Cleaning Aperture Vitomatic II

[unohuu]

Anyone have experience doing this? The blades are showing a bit of oil and I thought this might be an easy job. Are there electrical connections (? manual/mechanical camera, but there is a hot shoe) that I should be aware of? How easy/difficult to access the blades? TIA

 

[haris]

I don't know for that particular camera, but I have cleaned aperture and chutter blades of mine rangefinder Konica AutoS2 and Yashica Mat TLR MF cameras.

For both of those cameras when cleand aperture blades I had to unscrew front glass elements of lens(es), fire shutter at B position and leave it open, aperture was closed to minimum opening. Then I put drop or two oF benzine (for cleaning, not for cars). I used Zippo benzine for lightfires . After putting drop or two of benzine, I several times turn aperture ring, for blades to smear benzine over the whole surface. Leave to benzine to evaporate. After that I could use both cameras without problems.

For cleaning shutter blades simillar procedure. After unscrewing front glas elements of lenses I put drop or two bezine on blades, fire shutter several times to smear benzine on blades surface and leave benzine to evaporate. Againg, after that I use cameras without problems.

Check if benzine drops falls on rear glass elements of lens. If that happens I simply open shutter, open aperture to max and clean glass elements normally with lens cleaning cloth.

Be carefull if you unscrew your lens not to scratch glass elements of lens. Maybe you will need special tools for unscrewing the lens.

Warning! This procedure(s) worked for me, but I am not guarantee it will work for you. If you do that, you are alone guilty if anything go wrong and you destroy your camera.

Regards.

 

[haris]

Sorry, forgot to tell. There is web site with procedures (written and photographed) how to clean cameras, and even how to adjust focusing for old rangefinders if focusing go off alingment. I forgot URL, so, please, try search on web...

 

[unohuu]

Thanks, Haris. Will give it a try as soon as I polish off the roll inside.