Really strange shutter problem with Bronica ETRSi

I received purchased an Exc. condition ETRSi off craiglist. Today I went out to test it and found that it has a strange shutter problem. I found that the shutter does not fire from time to time with the combination of cable release and mirror lock up. The shutter fired with cable release and mirror down, or with shutter button in the front and mirror up. The only combo that has problem is cable release and mirror lock up and the shutter won't fire for about 50% of time. In these problematic cases, returning the mirror lock up level to the "off" position triggers the shutter. I tried with film back on and off and that does not make much difference.

I am wondering if anyone here experienced similar problems in the past and could give me some tips on what is wrong with this body.

Many thanks!

Can you try it with another lens? In my brief encounter with a ETRS, I had a lens that would fire at 1/500 only when level or pointing up but not when pointing downwards. Changed the lens (which is where the shutter is) and all was fine.

Are you 'dry firing' (i.e. with no film in the magazine), or with a loaded film magazine on the body?

If 'dry firing', actually the body should NOT fire the shutter at all, unless you have the Multi Exposure control engaged. In that case, the ability to fire the shutter even without film (and without the multi-exposure control active) in the magazine is the 'malfunction'!


If this occurs when firing with film loaded, I once had a problem with a used 120 film magazine, and its film-advanced interlock pin protruded too far into the body, causing the reflex mirror to NOT go all the way up, and so the shutter would not be actuated because the mirror had stopped a very small amount short of full upward swing! The fix was done so that the magazine's film-advanced interlock pin did not protrude so far into the body.

Another possibility is trying to shoot it with the dark slide in. It has a mechanism to prevent firing then.


Kent in SD

Try firing without the lens, without the prism, without the back, body alone? Then try firing the lens off camera to see if it is working properly n not jamming up? I had a 1`50mm lens that was a bit rough when rotaing the pins to fire off camera n it was causing miss fires, mirror would come up slowly n not fire the shutter right away or just stay half way up as the shutter went off.

So try each component to see which is causing the problem.

.

Many thanks for all the comments.

Actually I think I have found the cause of the problem. Stupid me. It turns out that it may be just a battery problem. I put a different lens on this new body and had the same problem. I then realized that I didn't do the most basic procedure of a camera repair, replacing the battery. I didn't put much hope in this solution as the symptom does not appear to be battery related. Otherwise the shutter shouldn't fire at all (I did have the multiple exposure lever down to do the dry fire). but anyway I put in a new 6v Silver Oxide battery and give it a last try. I tried firing the shutter with cable release and mirror lock up with either lens. And the problem is gone!

The old battery in the camera is a lithium battery. Not sure if it is the right type for the camera and whether it actually causes the problem. I checked the manual for Bronica ETRSi and it only mentioned Silver Oxide or Alkaline batteries. Silver Oxide batteries are a safer bet for these old cameras, I guess, but it is quite strange that the old battery has the power for the shutter with all other combinations other than cable release + mirror lock up. Hopefully this thread will help someone facing the similar problem in the future.

Many thanks for all the comments.

Actually I think I have found the cause of the problem. Stupid me. It turns out that it may be just a battery problem. I put a different lens on this new body and had the same problem. I then realized that I didn't do the most basic procedure of a camera repair, replacing the battery. I didn't put much hope in this solution as the symptom does not appear to be battery related. Otherwise the shutter shouldn't fire at all (I did have the multiple exposure lever down to do the dry fire). but anyway I put in a new 6v Silver Oxide battery and give it a last try. I tried firing the shutter with cable release and mirror lock up with either lens. And the problem is gone!

The old battery in the camera is a lithium battery. Not sure if it is the right type for the camera and whether it actually causes the problem. I checked the manual for Bronica ETRSi and it only mentioned Silver Oxide or Alkaline batteries. Silver Oxide batteries are a safer bet for these old cameras, I guess, but it is quite strange that the old battery has the power for the shutter with all other combinations other than cable release + mirror lock up. Hopefully this thread will help someone facing the similar problem in the future.

The ETRS(i) can operate with silver oxide or alkaline or lithium batteries...it is the only Bronica to be compatible with all three battery chemistries; the owner's manual does not mention lithium, only because the manual was never updated after lithium batteries came into existence, but Tamron (who had purchased Bronica before the line was discontinued) published information about battery chemistry suitability for the ETR, SQ, and GS lines.

The ETRS(i) should also operate with NO BATTERY at all...it would fire its shutter at a mechanically fixed 1/500.

Something else is going on with your outfit, as the battery should have no direct impact on its operation apart from fixed shutter speed at 1/500 (regardless of speed selected on the control dial), as other shutter speeds are electronically regulated.

I just pulled out my own ETRSi, no film, no battery, and confirmed that it would fire its shutter at 1/500 (by removing the film back and holding the camera lens aimed at a lit white surface while peering thru the camera from the back.)

Shutter issues

I also have troubles with a Bronica ETRS.
I have searched around a bit now, and found several pages but it seems this is the most recent discussion so hopefully someone will help.

It seems that my camera fires at 1/500 no matter what i do, i have changed the battery, changed the lense, taken it apart and dry fired(the mirrors relase just fine and moves freely), tried to fire with a film loaded, and tried everything like paul ron mentioned. It fires at 1/500 no matter what. (and yes i have tried the battery check button, it lights up red when i push it so there is electricity). Does anybody have any ideas for what the problem could be? Im out of ideas and out of google results to look at for finding answers.

link

Here's a link to lens info that may come in handy. it's for sq but they are similar
you may put a meter on the body (with the lens removed) between pins 1 & 5 with the shutter speed dial set on 1 sec to see if the body is giving the lens a signal
might eliminate one cause

http://www.buonaluce.com/Slens.pdf

Jim