Yashica Electro 35 GS - Shutter doesn't move

[dugrant153]

So I came into posession of a Yashica Electro 35 GS and managed to rig together a strange (but work-able) DIY battery so it appears that all the electronics are working.
However, whenever I click the shutter, I note that the the shutter blades don't move. Nothing. I hear a click, the meter lights light up but the shutter doesn't appear to be moving at all, even on bulb mode.
Any suggestions?

 

[ambaker]

Even without a battery the Electro 35 should cock and fire.

With no battery, the shutter should fire at 1/500 (top speed), under all conditions.

I've not undertaken shutter repairs. There is some advice on the net. How accurate, or easy, no idea...


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[02Pilot]

Likely the shutter blades are stuck together with old lubricants that have leeched into them. There are other possibilities, but that's what I'd investigate first.

The shutter is pretty easy to get into on this camera (see here: http://mattsclassiccameras.com/electro_inside/index.html ), so if you're inclined you can dig in and see what's going on. I just had mine apart a few weeks ago, and the large lens barrel gives more room than usual for the mechanism, so it's actually pretty easy to see what's going on.

 

[cramej]

It's most like the Pad of Death. There is a rubber pad in the path of the shutter button linkage that deteriorates over time and prevents the shutter from tripping properly. It's relatively easy to replace once you have the lens assembly off the camera. I cut a piece of softish plastic lens cap that happened to be the correct thickness and glued it in place.

The Yashica Guy has a lot of information on the subject: http://www.yashica-guy.com/document/repair.html#nine

 

[Peter Simpson]

And I think I remember seeing that Jon Goodman sells replacement pads...

 

[02Pilot]

I don't think it's the POD (at least not primarily). My GSN had a bad POD, but the shutter would still fire. Now, that's not to say the POD is good on the OP's camera, but I think there's something else going on if the shutter blades are not moving at all.

 

[dugrant153]

Sounds like a lot of work but may just hack into it once I have the time. Not a camera I'm going to invest a lot of time and money on yet but good to know its probably a sttaighforward fix once I get inside it.