Yashica Mat 124 repair

rosey · Nov 18, 2006

A couple weeks ago I got an absolutely mint Yashica Mat 124. The shutter sounded right on, and everything worked fine, including the self timer. It may never have been used, in fact, because it was found in a dentist's estate and the family never saw him with it. The case and focusing screen are pristine.

Regardless, today I was preparing to load it and use it, but the shutter simply will not fire. I even tried the self timer, and that won't work either.

I hesitate to send it back if it's something minor. Does anyone know a good, reasonable repair person for this Yashica Mat 124?

Or have any idea to get the shutter to work?

The film advanced perfectly. The shutter button does not depress until I advance the film again, then the shutter button depresses and releases the film to advance again, but the shutter does NOT fire.Any ideas at all?

Konical · Nov 18, 2006

Good Evening, Rosey,

May I assume that you're reversing the motion and moving the crank back to its original position after advancing the film?

Konical

Greg_E · Nov 18, 2006

In other words, after advancing the film, you need to rotate the crank in the reverse direction to be able to fire the shutter. It roughly needs to be able to fold back into the storage postion to fire (but you don't actually have to fold and store it). One direction winds the film, the other cocks the shutter (I think).

rosey · Nov 18, 2006

I'm doing it correctly

Konical said:
Good Evening, Rosey,

May I assume that you're reversing the motion and moving the crank back to its original position after advancing the film?

Konical

I am doing it absolutely the correct way. It worked perfectly when I first got it a few weeks ago. I used an old Rolleiflex years ago that worked with the same motion.

(Aside: I was chief photographer in the early 1960s for the Ohio State Lantern, the school daily paper, and the staff equipment consisted of a locker full of Rolleis. Can you imagine trying to shoot an Ohio State-Michigan game then with a TLR? We poor students had to beg or borrow a proper or even not-so-proper 35mm rig for that. Later in the 1960s, the Akron Beacon Journal provided young reporters like me with Rollei TLRs so we could shoot our own pictures as an afterthought while out reporting the news. Trust me, I really do know how to wind the film.)

My guess is that the shutter on my mint Yashica Mat 124 is just sticky from inactivity, but someone else might have a better answer

Rocky · Nov 19, 2006

pls check this..

Hi,
I have one of these also...if you reverse the crank and leave it tight against the stop it won't fire...be sure you bring it back toward the wind direction a tiny bit....also check the shutter lock knob which is around the shutter button, it can get moved by accident and will also prevent the shutter from going off.

At least mine does this

Rocky

photomc · Nov 19, 2006

Hi Rosey, think everyone may have missed the point

You seem to know what you are doing with the camera, the darn shutter just seems to be stuck and you were looking for a repair person/shop to send it if possible - right? While I do have one the older Mat 124 (not G) don't know where I would send it if repairs were needed. But seems like I do recall seeing a few...

Just did a google and here are a couple I found...
Mark Hama LLC
2675 Earl Dr.
Marietta, GA 30062
phone: (770) 565-1498
fax: (770) 977-5078
markhama@comcast.net

Also, since the shutter is a Copal, Carol Flutots might be able to help with a CLA. She is a member here on APUG and does great work (so have been told, about to find out since I have a shutter to send to her).

Hope this helps, know it is not much. One question, you said the shutter will not fire, does the shutter button move at all or is it "frozen" like when the lock is on?

rosey · Nov 19, 2006

photomc said:
One question, you said the shutter will not fire, does the shutter button move at all or is it "frozen" like when the lock is on?

The shutter button moves smoothly, but the shutter simply does not fire. Something must be happening, because I can't advance the film until I press the button. Then the film will advance, yet the shutter will not open.

I just contacted Steve at the Camera Clinic in Nevada. He's highly recommended on the internet sites for camera repairs and has done great work on my Canons and Nikons. He said he can do the work. It's probably ano more than a sticky shutter that needs a lube job. He quoted me $75 for the work, and that's probably worth it since the camera is actually new.

photomc · Nov 19, 2006

sounds like a shutter problem, like you said. If you don't mind let us know how the repair goes. Always good to have more than one source for repairs.

Best

mikeklensch · Nov 19, 2006

Hi Rosey,

I just recently sent my 124G to Mark Hama in Atlanta for a CLA, and he did an outstanding job... the thing came back looking, and working like new. So I can reccomend him for service... he used to build this camera for Yashica and knows them inside out.

Mike

rosey · Nov 19, 2006

mikeklensch said:
Hi Rosey,

I just recently sent my 124G to Mark Hama in Atlanta for a CLA, and he did an outstanding job... the thing came back looking, and working like new. So I can reccomend him for service... he used to build this camera for Yashica and knows them inside out.

Mike

Mike,
Do you recall what the CLA cost was?

mikeklensch · Nov 19, 2006

rosey said:
Mike,
Do you recall what the CLA cost was?

Yes... it was $135.00 plus shipping. I know that seems steep, but Mr. Hama really did a wonderful job.

Mike

mgb74 · Dec 4, 2006

rosey said:
Mike,
Do you recall what the CLA cost was?

And also elapsed time?

mikeklensch · Dec 4, 2006

mgb74 said:
And also elapsed time?

After he had my camera, he turned it around to me in about a week... and then the shipping took another 4 days or so to get to me in Alaska. But I also called him before I sent him the camera, so that he would know to expect it, and so I could also see how busy he was. Are you not getting any responce from Mr. Hama? Keep me posted.

Mike

mgb74 · Dec 4, 2006

mikeklensch said:
Are you not getting any responce from Mr. Hama? Keep me posted.Mike

I'm not currently communicating with him and I don't have a camera in to him for repair, so I don't have any issues with response or lack of response. I do remember reading a while back that he was backed up. A week turnaround is, in my opinion, better than average. I have a 124 that needs work and I've heard good things about his service (other than the turnaround concern some time back). Time to give him a call.

Yashica Mat 124 repair

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