Moskva-5: Jammed shutter after using self-timer

[ndavidson2]

UPDATE:

I ended up just pushing the shutter cock downward, which I believe forced the self-timer to activate. It went back to it's original position, and thankfully, all shutter speeds sound and appear accurate. Crisis resolved, AND since the self-timer button is broken off, I will never have to use it again!

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Christmas disaster!

I bought myself a Moskva-5 the other day from a local seller. It was working perfectly fine, but I got all stupid and pressed the self-timer down. In doing so, the button itself snapped off (must have been very brittle), and now the shutter is jammed. I can cock the shutter fully, but when depressing the shutter release, it only travels a few millimeters. Is there any way to fix this, without having to completely get into the shutter mechanisms? I've tried using some very small flat heads to push some things around (see photos), but nothing will budge.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Glad to hear that your camera is functional again; too bad about the self timer.

Unless a shutter has been recently serviced or is known to be functioning well, I'd avoid using the self-timer because if it fails, the shutter might then be jammed.

That said, I have over 70 cameras, most of them with a self-timer, and I know the self-timers work because I use them.

When do I use them? Except for two nights ago, I don't usually walk around with a tripod and cable release, so oftentimes I'll place the camera on a flat surface, select a small aperture (e.g. f/11) and very slow shutter speed (e.g. 1/2 sec.), then use the self timer to trip the shutter and make the exposure without vibration.

Interestingly, I find that Exaktas most likely have reasonably well functioning slow speeds and delayed speeds.

 

[Sirius Glass]

If a shutter has not been regularly used or recently CLA'd the self timers seem to go bad and jam the lens. I put a camera on a tripod and use a cable release rather than using the self timer.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

The history of the self-timer is an interesting one.

Initially, they were a separate accessory to the camera and operated like a cable release. With relatively slow films even into the 1950's, the self-timer on the body was useful (and also allowed you to include yourself in the photo). In the 1980's, with the introduction (and acceptance) of faster, better films, along with lower manufacturing costs, the self-timer lever on the camera body started to disappear.

Hasselblad removed the self-timer from its lenses when they introduced the CF lenses.

I wonder which was the last 35mm film camera to offer a dedicated mechanical self-timer lever (as opposed to a combined timer plus mirror lock-up mode)?

 

[shutterfinger]

Looking at http://www.flickriver.com/photos/29504544@N08/sets/72157622453743852/ its a Compur or Compur Rapid shutter. The self timer starts acting up before the shutter needs a CLA. The self timer is a release delay gear train. Pushing the cocking lever toward the released position is the correct way to get it reset when the delay stalls.

Hold the shutter so that you can see the shutter blades and second hand of a clock, http://download.cnet.com/ClocX/3000-2350_4-10714893.html allows you to use your computer, set the shutter to 1 second and cock, release the shutter when the second hand touches a second mark-shutter should fully open then close as the second hand touches the next second mark; repeat at 1/2 second setting- shutter should open and close just as the second hand reaches half way between the starting and next second mark. Tolerance for 1 second is the second hand width either side of the next second mark, .8 to 1.2 second; 1/2 second is half the width of the second hand either side of the center point of the two second marks used, .4 to .6 second. if these two are good the other speeds up to 1/125 are likely good, faster uses a booster spring.