Bronica SQ-A back problem

[Excedion]

Hi there, i recently acquired a bronica sq-a and the back does not seem to have been put on right, im having trouble trying to both put it on and take it off. Any ideas on how to fix this?

h ttp://img.ie/107a0.jpg
h ttp://img.ie/03797.jpg

apologies for the bad quality. basically its attached at the bottom but not the top and the top pins will not slide in.

 

[BobD]

Here's a manual:
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/bronica/bronica_sq-a-m/bronica_sq-a-m.htm

 

[Excedion]

Yeah i already looked at the manual. The back release button is rigid and wont go in no matter how hard i push

 

[Excedion]

OK never mind. It appears that my camera has a faulty back release. The solution was to remove the two small screws on the bottom of the film back and trigger the release manually. After i reattached it properly it would not release either. I guess i will not be able to switch them without doing this but ah well.

 

[mbsmith]

OK never mind. It appears that my camera has a faulty back release. The solution was to remove the two small screws on the bottom of the film back and trigger the release manually. After i reattached it properly it would not release either. I guess i will not be able to switch them without doing this but ah well.

Well, it may be faulty, but I notice fromt the images that there is no dark slide inserted. The SQ system has a lock that prevents you from removing the back when the dark slide is not there to keep you from ruining your roll. I would try doing that before removing screws, etc.

 

[DWThomas]

I think mbsmith has your solution. There is a small tab at the bottom of the dark slide that actuates an interlock on the back release button. (That also means the dark slide must be inserted correctly -- there's a top and a bottom.)

You can defeat the interlock with a small jeweler's screwdriver.

(The screwdriver is tilted down in this picture to enable seeing the slot.)

The interlock is a handy safety item, as it's not unusual to swap backs to switch from B&W to color and the like and popping it off with the dark slide out is not a Good Thing.

DaveT

 

[Dave in Kansas]

I might add that you should be very careful if you insert the dark slide with the back removed from the camera. The slide needs be inserted straight to avoid possibly cracking the faceplate that makes contact with the camera body. The faceplate is secured to the back by 4 screws, I think, one in each corner. Inserting the card at an angle can crack the faceplate, usually near the screws on the side of the slide opening.

I got a heck of a deal on a box of Bronica SQ-A equipment, but I think 3 of the 4 backs were cracked from the dark slide being shoved in crooked.

Dave