How To Fix A Stuck Mirror On A Film Camera

This post shows how to repair a Pentax Spotmatic stuck mirror, which is a common problem with this iconic camera from the 1960s. Although it'due south non certain that this will be the cause on all occasions, it worked on the two Pentax Spotmatic models I had which showed the problem of the mirror sticking in the upward position during shutter release.

The bottom embrace

The PCB fitted under the bottom embrace on the Spotmatic ES

Remove these two screws

And the spiral which fits hither – missing on my model.

View under the PCB

Oil is needed on the black cog under the arm

Another view of the cog which needs oil

The pictures above are of the Spotmatic ES because information technology has a PCB under the bottom cover and is therefore slightly more complex than the original spotmatic models, but the mechanics are basically the same in all models that I've seen. The problem is that the mirror, instead of returning to the position which allows the viewfinder to be used to compose an image later the shutter has been released, sticks in the up position leading to a black viewfinder.

I did a bit of Internet research and found the culprit is a lack of lubrication in the cog which acts every bit the mirror return system and that it is a relatively like shooting fish in a barrel fix to perform. I did however observe that I had to practice several searches to detect the actual cog, so I've added this post as an aide memoir to myself, and hopefully every bit a help to other people.

The pictures in a higher place prove the process for removing the lesser cover and the PCB. If the model is an earlier version than the Spotmatic ES in that location will be no PCB and the lesser cover is all that needs to exist removed.

Another view of the cog which needs oil

The most important pictures are the last two which show the cog which needs the oil and I've copied the last picture here as well. Even so, commencement of all, when the mirror is locked it's necessary to release it with a pocket-sized screwdriver. If you expect at the last motion-picture show in the series above you can see there is a slot above the cog, and the lever which is shown down in the flick will exist at the meridian of the slot. A slight push sideways on the lever which is holding it in place will allow the mirror to render and the lever to move to the position shown in the picture.

Once the lever is released, the adjacent thing is to apply a pocket-sized amount of oil onto the cog shown in the picture. It'southward of import to try to get the oil into the gap betwixt the steel inner circumvolve and the black outer cog and  once a small drib of oil is applied, fire the shutter about 10 times in a order to work the oil in and bank check the mirror returns every time.

I found this worked on both my Spotmatics and returned the mirror to perfect performance.

Source: https://simonhawketts.co.uk/2016/01/16/repairing-a-pentax-spotmatic-stuck-mirror/

Posted by: shawpuble1956.blogspot.com

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