RZ67 shutter speed choice being ignored, please help! Video inside

moodlover · Sep 1, 2015

Hi folks, my RZ67 + 110mm 2.8 lens is acting very strange. I recently shot a bracketed roll -1 to +8 (by changing shutter speed from 1/400 to 1.5s) and every single frame had identical exposure, and the negative came out extremely dense . I looked at my shutter blades and realized no matter what shutter speed I choose, it closes in a split millisecond. Here is video proof:

[video=youtube_share;krLest9vS28]http://youtu.be/krLest9vS28[/video]

I put in a fresh battery, have the power switch to white dot, T lever to "normal" position, the mirror lockup screw is all the way down so no red ring, the dark slide is out, gold contacts on lens rear and body mount cleaned. Is my camera broken?!

mweintraub · Sep 1, 2015

Do you have another lens to try?

Sounds like the 2nd click is the relay to tell the lens to close the shutter. Your lens is not getting it.

moodlover · Sep 1, 2015

No second lens to try unfortunately...do you know of any way to tell if its the lens or the body thats at fault? Seems like the body may be working okay since that click follows the delay of the shutter speed is coming from the body.

M Carter · Sep 1, 2015

I had a similar RB problem - gummed up shutter.

Since the shutter is in the lens, all exposures were the time from mirror up to re-cocking the shutter. Don't know how the RZ works regarding mirror and recocking, but the only issue I've had in about 2 decades of RB shooting is one lens with a stuck shutter (cleaned up and back in action). I understand the RZ shutters are much cheaper, more plastic parts, more failure-prone - got any access to another lens?

moodlover · Sep 1, 2015

M Carter said:
I had a similar RB problem - gummed up shutter.

Since the shutter is in the lens, all exposures were the time from mirror up to re-cocking the shutter. Don't know how the RZ works regarding mirror and recocking, but the only issue I've had in about 2 decades of RB shooting is one lens with a stuck shutter (cleaned up and back in action). I understand the RZ shutters are much cheaper, more plastic parts, more failure-prone - got any access to another lens?

Can a gummed up shutter be causing me (there was a url link here which no longer exists)? Also, my focus knobs aren't smooth, quite a lot of friction and skipping - is there anything I can do to relieve this? I may have a repair shop here in NYC called Nippon Photoclinic I plan to take this to. I hope they can do something to it that won't cost me the same as another camera!

film_man · Sep 2, 2015

moodlover said:
Can a gummed up shutter be causing me (there was a url link here which no longer exists)? Also, my focus knobs aren't smooth, quite a lot of friction and skipping - is there anything I can do to relieve this? I may have a repair shop here in NYC called Nippon Photoclinic I plan to take this to. I hope they can do something to it that won't cost me the same as another camera!

Sound like the whole thing needs a service. Even if it costs the same as another RZ you might as well fix this one rather than buy another one. At least you know the one you have is fixed and serviced vs gambling on one that will break in 6 months time with a similar issue or something else.

chrisaisenbrey · Sep 2, 2015

M Carter said:
I had a similar RB problem - gummed up shutter.

Since the shutter is in the lens, all exposures were the time from mirror up to re-cocking the shutter. Don't know how the RZ works regarding mirror and recocking, but the only issue I've had in about 2 decades of RB shooting is one lens with a stuck shutter (cleaned up and back in action). I understand the RZ shutters are much cheaper, more plastic parts, more failure-prone - got any access to another lens?

Whereas the RB shutter is completely independent in the lens the RZ shutter is controlled by the camera. AFAIK it is controlled in real time. That means that the camera is not telling the lens to use a certain time, but it tells the lens to open and to close.

The problem could be both, the lens or the body. It looks like the body is generating the 2s or 4 s correctly, but it does not transfer it to the lens. And the lens seems to fire with the emergency speed of a 400th. So it looks rather like an electronic problem.

Either the signal is not transferred from the body to the lens or the delay mechanism for closing in the lens is not working. Does the lens stay open if you use the T lock button on the lens?

moodlover · Sep 2, 2015

film_man said:
Sound like the whole thing needs a service. Even if it costs the same as another RZ you might as well fix this one rather than buy another one. At least you know the one you have is fixed and serviced vs gambling on one that will break in 6 months time with a similar issue or something else.

Yeah I never got it serviced after I bought it which was probably a dumb thing to do. I see people talk about the cost of a CLA when they buy film cameras as part of the investment but I ignored that piece. I was just wondering whether I should buy another system or put the money into this one and I think your advice is very helpful, thank you. Hopefully a good servicing on this one will give me a few years of smooth running.

chrisaisenbrey said:
Whereas the RB shutter is completely independent in the lens the RZ shutter is controlled by the camera. AFAIK it is controlled in real time. That means that the camera is not telling the lens to use a certain time, but it tells the lens to open and to close.

The problem could be both, the lens or the body. It looks like the body is generating the 2s or 4 s correctly, but it does not transfer it to the lens. And the lens seems to fire with the emergency speed of a 400th. So it looks rather like an electronic problem.

Either the signal is not transferred from the body to the lens or the delay mechanism for closing in the lens is not working. Does the lens stay open if you use the T lock button on the lens?

The lens never stays open regardless of what mode I'm in (T lock, mirrorup, bulb, etc.). Also the T-lock switch doesn't actually hold in position, if I let it go it slides back to its default normal state. Is this supposed to happen? Feels like it is

chrisaisenbrey · Sep 3, 2015

moodlover said:
The lens never stays open regardless of what mode I'm in (T lock, mirrorup, bulb, etc.). Also the T-lock switch doesn't actually hold in position, if I let it go it slides back to its default normal state. Is this supposed to happen? Feels like it is

No, I guess the problem is indeed in the lens. It will need some kind of service.

MattKing · Sep 3, 2015

chrisaisenbrey said:
No, I guess the problem is indeed in the lens. It will need some kind of service.

You are most likely right, but the OP should give any repair technician the chance to check both camera and lens.

RZ67 shutter speed choice being ignored, please help! Video inside

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