Bronica 80mm PS problem

hoffy · Jul 1, 2012

Well, today I am annoyed - it appears that my 80mm PS lens has developed a fault.

When shooting at 1/500th of a second, I am getting long (& inconsistent) exposures. Sometimes I get a fast speed, other times I get a few seconds. I have tried most the other shutter speeds - those that I can easily measure appear OK. The faster shutter speeds sound quick. It just seems to be at 1/500th. I have tried my another lens on the body and this appears to be OK.

Has anyone had this issue before? Could it be something as simple as a bad connection?

Cheers

(BTW, this is the 4th piece of camera equipment that I have had an issue with in the last 6 months - I tell you, the whole lot is going to end up in the freaken bin.....)

wilfbiffherb · Jul 1, 2012

i had similar with my S 50mm when my camera took a little tumble. in the end i had to send it for repair - afraid i never found out what was actually wrong with it though.

hoffy · Jul 1, 2012

Well, I attacked the damn thing with a dremel this arvo - seriously!

OK, not quite that bad. I polished up the pins using a dremel & polishing pad and it seems to be on the improve. I was a bit fearful, though, as after I had finished the job, it wasn't working properly at all. I then played with the T switch and it came good. I have just done an aproximate test using my DSLR in the focal plaen and a light source to test the shutter speeds and they look pretty close. From my eyes, I think @ 1/500, its a small bit slow - maybe around 1/400th.

I'll run a roll through it during the week and see how they turn out.

Cheers

hoffy · Jul 1, 2012

Actually - a bit of thinking out loud here - Could it be dying or near flat batteries that's causing this?

rolleiman · Jul 1, 2012

Sounds like it could be battery problems...electronics in cameras...always a problem at some stage, that's my experience. The cameras that have never given me problems...my Rolleiflex, Minolta Autocord, & Mamiyaflex C330. ......all totally mechanical.

andrew.roos · Jul 1, 2012

AFAIK 1/500 is the one mechanically timed speed on the Bronicas. With no battery it should shoot at 1/500. So chances are the problem is mechanical.

NJS · Jul 1, 2012

I had similar problem with 50 S lens giving me inconsisted speeds - I've opened the lens and cleaned iris and shutter blades with isopropyl alchohol and also cleaned lens contacts a bit. 5 minutes job solved the issue.

Canuck · Jul 2, 2012

If you don't mind me asking, how difficult is it to take apart and re-assemble? I have a problem with a ps lens with it not cocking so I figured it might me an interesting challenge

Canuck · Jul 2, 2012

If you don't mind me asking, how difficult is it to take apart and re-assemble? I have a problem with a ps lens with it not cocking so I figured it might be an interesting challenge

NJS · Jul 3, 2012

Canuck, if you have some limited experience, right tools and patience then it's not that difficult, not as, say, Leica-R lenses or Nikkors with CRC.
Here are some tips: http://www.buonaluce.com/Slens.pdf

hoffy · Jul 3, 2012

Be warned - they use a pretty decent screw locking compound, so its quiet easy to flog out the screw heads.

John Koehrer · Jul 3, 2012

When I started repairing electronic cameras/shutters, the Golden rule was "First, last & ALWAYS test the battery"
A battery may give a proper voltage reading with a meter but not work consistently in a camera.
The reason is,there's no load on the battery with a volt meter, when the camera is tripped there is a load on the battery and it could go below the minimum need of the camera.

hoffy · Apr 20, 2014

Digging up another thread of old of mine....

I now have had my second lens with the same issue. This time its my 110 f4 PS lens. This time , though, I have discovered some useful info. I am pretty sure that its the lens causing the issue and its not to do with batteries. As others have stated, 1/500 is purely a mechanical speed. I have taken the lens off and have been manually firing it and most certainly, the shutter is sluggish. The funny thing is that my 80 has righted itself...... Anyhow, the 110 is going to be pulled down. I'm hoping that its just a bit of gunky grease.

Bronica 80mm PS problem

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