Shutter curtain brake Defect, Say what???

Soeren · Jul 4, 2008

I had my Pentax 6X7 send to Germany for a replacement of the Focus screen.
Apparently they took the camera apart and found the Shutter curtain brake to be defect.
What does that exactly mean?
And what does it mean to my use of the camera in practice.

I asked them to but the stuff back in the box and return it unrepaired and with the old screen still in place.

Somehow I lost confidence in it and it looks like Im on the look for another MF
A very sad day indeed
Kind regards

Nicholas Lindan · Jul 4, 2008

Soeren said:
Pentax 6X7 ... Shutter curtain brake to be defect.

It is a very common repair - the second shutter curtain has to be brought to a smooth stop or it 'bounces' open again for a few milliseconds and overexposes one side of the picture.

It happens to just about all focal plane shutters sooner or later. The repair is no worse than putting new brake pads on a car. On some 35mm's it is an adjustment, on a 6x7 it may be a friction pad, most likely high-density polyurethane or some such.

If they haven't sent the camera back, have them fix the brakes and put the screen in. Nothing to worry about.

Soeren · Jul 4, 2008

320€ + tax doesn't sound common to me And thats just the brake
It's almost the price of another camera body :rolleyes:
So If Im not prepared to crop The camera is about worthless to me?
Kind regards

Soeren · Jul 4, 2008

Sorry for the rant Nicolas. I didn't mean to bite at you.
btw. Thanks for the information. Ill but it on a shelf and try to do some savings for the repair.
Kind regards

Q.G. · Jul 4, 2008

Soeren said:
320€ + tax doesn't sound common to me And thats just the brake
It's almost the price of another camera body

That's the 'problem' with MF equipment these days.
'Everybody' * wants a 50 MP Hasselblad digicam, so the film eating thingies are cheap. Used.
Parts (and labour) however are not.

So everytime something needs a repair, it's hard to decide whether to have it indeed looked at, or rather pay less for another, cheaper, used bit, and run the risk that that one may need a repair too (soon).

I just bite the bullet and have things repaired.

* APUG-ers excluded, of course.

Soeren · Jul 5, 2008

Yeah I guess I eventually have to bite the bullit and have it fixed. But what else can occur on a twenty-thirty year old camera?
Well, I don't have that kind of money right now so it will collect some dust the next year or so.
Kind regards

Q.G. · Jul 6, 2008

Soeren said:
Yeah I guess I eventually have to bite the bullit and have it fixed. But what else can occur on a twenty-thirty year old camera?

That's the good thing about having gear seen to, instead of buying another, perhaps cheaper, used bit.
A good (and alas expensive) repair shop will not just repair what is to be repaired, but check the thing out completely, and clean, relube and re-adjust everything.
Then you can go on using an old thing with confidence that it will not let you down, showing another problem, the very next time you want to use it again.

But yes: money...

Shutter curtain brake Defect, Say what???

Soeren

Nicholas Lindan

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