Olympus OM1 Issue - Shutter Release / Mirror Lock

Having a bit of an issue with my Olympus OM1n!

Camera was working fine but half way through a roll it suddenly had an issue where when I clicked the shutter release the shutter closes but then doesn’t re-open.

To get the shot to take I have to then open and close the mirror lock?

The film winder will turn the film on but then the same issue happens again when I try to take a shot. Did this five times to check if it was just an anomaly but it happened every time. Don’t want to waste anymore of the roll!

Any clue how to fix this?

Thanks!

craig

Does the mirror return after the exposure? If it doesn't, remove the lens and gently pull the front edge of the lens
downward. If the lens goes to the focusing position, the light trap foam may have turned to goo and the mirror is just sticking upward.
The foam's available easily in the US, don't know about Scotland.
If it is sticky foam and you can measure the thickness, I have some different thicknesses I can mail but have no idea if you would be charged
duty on it.
Just send a PM. Click on my name and a drop box shows with a dealy that gives a "start conversation" choice.
John

To Craig Neale (the "OP"): welcome to Photrio.
To John Koehner,
As a new poster with just one post, the OP won't be permitted to start a Conversation/send a PM. You can send one to him, and he will be able to respond.

John Koehrer said:

If it doesn't, remove the lens and gently pull the front edge of the lens mirror downward. If the lens mirror goes to the focusing position, the light trap foam may have turned to goo and the mirror is just sticking upward.

Click to expand...

And I think you meant to type mirror where you typed lens in the above.
And back to Craig Neale: if you have your fingers in the camera, try to avoid getting finger prints on the mirror or the focusing screen above it.

Hi John,

Thank you so much for your quick response + suggestions!

On closer inspection - it actually appears to be an issue with the 50mm 1.8 lens attached to the camera?

I removed the lens to check the mirror and everything actually works perfectly - it’s only once the lens is put back on that it jams when the shutter is pressed.

I’ve also now found that the shutter will then release if I press the DOF preview button near the bottom of the lens?

So I think the issue is actually the latch on the lens not catching the latch attached to the mirror if that makes sense? Do you have any experience of this?

Also - a secondary question - should the aperture blades change within the lens when I move through the ring dial or only when the DOF preview button is pressed?

Thank you!

John Koehrer said:

Does the mirror return after the exposure? If it doesn't, remove the lens and gently pull the front edge of the lens
downward. If the lens goes to the focusing position, the light trap foam may have turned to goo and the mirror is just sticking upward.
The foam's available easily in the US, don't know about Scotland.
If it is sticky foam and you can measure the thickness, I have some different thicknesses I can mail but have no idea if you would be charged
duty on it.
Just send a PM. Click on my name and a drop box shows with a dealy that gives a "start conversation" choice.
John

Click to expand...

H

John Koehrer said:

Does the mirror return after the exposure? If it doesn't, remove the lens and gently pull the front edge of the lens
downward. If the lens goes to the focusing position, the light trap foam may have turned to goo and the mirror is just sticking upward.
The foam's available easily in the US, don't know about Scotland.
If it is sticky foam and you can measure the thickness, I have some different thicknesses I can mail but have no idea if you would be charged
duty on it.
Just send a PM. Click on my name and a drop box shows with a dealy that gives a "start conversation" choice.
John

Click to expand...

Hi Craig

Have not come across that before on my Om1s. Some links below to repair manuals which may help

http://olympus.dementix.org/Hardware/

https://simonhawketts.co.uk/2016/07/16/olympus-om-1n-strip-down/

https://simonhawketts.co.uk/2016/07/17/olympus-om-1n-reassembly/

Milly's camera sell the foam in packs for light seals etc or there are some places that sell it pre cut.

If you are on facebook there is a group called Olympus OM 35mm which has a lot of knowledgable people on it that could help

Cheers
David

Hi David,

Thanks a lot for those links - I’ll check them out.

Cheers,

craig