Mamiya M645 dead shutter issue--cheap fix?

[summicron1]

A while ago someone gave me this Mamiya M645 outfit -- it's an early version, 1/500 top speed, but it seemed to be working fine, was fun to play with, I even sprang for new light seals and a 45mm wide angle lens because I dig wide angle and it, like all with the series, was pretty cheap.

A coupla weeks ago, after letting it sit a month, I took the camera out to goof around, you know -- fire the shutter, focus on stuff -- and the shutter had quit working. It would fire halfway, stick open with the mirror up, but that was it. Permanent "B" shutter speed on all settings.

Yes, it is on a shutter speed, not the O thingy.

Yes, the battery is good. I had a new lithium battery in it and even sprang for a new alkaline battery, just to make sure it was not the battery anyway. Battery test light is bright.

Shutter closes when I push down harder on the test button, and maybe one time out of 20 the shutter goes through the whole sequence, but the rest of the time, nada.

Anyone got an idea how to fix this cheap?

I gotta tell ya, I am about decided I'd rather just shoot my Rollei anyway. Electronic cameras don't like me, this was fun but who needs the hassle and it is pretty big. If it comes down to cost either to repair or to replace (and replacements are pretty cheap) I'd rather dump the lot of lenses (four of them!) and other accessories, toss in the body for free and call it good.

So, anyone got any really cheap fixes for one of these doing this?

 

[zozur]

I don't know if it will be helpful but here is repair manual - http://tnij.at/m645 .
Electronics on that cameras are not to complicated - maybe is faulty capacitor or resistor?

 

[summicron1]

I don't know if it will be helpful but here is repair manual - http://tnij.at/m645 .
Electronics on that cameras are not to complicated - maybe is faulty capacitor or resistor?

hmmm. Yeah, that is useful, but not in a positive direction.

I am not optimistic -- after looking at the flow chart for trouble shooting, beyond checking the battery it gets into soldered connections and circuit boards, little springs and contacts and so forth. Nothing for the ham-fisted and easily frustrated to mess with.

This sounds like something for a repair person. I was hoping someone would say "Oh, yeah, that. You just push point A just below wrinkle C and it renoberates the dinglehopper mechanism."

This is why I dislike electronic cameras.

Considering that a replacement body will costs around $100 or less, these days, I guess that makes it a paperweight, albeit a rather nice one.

sigh!

 

[paul ron]

shoot it without the lens? maybe the lens is hanging her up?

 

[summicron1]

shoot it without the lens? maybe the lens is hanging her up?

Good idea, but no. Thanks.

 

[MarkF48]

I have a 645ProTL that has had no problems, but what you're describing is similar to issues I had with a Bronica EC. My Bronica did not like any other batteries other than silver oxide. Sometimes the shutter would fire, sometimes not. I found this statement in another forum, "Silver Oxide are the best - in fact, the user manual says ominously: "if it is not a silver oxide battery, proper functioning of the camera cannot be guaranteed". In my experience, an alkaline battery works fine, but does not have the same stupendous lifetime.", which I do agree with. Clean the battery terminals on the battery and inside the camera as the battery check may not be a good indicator if the connection is poor under the load of shutter operation.
My Bronica is old and the foam that the mirror hits in the up position had gotten sticky and occasionally holding the mirror up. Perhaps your 645 may have a foam sticky problem(?)

shoot it without the lens? maybe the lens is hanging her up?

I took this to mean test it without the lens and see if the lens might be the problem and not the camera body.

 

[summicron1]

I have a 645ProTL that has had no problems, but what you're describing is similar to issues I had with a Bronica EC. My Bronica did not like any other batteries other than silver oxide. Sometimes the shutter would fire, sometimes not. I found this statement in another forum, "Silver Oxide are the best - in fact, the user manual says ominously: "if it is not a silver oxide battery, proper functioning of the camera cannot be guaranteed". In my experience, an alkaline battery works fine, but does not have the same stupendous lifetime.", which I do agree with. Clean the battery terminals on the battery and inside the camera as the battery check may not be a good indicator if the connection is poor under the load of shutter operation.
My Bronica is old and the foam that the mirror hits in the up position had gotten sticky and occasionally holding the mirror up. Perhaps your 645 may have a foam sticky problem(?)


I took this to mean test it without the lens and see if the lens might be the problem and not the camera body.

Thanks mark. I tried it without the lens and it still didn't work. When I got it, it had a weak alkaline battery in it that I replaced with a lithium battery. It was working with the alkaline, I just wanted a newer battery. After. It quit working with the lithium I considered getting a silver, but went cheap with another alkaline, figuring the lithium one might have issues.

So far no go, and I am reluctant to spend for a silver because I don't need a stack of these batteries.

Know anyone who wants to buy the lenses? I have four. Motivated seller. See my ad in classifieds.

 

[Babits]

i have a camera with same issue, did you found something?