Bronica ETRS shutter issue

[Orange555]

I fixed the back, but now the body of my ETRS is acting up.

My shutter will sometimes not fire. I was out shooting yesterday and I couldn't get it working. Had it hanging around my neck while I was googling solutions. I did not touch the camera at all, a few minutes later, I tried firing the shutter and it suddenly worked.

Right now I can't seem to get it working at all. It seems like the dark slide pin in the body is stuck.
This would tell the camera that a dark slide is in and should prevent the shutter from firing.

See the attached picture.

Thank you

I have tried:
Using a cable release
Using a speed grip.
Releasing shutter with the film back attached with dark slide and without.
Releasing the shutter in multiple exposure mode and single shot.
Changing the battery.
Releasing the shutter with no back attached, in single shot and multiple exposure mode.
Releasing the shutter with no lens and no back.

 

[paul ron]

its a mechanical set of levers again. a tiny tiny drop of wd40 wicked in may be your solution.
push the side pin that the dark slide tab hits? excersize it a bit.

then we can go from there.

 

[Orange555]

Wouldn't WD40 be quite bad, since its a penetrating oil?

 

[BMbikerider]

Wouldn't WD40 be quite bad, since its a penetrating oil?

WD40 is wrongly classified as a penetrating oil, it is a spray lubricant with a high content of solvent that allows the very thin oil base to spread before the solvent evaporated. It does penetrate a little, but this is not it's prime function.

Bronica lenses the last time I looked have electrical contacts on the back to operate the shutter and corresponding contacts inside the body (Or at least mine did) So my guess it is dirty contacts, either in the camera body or the lens itself. Considering the operating voltage of 6V this does not take an awful lot of dirt to foul up the works. You could try cleaning the external contact with something like Isopropyl Alcohol, a well known and efficient cleaner for micro electronics. the contacts inside the battery compartment can corrode and provide exactly the same symptoms as you have experienced.

Do NOT use petrol (gas) or lighter fuel as this may well dissolve any resin based insulation, whereas Isopropyl alcohol will not.

 

[paul ron]

WD in such tiny amounts on mechanicals is fine. it will losen any crud in there.

yes on cleaning contacts.... good call!

I use a pencil eraser to freshen them.

another question... which prism are you using? the metered prism has an electrical connection to the camera for auto exposure settings. clean those contacts as well. try the body with the prism removed.

 

[Orange555]

I managed to wiggle something down between the pin and the body to wobble it free. The camera fires the shutter correctly now, Lucky it wasn't anything electrical. I'll add a tiny bit of WD40 to hopefully prevent it from getting stuck again.

I'm using the unmetered prism

 

[John Koehrer]

I'm not fond of using WD40, lubrication wasn't it's primary use that was dispersing water, may as well use lighter fluid.
Alcohol would be my first choice.

 

[paul ron]

to each his own john.

https://wd40.com/cool-stuff/myths-legends-fun-facts

I remember when the propellant was propane... I may still have an old can around. people were spraying it on hot car engines n blowing themselves to smithereens.

now its co2 propelled.

BTW, wd40 will eventually evaporate since its such a light refined oil. I've done some smears on a window along with a few other oils. in a few weeks, it was all gone.

 

[moto-uno]

My experience with alcohol has not been great with cleaning old sticky lubricants . Peter

 

[wiltw]

There are some very interesting interactions caused by the linkages between the back and body, which you would not think could happen!
Decades ago, I had a Bronica ETRSi purchased new, with some additional 120 backs (also purchased new); I later added another 120 back purchased used.
One day I discovered that ONE of my backs would cause the camera to not open the shutter on SOME shots.

It turns out that the 'film on new frame' pin on that (used) back was just a bit too long, causing the reflex mirror to not flip up FULLY, which then prevented the shutter from releasing...so no shot sometimes, but get a shot other times. It was not lens-related, I could mount other lenses and get the inconsistent no-shot behavior.

I sent body and back to Bronica repair (when they still had a shop, before Tamrom bought them), and they adjusted the back so that it worked consistently with the body.

 

[UlyssesD]

I fixed the back, but now the body of my ETRS is acting up.

My shutter will sometimes not fire. I was out shooting yesterday and I couldn't get it working. Had it hanging around my neck while I was googling solutions. I did not touch the camera at all, a few minutes later, I tried firing the shutter and it suddenly worked.

Right now I can't seem to get it working at all. It seems like the dark slide pin in the body is stuck.
This would tell the camera that a dark slide is in and should prevent the shutter from firing.

See the attached picture.

Thank you

I have tried:
Using a cable release
Using a speed grip.
Releasing shutter with the film back attached with dark slide and without.
Releasing the shutter in multiple exposure mode and single shot.
Changing the battery.
Releasing the shutter with no back attached, in single shot and multiple exposure mode.
Releasing the shutter with no lens and no back.

Wouldn't WD40 be quite bad, since its a penetrating oil?

 

[UlyssesD]

I know I'm a bit late coming to the show. I had a lot of trouble with a 4x5 shutter and this forum resolved my camera issue. Not to labor. I had problems with a Bronica etrs. firing and not firing, the counter not winding on blah blah.
I removed the cover from the side of film back . I used a brake and clutch aerosol cleaner, it leaves no residue and used a ptfe dry lubricant.
The shutter problem appeared to be that the pin ( it contributed to the shutter action) on the lower back was not reaching in to the camera body far enough. I seen some comments ,on line, that you should lengthen this pin? With trial and error I placed a cutting of copper wire approx. 1/16th or 2mm. into the pin receiving hole. see pics attached. this allowed the second pin to do its job. I hope my explanation is good enough, as I a retired Irish carpenter.

 

[UlyssesD]

I uploaded the images without noting them...sorry