Mamiya leaf shutter problems.

I hope someone who owns a Mamiya 645 150mm leaf shutter lens can give me some advice! I bought one a while ago but haven't been able to use it.

Basically, I cocked the shutter but the shutter remains firmly closed! (It should have opened when it was cocked by turning the cocking-ring.) :confused: I've never actually had the shutter open and I guess it's jammed. It was a while before I tried to use the lens because I was hoping to find some instructions for it. (I've used an RB leaf-shutter lens in the past but it was a long while ago...) I did find an instruction booklet for the Mamiya 70mm leaf-shutter, which is similar but not quite the same. As far as I can see, I'm doing everything correctly but getting nowhere. Without the instructions for the specific lens it's hard to know if I am doing something wrong!

Any suggestions? All advice gratefuuly received!
Thanks, in hope and anticipation, Ann.

Ann,
Have you tried Mamiyas website for the instructions?
I was thinking(?) about this & was wondering if the lens has a release lever inside the lens mount. It's been too long since I've seen one to be familiar with it.

Hi John,
Thanks for the reply! Yes, there is a lever inside the lens but it isn't doing anything...
I tried Mamiya's website some time ago - no instructions there so I emailed customer services. I got a reply quickly from someone who clearly was not very familiar with it. The lens is the older 'C' version and I guess things have changed too much since!

Ann, it sounds like it is time to take it to a repairman and have a clean, lube and adjust [CLA].

Steve

I fiddled with a few leaf shutter lenses on my M645, but it always felt like a kludge. So I sold it off and now use leaf shutter systems only.

I think your both probably right...The lens is still under guarantee, so it looks as if it's going back. Even if I did get it working, it could probably stick again. Oh, well...

Hello APUG,

ok, this thread has been "unused" for quite a while, nevertheless I'd like to "reactivate" it, instead of opening a new one.
Currently I am facing a dilemma I quite can't explain:
my Mamiya RB67 Sekor C 127mm 3.8 lens suddenly went berserk. Ever since I owned it, it did not make any problems during cocking and firing. It has been used regularly by the way and has always been stored with an uncocked shutter. Today the shutter leafs refuse to close once the mirror flips up, though. It seems as if they were stuck, like it happens to old shutters which have not been used for quite a while. Anyway the shutter itself fires perfectly (so it is just that time the leafs have to close during "mirror" up, they just don't move, the Seiko itself snaps swell...)
How could that happen? The lens has not been dropped, is stored as always (in my room, dry and not too cold/warm) and was used regularly. Can the lubricants get stuck from one day to another so I "just" have to get a CLA or could anything worse have happened?

Thanks for any kind of help!

P.S.: Just fits into a series of misshaps... ...my newly aquired SekorC 250mm went to the repair shop yesterday. So why not having all my camera gear out for repair?!? It really gets me upset...

it's probably oil and gunk on the iris blades that's causing it to stick but I can't see how you'll find out exactly what's wrong with your lens unless you send it to be serviced, and let a qualified technician strip it down and look at it.

It can be a spring that returns the blades to their closed position let go.

Well how old is the lens or lesnes? When was the last time you sent em in for servie? I'll bet the l;enses have only been to the shop once in their 30 year histories.

How many times in 30 years have you been to the doctor? How many times has your car been to the repair shop in 30 years? Got it now?

paul ron said:

Well how old is the lens or lesnes? When was the last time you sent em in for servie? I'll bet the l;enses have only been to the shop once in their 30 year histories.

How many times in 30 years have you been to the doctor? How many times has your car been to the repair shop in 30 years? Got it now?

Click to expand...

To be honest, I can't quite get the last part, since I do not have 30 years of age yet and I do not own a car (just a Vespa, which I can repair on my own) *haha*. Ok, to quit kidding: I got your point and I agree with you. I just asked because I was afraid that anything really nasty could have happened, since it all happened just from one second to the other.

Since I own that lens for only about half a year right now, I can't tell you how often it has been sent to a service. Of course the prior owner stated that he allways cared about service and that he was the only owner of the lens in all time. But *hehe*, try to proove that .

Thanks for your replies. I'd better not check my bank-account next week, it'll surely not amuse me .

See, the old timers took very good care of their equipment since they were making a living off it. Service on lenses should be once every 2 years and body once every 5. Backs got seals then too. Amatures use their equipment till it break down n then go get new used stuff n throw out the old broken. It makes sense if the repairs cost more than a replacement. So we are at the disposable age.

Your lenses are about 20 - 30 years old and have seen alot of action, yet they stil work fine for their age... care is everything. A CLA should take care of your problems.

Since you are a handy fellow n repair your Vespa, maybe consider trying to repair your lenses as well? It isn't hard and once you know how to do it, it becomes routine.

E-mail me automax1@juno.com if you want to give it try? You never can tell this may be a new hobbby or an income.

Not to hijack but is it recommended to store the RZ lenses uncocked?

I used to read that this wasn't necessary for hasselblad so I assummed the same,
we all know what happens when we assume.