What did you fix today?

Tjibs · Mar 5, 2010

Received a Mamiya 645 Super with metering prism, but the shutter would stay open, the mirror locked. Opened up the camera back near the shutter and couldn't find any real trouble, so I gave up for a bit.
Afterwards I thought, what the heck, it was cheap anyway, so I just poked around with a screwdriver. With a nice -snap- the shutter returned, mirror lowered, and it now works flawlessly! I'm just a little worried about using it with a power drive, I've heard the gears have trouble handling it.

nsurit · Mar 6, 2010

I did a super technical fix on my bamboo 8Banners pinhole camera from which I'd managed to pull the tripod socket. A little marine epoxy and reinserted the screws and it seems to be working fine. The only thing that could have been easier would be fixing the lens. Bill Barber

Ken N · Mar 6, 2010

Bill, you better check to make sure that lens doesn't needs some work too.

John_Nikon_F · Mar 7, 2010

Brian Legge said:
Not fixed, but got a stripped screw loose on a Ricoh 500 that needs the inside of its lens cleaned. lots of Bolt Off and slowly screwing at little bumps that turned until it came loose.

Name and outer most rings off, but I'm stumped on how to move forward. Success for another day I suppose.

Brian,

Maybe give Camera Clinic Doug a call on Tuesday and see if he'll let you pick his brain a little. If you need someone to blame, tell him that Duvall John told you to call him.

In any case, just swapped a mint condition K2 focusing screen into the FM2n, only to realize that the prism glass has a little separation at the peak. Well, I guess I'll have the body overhauled completely later this spring. So, guess I'll be doing three body overhauls this year. Already had the FT2 done, just need to pick it up, then, I need to send the F3 in to have it worked on, since the shutter speed timing is erratic above 1/125 and the F3 specific hot shoe doesn't work, due to impact damage. After that camera's done, I'll send the FM2n in for its overhaul. At least, it looks like there's a mint condition cosmetically black FM2n that took a swim at Camera Clinic, so I can have Doug change out the top cover and the baseplate at the same time.

-J

Carlo · Mar 7, 2010

Worked again on my Contax II. Shutter is still slow, but it starts working.

darinwc · Mar 8, 2010

I just received a VERY clean Super Ikonta iii.

The rangefinder wasnt working at all. Under the top cover I found a spring that wanst attached right. I replaced it an now everything appears to work.

The front focusing was very stiff. I used a needle applicator to apply 1 tiny drop of oil where I thought the helical was (did not dissasemble). That freed it right up.

I think the rangefinder may be slightly off. I found instructions on setting the rangefinder alignment somewhere, I will have to give it a try.

Adams · Mar 9, 2010

Replaced the intake manifold gaskets on my 93 Chevy Silverado while dreaming about building a walk-in pinhole camera in the bed... (the entire bed of my truck.)

Zuikopath · Mar 14, 2010

I sorted out an old Olympus Trip with a loose aperture ring today - I took the opportunity to give the glass a gentle clean too and shot off a roll of 400ASA. I'm looking forward to the results

Blacknoise · Mar 14, 2010

jcorll said:
bump....
and last night, I completed my first "Fix" on a camera! It was small but i still accomplished it.
I opened up the Compur-Rapid shutter of my Kodak Retina II to relube it and clean it. It was another one of those "take apart, shrug and think 'Huh!', and put it back together" type of projects. A lesson was to be had though! Don't start camera projects at 11:00 pm. My mind don't think too well then. When putting it back together, it took me about 1/2 hour to realize i had the shutter spring hook on sideways. oh well.

Well done!

You did well, my first Konica Standard is no longer with us thanks to my 'repair' attempt. I learned on the second one to no dismantle the shutter too much and just drop some lighter fluid in there to loosen it up...

benjiboy · Mar 17, 2010

I replaced the worn rubber nodules with some cut up rubber "O" rings on bayonet fitting of a couple of Canon FD lens hoods because they had perished with age and kept dropping off my lensed, I didn't want to loose them because they are quite rare now and difficult to find these days.

hidesert · Mar 17, 2010

I have an old Nikon S RF that I was given many years ago and never really used. The focusing was very stiff, especially using the little wheel on top of the body. I went to Amazon to look for books on fixing old Nikons. I found one and lo and behold, the "Look Inside" feature went right to the page for this model and told how to remove the focusing mechanism. It was simple: 6 screws to remove the cover plate and then 4 more to remove the mechanism. I cleaned everything and put a drop of sewing machine oil on the little focusing wheel and a bit of Super Lube on the barrel and threads of the focusing unit. Works a lot smoother now.

mike c · Mar 17, 2010

Replaced the front and rear guide rails and yoke assembly on my 4x5 speed graphic. A little touchy removing the bellows,but got'er done. now taker her out on a test shut and see if it's ok.

videocrew · Mar 19, 2010

Installed new foam seals in my Nikon EM, took it to my school's annual auction as part of my costume, shot a roll of Portra 400VC (wish I'd had 800). I'll develop it tomorrow and see how I did w/r/t sealing it up.

John Hermanson · Apr 2, 2010

Installed a new circuit board in an Olympus OM-4Ti. John

hairygit · Apr 2, 2010

ismantled and cleaned the viewing and taking lenses on my voigtlander brilliant, put it back together, shot a roll of film, just finished developing it, well chuffed with the results!!! First tme I've ever dared venture inside a camera!

Ron G · Apr 2, 2010

I disassembled my Voigtlander Bessamatic to repair the timer mechanism and put it all back together.I am too tired to shoot any film today but it seems to be working just fine now.I can't wait to check it out so that I can put the leather back on it.Ron G

Zuikopath · Apr 2, 2010

I sorted out a Vivitar 135mm F2.8 M42 with loose aperture ring - all working fine now.

heespharm · Apr 3, 2010

added iso 1600 to my canonet g-iii ql 17

lorirfrommontana · Apr 3, 2010

Well, I spent the last 2 days rebuilding my Ventura 66V folder camera. Got it tore apart, the old hard grease out and re greased, lenses cleaned and the bellows off. Then I tried to make new bellows. AARRRG! I ended up after many frustrating attempts to purchase a brand new bellows! I wish I had decided to do that before I spent 2 frustrating days trying to make one! It is only $40! Wow. I think my time and frustration was worth that much! I'll let you all know how it goes! Can't wait to get this camera up and running again. I've taken some great shots with it and am looking forward to making some more!

paulie · Apr 3, 2010

i today attached 2 ruby lith filters to two three led torches, and now my darkroom has extra lighting

blind_sparks · Apr 3, 2010

Traded a Nikon FE and a couple lenses to a friend who gave me two Pentax's: a chrome Spotmatic that was working save the dead meter and a black SL (non-metered Spotmatic) that was jammed up and a couple 50mm/ƒ1.8's. Since I hate it when metered cameras have non-working meters (so depressing), I took the working Spotmatic and removed the chrome coverings and the metering viewfinder mask and transferred the SL's brassed and dented black coverings and plain mask to the working body. Now I have fully working black SL =D. Much appreciation to Rick Oleson and his Camera Tech Notes. TTL metering is over-rated anyway.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwrieth/4487663908/

declark · Aug 8, 2010

Fixed the lens catch/release on a 55mm Hasselblad extension ring. Wouldn't lock the lens so not so useful unless I only plan on focusing towards infinity or dropping the lens on the occasions I don't focus that direction. Removed 4 setscrews securing the lens end ring and it all slid apart pretty easily and I didn't even lose the spring. Ground the button side nubbin of the bellcrank piece a few thousandths and miraculously was able to get it all to go back together. Latches just fine now and releases too.

Blanc · Aug 10, 2010

Well this morning, complete overhaul of a Retina 1B. This afternoon if everything goes right Casting of some new spares for a Mamiya c330, and complete overhaul of the broken one I recieved this morning with the replacement casts... And maybe a Biometar dead zone adjust at the end of the afternoon if everything goes right with the Mamiya (well if the front plate is ok...)...

eclarke · Aug 10, 2010

I fixed a guy after waiting 15 minutes at the gas station to use the restroom stall (I'm and old guy and it was a little painful) The occupant knew I was waiting and just kept reading his newspaper which had pages strewn on the floor. I turned the lights off as I left...EC

mike c · Aug 10, 2010

HA,Ha that's a good fix eclark

What did you fix today?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency