately even with my mirror cocking lever in the correct position, the shutter won't go. The indicator next to the shutter button is red and the advance lever won't move, but when I press the shutter button, it feels like something is blocking it, like it does before you advanced the film. I appreciate your time :)
The shutter wind gears probably have not been completely wound, therefore they are not positioned such that the release button can complete a full stroke. There could be an issue with the wind ratchet gear and wind idler gear. As a possible next step in the diagnostics, you could remove the top cover to inspect the gears.
Do you have a video for this, I'm also still having an issue
When I advance the film in my k1000 using a pentax-m 50mm f2, the mirror stucks up. What can I do?
If the mirror rises during advance the mirror latch lever failed to latch. The front plate on the Pentax K1000 can be removed with the mirror box left in place so as to observe and hopefully correct the malfunction.
I have the opposite problem . The part holding that pin down down doesn't move far enough back once the shutter goes off and holds the pin down in place
From your description, not exactly clear on the sequence of failure, but it is possible the cocking lever is not being pushed to completion?
What screwdriver did you use? I'm really struggling to get the screws out of my camera but I'm totally clueless about tools so I'm wondering if this is the reason why they won't budge.
The bottom plate screws are JIS #00. Available here - astore.amazon.com/fixoldcam-20
Although the screws in Japanese cameras and lenses look like Phillips #00 and #000, they are not. They are JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) crosspoint screws #000 (1.4mm) and #00 (2.5mm).
Sooner, than later, you will likely be sorry if you don't use the JIS screwdriver tips since the Phillips tips make virtual roto-rooters in tightly set JIS screw heads because the Phillips tips do not fit properly into the cross slots.
If a gentle application of torque with a Phillips screwdriver tip does not work in a crosspoint screw you should switch to the proper JIS tip before damage is done. As a substitute to a properly sized JIS screwdriver, you might try filing a suitable flat-bladed or Phillips tip to the correct angle before you completely strip the JIS screw head.
Hi Mike, Another informative video thanks. I see your granddaughter will be the next one making repair videos. Quick question, off topic. Do you use or do you have any shutter testers? Reason for asking is I picked up a Nat-Cam analog shutter tester. It works, but needs adjustment. I'm trying to find a instruction manual or schematic. I thought perhaps you owned one. I did Email Nat-Cam but so far no response. THANKS keep the videos coming.
Just having a little fun with one of my little "helpers." A practice ear and eye is surprisingly accurate up to 500, but a good simply to use analog shutter tester is nice for speeds under 1000. There should be some information floating around for your unit. See if you can get a hold of some Camera Craftsman issues from the late 70's for some insight into you unit.
My k1000 focus screen has been appeared over focusing when I set on infinity. Could you please tell me how to fix this issue? Thanks!
You will need to try the lens on another camera as it is typically the lens. If the lens works correctly on another camera of if multiple lenses on your camera have the same issue than the reflex mirror is not seating completely or the focus screen was taken out at some point and reinstalled incorrectly.
Did I inspire the oiling part?
Suggestions are all considered. At some point in time they all could come into play. Your timing was perfect. Thank you.
My pentax super progam is not turning on. Tried fresh batteries and nothing. Any ideas?
Check for a nearly invisible film of corrosion that often collects on the battery lid. It sometimes requires a gentle scraping to remove.
Light meter adjustment video for the k1000
Good suggestion. Thank you.
Is this a Japanese model? Having worked on a few of these I've noticed some differences between even the earlier models.
Could not say for certain. There is probably some good informational web pages out there that might get into the difference. With the Spotmatic... cameras were Asahi and Honeywell. The Honeywell intended for USA sales... so it has been said over the years. Do not know that is absolutely authoritative. The ones with plastic rewind knob and shaft were probably all manufactured in China, otherwise they were made in Japan.
Looks like the wrong screw was put in the bottom.
Three hands in frame at once is cursed asf
me equivoque pensé era tu hijo vida eterna para tu nieta
Hi, what if when you advance the arm the holds the shutter lever does not move forward to hold it in place?
Thanks in advance
Possibly an issue with the upper wind gears.
Thanks for the help sir