Bronica ETRS Re: Zenza Bronica 1:4 f=150 mm Lens.

[Lozzaman]

Sorry, but I am new to medium format so please bear with me. My Zenica Bronica 1:4 f=150 lens has as I understand has two leaf shutters within the body one for the aperture and the other I think to stop light hitting the film. Looking into the lens I find this leaf shutter is open in a star position and seems not to move. My dumb question is, does this seem normal or should this second shutter supposed to close fully. If this shutter is faulty and fixable who can service it in Australia or if it has to be, Overseas. Thank you in advance for any information.

 

[M-88]

Hello,

The one that's open in a shape of the star (it should be a five-ray star if I recall correctly from when I had ETRS), must be open fully when shutter is wound. And after you fire the camera, it must close fully, thus preventing the light hitting the film. What you described means that either the shutter is not fully cocked, or it's broken/needs repair.

It would be beneficial to see the photos of the actual situation, so if you can, show us.

P.S. Welcome to Photrio.

 

[AnselMortensen]

Your lens has one leaf shutter...which prevents the light from hitting the film.
Your lens has an aperture, a pentagonal-shaped hole that it sounds like you are seeing.
The shutter should be either fully closed or fully open, depending upon whether it is 'cocked' or not.
The aperture can be any size at any given time.
Can you take a phone pic of what you're seeing, that will help us tell you is something is wrong.
Hope this helps.
You might also Google 'butkus camera manual' for an online copy of the manual for your camera...(I recommend that you make the requested $3 donation for the excellent service he offers).

 

[reddesert]

If the shutter opening looks like a pointed star, not a pentagon, that means you're looking at the shutter blades themselves (not the aperture blades) and that the shutter is stuck partway open, as M-88 said.

If you have the lens off the camera, the shutter should have been cocked, and the two cocking pins at the rear of the lens should be at the end of their slots that is marked with a colored dot. Normally, in this case, the shutter and aperture will both be fully open.

It is possible to uncock the shutter while the lens is off the camera. To do this, look at the chrome bayonet mount of the lens from the side. At one point, there's a little lever hidden behind one of the bayonet flanges. This lever is depressed when the lens is mounted on the camera and it allows the cocking pins to move away from the cocked position. With the lens off the camera, you can press this lever with a fingernail and move the cocking pins to the uncocked end of their travel. Normally, this will close the shutter and then fire it at a fast speed at the very end of travel (mimicking what happens when the camera fires the lens shutter).

It's possible that the uncocking motion will succeed in closing the shutter, and then you can try repeated cocking/uncocking to see if it frees up the shutter motion. However, from the description it's possible that there is some oil on the shutter blades and it may stick again unless cleaned.