Sears KS Super SLR Mirror Stuck Up

[jimmybuzaid]

Know of any fixes? Pushing it up doesn't seem to work. Any latch I can't find?

 

[Tom1956]

Put in a fresh battery.

 

[Truzi]

Fresh battery is a good idea. I'd check that first.
However, if you can get the meter to work (press the shutter button, or the button on the front of the camera), then it may not be the battery.

I've a Sears KS-2. These are basically rebranded Ricoh cameras. I've not had the mirror lock up, but have had the shutter stick.

You could try putting your finger on the edge of the mirror and pulling down gently. However, if it is related to the shutter being stuck there may be something to investigate.

The foam seals degrade with age, both on the mirror, and on the back. It only takes a tiny bit of this to get in the shutter and make it stick. First examine the back door open and see how the foam looks on the door edge where the hinge is, and in the camera body grooves (horizontal) where the door seals. See the foam is intact.

When I've had the shutter stick, I was not able to see the sticky bits. I had to let the camera sit for a day or so while it "dried" a tiny bit and the tension already present helped free it. I gently worked the shutter curtains and finally got it to open. After I cleaned out the foam residue from the back and grooves, replacing it with wool yarn and felt, I've not had this problem.

I'm only guessing that this is related to the mirror being stuck. Also, the foam on the mirror may also be sticky, causing it to stick to the top of the mirror box.

 

[Tom1956]

BTW--there are no latches. A fresh battery will likely solve your problem. Pulling down on the mirror is not recommended, unless it it with the absolutely lightest touch. They typically have their drive linkage on one side only, and the hinge pins are all too easy to get crooked. If a new battery does not work, the camera is officially jammed and needs to be opened up for service.

 

[jimmybuzaid]

I'll try a fresh battery, but the meter still works.

 

[Jon Goodman]

Minolta and Pentax slr cameras are known to suffer problems in the lower gear train (under the bottom plate) which will cause this sort of thing. Essentially one gear in the train does not spin freely enough on the shaft and this will cause the mirror to hang up (especially on slower speeds). Maybe 15 years ago I was receiving so many questions about this on the Minolta SRT series that I made a set of annotated photos I scanned into image files. A French user put the answer for the Spotmatic on YouTube, and it is still there. Good luck.
Jon

 

[jimmybuzaid]

Wow! I just fixed the camera by myself. I forced the shutter down thinking what else could go wrong, and the mirror popped down normally...

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Wow! I just fixed the camera by myself. I forced the shutter down thinking what else could go wrong, and the mirror popped down normally...

This happened to me with a Fujica ST801 someone once sold me as a "rear lens cap" to a lens I bought. Given to me as nonfunctional. Mirror locked up, shutter stuck in open but 1/4 closed. I pushed slightly on one side of the shutter curtain and the shutter snapped shut, mirror down and has worked perfectly ever since. Probably a small grain if sand or something was in there and now gone...

 

[Truzi]

Be careful forcing the shutter.

As I mentioned before, it is possible the foam light seals are degrading, and bits are getting on the shutter curtain. They are sticky, and can stop the shutter (and thus everything related). Examine and clean the old seals and put new ones in. Make sure the shutter is clean as well. After doing this, mine has been trouble-free.

 

[Xmas]

The vertical metal shutters can turn into instant metal oragami on a bit of sticky foam.

Mouse mat and double sided pressure sensitive tape cheaper.

Battery contacts and battery easy.

Bottom plate is normally easy to remove big darning needle as special unjam tool gentle nudge only.