RB67 shutter not firing

[Justin Roxbrough]

Hi!

My RB67 is having problems firing. I attached a few pictures to show, but it looks like the light baffle isn't fully clearing out of the way? The shutter will fire once it does. Any ideas on what I need to do? This happens on all three of the lenses I own, but randomly. Thanks in advance.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Does the light baffle always go fully to the top?

Are the lenses in the mirror-up state by any chance?

 

[Justin Roxbrough]

Does the light baffle always go fully to the top?

Are the lenses in the mirror-up state by any chance?

The majority of the time it will go fully to the top and the lens will fire, but when it doesn't go up fully the lens won't fire. I have tested both mirror up and not and it happens in both cases. When I'm actually shooting, I usually have it in mirror up and when this happens I can't press in the cable release. Sometimes it'll take a second or two for me to be able to release it or I'll have to jiggle the shutter lever a bit and it will work.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

That makes sense. Most SLR cameras trigger the actual release of the shutter when the mirror is fully up.

I know it sounds cliché, but it seems like the entire release mechanism, from shutter release to mirror activation, will need a CLA. Perhaps the lubricants have dried out.

 

[Justin Roxbrough]

That makes sense. Most SLR cameras trigger the actual release of the shutter when the mirror is fully up.

I know it sounds cliché, but it seems like the entire release mechanism, from shutter release to mirror activation, will need a CLA. Perhaps the lubricants have dried out.

Yeah that sounds right to me as well. The odd thing is I just got it back from being CLA'd maybe 2-3 months ago, I guess I'll have to send an email to the people that worked on it and see what they say about it.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Hmm. Maybe not the lubricants then. Perhaps an adjustment that affects mirror travel was done incorrectly.

I hope it's covered under their warranty.

 

[Justin Roxbrough]

Hmm. Maybe not the lubricants then. Perhaps an adjustment that affects mirror travel was done incorrectly.

I hope it's covered under their warranty.

So do I! Thanks for the help!

 

[paul ron]

a few months after a cla? mmmm yeah contact the repairmen again. id normally cover a recall that soon, perhaps even take up half the shipping cost.

 

[darkroommike]

I worked in a studio that used RB's for thousands of exposures every year, we wore a couple out. There is, behind the lens, a cocking plate with a pair of holes drilled that engage with the cocking pins on the back of the lens. The cocking plate rotates as you cock the camera and rotates to cock the lens. As these holes wear and enlarge you can get to a condition where the plate, as it rotates to cock the shutter, does not turn the pins on the back of the lens enough to fully cock the lens. The camera will still fire and the body is working but the shutter is only half cocked and can not fire. To trouble shoot this, cock the camera, then remove the lens and rotate the two cocking pins all the way to stop, remount the lens and fire the camera, if it works correctly when you perform this troubleshooting step, there is your problem. It can be fixed by advancing the cocking plate one tooth so that it rotates just a bit more when you cock the camera.

 

[Justin Roxbrough]

For those interested I think I found out the problem. I opened up the camera and noticed one of the springs was missing (not sure how that happened), so there was only one spring pulling that lever back up. I replaced the missing one and it seems to operate normally now.

 

[Justin Roxbrough]

I worked in a studio that used RB's for thousands of exposures every year, we wore a couple out. There is, behind the lens, a cocking plate with a pair of holes drilled that engage with the cocking pins on the back of the lens. The cocking plate rotates as you cock the camera and rotates to cock the lens. As these holes wear and enlarge you can get to a condition where the plate, as it rotates to cock the shutter, does not turn the pins on the back of the lens enough to fully cock the lens. The camera will still fire and the body is working but the shutter is only half cocked and can not fire. To trouble shoot this, cock the camera, then remove the lens and rotate the two cocking pins all the way to stop, remount the lens and fire the camera, if it works correctly when you perform this troubleshooting step, there is your problem. It can be fixed by advancing the cocking plate one tooth so that it rotates just a bit more when you cock the camera.

Oh okay, that's definitely good to know. Thank you!!

 

[Theo Sulphate]

If the missing spring isn't inside the camera body, perhaps it went missing during the CLA...

 

[paul ron]

thats odd. as theo said, if it isnt in there....

why wasnt that internal seal changed either if it was recently CLAed?

 

[WilmarcoImaging]

For those interested I think I found out the problem. I opened up the camera and noticed one of the springs was missing (not sure how that happened), so there was only one spring pulling that lever back up. I replaced the missing one and it seems to operate normally now.

View attachment 192128 View attachment 192129

Well done. How easy/difficult was it to open this side of the camera? Specifically removing the leatherette from the focus knob, and removing the side wall/plate? I have a spare Pro S body that needs some adjusting on this side of the body and want to do it at some point.

 

[Justin Roxbrough]

If the missing spring isn't inside the camera body, perhaps it went missing during the CLA...

I think that must be it, which is a little concerning.

thats odd. as theo said, if it isnt in there....

why wasnt that internal seal changed either if it was recently CLAed?

That's what I'm wondering. They did change the outside seals, but it seems ridiculous that the internal wasn't touched...

Well done. How easy/difficult was it to open this side of the camera? Specifically removing the leatherette from the focus knob, and removing the side wall/plate? I have a spare Pro S body that needs some adjusting on this side of the body and want to do it at some point.

It was very simple, and I knew/know very little about fixing these. I just used the service instructions book for reference, and read a few forums on the topic beforehand.