Bronica SQ-A Shutter Issue

TJPope · Nov 2, 2020

Hi all,

I'm hoping those of you with a bit more experience with Bronica equipment might be able to give me some thoughts on this.

SQ-A, shutter will only fire at the "default" no battery speed. Battery tests at 6.2v and the electrical system has power (Red test light will light and AE finder will display suggested times. The shutter works at default speed no matter where the wheel is set or if the AE finder is set to manual or auto.

To test the lens, I hooked it up to the SQ-Am that I got in the same deal, used the same battery and everything works properly. So the issue isn't the shutter in the lens.

I have no problem taking apart the camera and poking around in the internals. It's not like it works as is...

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
-T.J.

grat · Nov 2, 2020

My SQ-A has the same problem. The finder pin (top left of focusing screen if you're holding the camera normally) isn't quite working right on mine-- Although unlike yours, it works with the AE finder installed and on.

After an email discussion with Jimmy Koh (who doesn't work on Bronica officially any more, but will answer questions), we narrowed it down to the finder pin. I just haven't taken the time to disassemble it to clean/adjust the contacts.

TJPope · Nov 2, 2020

Thanks for the into @grat, finder pin as in one of the contacts or the little springy things on the side? And thanks especially for mentioning that about Jimmy Koh, I knew he wasn't working on them anymore but didn't realize that he would help you troubleshoot. I'll have to send him an email!

grat · Nov 3, 2020

TJPope said:
Thanks for the into @grat, finder pin as in one of the contacts or the little springy things on the side? And thanks especially for mentioning that about Jimmy Koh, I knew he wasn't working on them anymore but didn't realize that he would help you troubleshoot. I'll have to send him an email!

According to him, it's either going to be the lens or the body-- you tested the lens on another body. He said to check the "finder top pin" (first image), and the contact (second image) and that if it's sticking, or open, the camera will only fire at 1/500.

TJPope · Nov 3, 2020

grat said:
According to him, it's either going to be the lens or the body-- you tested the lens on another body. He said to check the "finder top pin" (first image), and the contact (second image) and that if it's sticking, or open, the camera will only fire at 1/500.

View attachment 258533 View attachment 258534

Thanks for the images! The finder pin appears to be operating properly. It actuates like it should. So my guess is the contact in the second image.

I should have some time tonight to pop it open and see what I can see.

wiltw · Nov 3, 2020

If the metering finder seems to work, I would REMOVE the finder from the body and test...the camera should be able to control shutter speed properly even in the absence of the metering prism finder!

It could be that the shutter timing circuit within the body has failed for some reason, and that would be evident with a body-only-no-finder control of the lens which you have proven works properly on another body.

TJPope · Nov 3, 2020

wiltw said:
If the metering finder seems to work, I would REMOVE the finder from the body and test...the camera should be able to control shutter speed properly even in the absence of the metering prism finder!

It could be that the shutter timing circuit within the body has failed for some reason, and that would be evident with a body-only-no-finder control of the lens which you have proven works properly on another body.

Grat hasn't said if he has a spare body to test with as his is the one where it works with the finder.

In my case, I get default shutter speed with AE finder turned on or off and on or off the camera. My first thought was that timing circuit is toast, but I'll check that contact that Mr. Koh recommended the issue Grat is having and go from there myself.

grat · Nov 3, 2020

I have a single body. With the AE finder, it works reliably. Without the AE finder, if I can tap it with just the right amount of force in just the right spot, it starts working normally-- for a few hours. Then it fails again. Based on the scant amount of information on the SQ-A I've found, that the contacts in mine are actually in need of adjustment as well as cleaning.

wiltw · Nov 3, 2020

TJPope said:
Grat hasn't said if he has a spare body to test with as his is the one where it works with the finder.

In my case, I get default shutter speed with AE finder turned on or off and on or off the camera. My first thought was that timing circuit is toast, but I'll check that contact that Mr. Koh recommended the issue Grat is having and go from there myself.

But you said, "To test the lens, I hooked it up to the SQ-Am that I got in the same deal, used the same battery and everything works properly." So I suggested removing the AE prism off the SQ-A and using the shutter speed dial on the body...if it aways shoots at 1/500 although the battery test indicator lights properly, then the timing circult is apparently not functioning.

grat · Nov 3, 2020

wiltw said:
But you said, "To test the lens, I hooked it up to the SQ-Am that I got in the same deal, used the same battery and everything works properly." So I suggested removing the AE prism off the SQ-A and using the shutter speed dial on the body...if it aways shoots at 1/50 0 although the battery test indicator lights properly, then the timing circult is apparently not function.

Note that the if the contacts for the finder pin are stuck in the engaged position, then at least two of the 8 contacts across the top of the focusing screen are trying to complete a circuit with the speed dial (I haven't looked at the wiring diagram recently). Effectively, the speed dial has been removed from the camera's operational circuit without the AE finder.

While it's not exactly the same, there is an ETR Si repair manual online at butkus.org. There appear to be heavy similarities between the two units, enough that the pictures provided by Mr. Koh match fairly closely with the images in the manual under the Troubleshooting guide, page P-7.

TJPope · Nov 3, 2020

wiltw said:
But you said, "To test the lens, I hooked it up to the SQ-Am that I got in the same deal, used the same battery and everything works properly." So I suggested removing the AE prism off the SQ-A and using the shutter speed dial on the body...if it aways shoots at 1/500 although the battery test indicator lights properly, then the timing circult is apparently not functioning.

I may not have put that in my initial post, but I have tried with finder turned on and turned off and not on the camera. Every combination I could think of.

grat said:
Note that the if the contacts for the finder pin are stuck in the engaged position, then at least two of the 8 contacts across the top of the focusing screen are trying to complete a circuit with the speed dial (I haven't looked at the wiring diagram recently). Effectively, the speed dial has been removed from the camera's operational circuit without the AE finder.

While it's not exactly the same, there is an ETR Si repair manual online at butkus.org. There appear to be heavy similarities between the two units, enough that the pictures provided by Mr. Koh match fairly closely with the images in the manual under the Troubleshooting guide, page P-7.

Interesting, but wouldn't using a WLF then do the same thing as having no finder? Or that may work as it pushes down the spring loaded pins on each side?

grat · Nov 3, 2020

TJPope said:
Interesting, but wouldn't using a WLF then do the same thing as having no finder? Or that may work as it pushes down the spring loaded pins on each side?

As I say-- mine will jiggle a bit sometimes. Putting either finder in depresses the finder pin (and the locking pin, on the right), but the WLF allows the finder pin to pop back up, so it shouldn't be trying to use the contacts across the top.

Bronica SQ-A Shutter Issue

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