Bronica S2A : stop down lever issue?

[Camerawrecker]

Hi all,
Recently I acquired a beautiful S2A with 75mm Nikkor standard lens. I have shot one test roll so far and everything looks fine.
However, while fondling and testing all buttons and things one night, I discovered that the lens iris doesn't stop down all the way to f/22 when depressing the shutter button. But it does however close down all the way when I depress the DOF button instead. I think there is about one stop of difference.
The little lever inside the body near the lens bayonet doesn't seem to move up as high when releasing the shutter than when depressing the DOF button. Maybe there is something wrong with a hidden mechanical linkage? I can live with a deviation of one stop, if it doesn't get any worse with time. I just hope it's not a sign of more problems to come. Is this a known problem and is there something I can do about it myself without taking the camera apart? Thanks for any ideas.
Benny

 

[Kyon Thinh]

Old Bronica seems to have problem with stop down lever. Mine is stuck if it is depressed too far and I must take the helicoid out to fix it. It is also stuck if I take a picture with aperture smaller than f/8.
If you can live with it, why not? But for me, I can't, too much hassle.

 

[benjiboy]

In view of your name, I wouldn't attempt to take it apart.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

It seems like something that should be repairable. I'd have it looked at by someone experienced with Bronicas of that era. It's an unusually complicated camera to work on, because of the falling mirror design that essentially necessitates three shutters instead of one.

 

[el wacho]

The dof button and the stopdown mechanism whilst exposing are the one and the same mechanism. This would lead me to suspect the iris may be a little sluggish. Take the lens off and have a look at the lever to see if they perform the same during dof and actuation. Use the b and/or the bulb setting.

 

[Camerawrecker]

Thank you all for the replies.
El Wacho, thanks, that sounds like a good idea. I will check this tonight. With the lens removed from the body it's iris seems to be dry and not at all sluggish, but the swinging metal part on the rear -the one that connects with the lever in the body- may perhaps have too much friction once the lens is mounted (it's metal on metal and may need lubricating?)
Benny
PS : I haven't wrecked *that* many cameras yet...

 

[Camerawrecker]

The dof button and the stopdown mechanism whilst exposing are the one and the same mechanism. This would lead me to suspect the iris may be a little sluggish. Take the lens off and have a look at the lever to see if they perform the same during dof and actuation. Use the b and/or the bulb setting.

I took the lens off and watched the lever closely : when depressing the DOF button it moves about 1mm further upwards than when using the shutter button.
Releasing the shutter at bulb and f/22 with the lens mounted : iris closes down *almost* right, but when I then depress the DOF it cloes down a bit further.

I guess the poor thing is showing some signs of age. It's a beauty though and I enjoy shooting it.

regards,
Benny