M4 stuck shutter (?) help needed

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namelast

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HI all, I have today received an M4 from a reputable seller from the bay, however, when I tried it out something went wrong.
I tried the self timer, and it buzzes until almost back to place, where it stops and does not fire the shutter. This resulted in the shutter button not working anymore! Now it does not offer resistance and does not work. I tried winding the film, but as soon as the winding lever is turned to its maximum, the shutter is cocked and fires away automatically.
I guess that the self timer has overridden the shutter button... Is there a safe way to fix it? I would rather not have to send it somewhere, but if that is the only way can anybody suggest a rapirman in Ireland/UK/Europe that could be reached by email?
Thanks!
 
I´m working on a M4 which had also a stuck shutter and found that the problem was that the 2nd curtain was completely loose, but your problem could come from a lot of reassons. The sutter spring might be broken or simply stuck open and the same could be said about the self-timer.

Hope this helps somehow.
 
are the m4's like the m2's there is a small button behind the self timer lever that must be depressed to activate . that's how the m2 works .
 
Kozhe said:
I´m working on a M4 which had also a stuck shutter and found that the problem was that the 2nd curtain was completely loose, but your problem could come from a lot of reassons. The sutter spring might be broken or simply stuck open and the same could be said about the self-timer.

Hope this helps somehow.
Click to expand...

Thanks Kozhe, also my guess was that the spring of the self timer has something funny. It is actually working, but near the end of the run the selftimer lever stops and is loose, I can push it back to the 12 o'clock position, but it would fall back to the left.

Do you know a safe way I can try to get the spring(s) unstuck?
 
thetooth said:
are the m4's like the m2's there is a small button behind the self timer lever that must be depressed to activate . that's how the m2 works .
Click to expand...

Yeah, the first time that I turned the lever I pressed the button. Now, since the self timer has never completed its action I can turn the lever and it would buzz and "work" even without touching the button.
 
namelast said:
Yeah, the first time that I turned the lever I pressed the button. Now, since the self timer has never completed its action I can turn the lever and it would buzz and "work" even without touching the button.
Click to expand...

is the button stuck . that would be the simplest explanation . it seems to be the chain of events .
 
Kozhe said:
Just a quick check. Did the first curtain open or it didn´t shoot at all?
Click to expand...

I tried keeping the swinging back open and slowly winding the level, looking from the lens mount I can see a platic (?) vertical thing moving to the left, dragging a second courtain (my guess). When the vertical thing is to the left and the lever reaches the end the shutter fires and the vertical thing goes back to the right, and I could see light through, so I guess the courtains are still moving fine (the shutters is probably stuck on a very fast time!).
Sorry for my non-technical language...
Does this shed some light on the problem?
 
I have seen this a few times, it's not difficult to rectify, but it is difficult to explain how to do it. :)

The self-timer needs to be re-set, also. Again, not difficult, but easier to demonstrate, than to describe.

I could do it in 5 minutes. The key is finding the right repairman who isn't going to overcharge for this...
 
okay . i just activated my self timer on my m2 . after the shutter fires there is a definite noise like the button is reactivating for the next time . i don't know how to fix it but i would gently manipulate the self timer mechanism lever and button and see if the button will reengage .
 
digitalintrigue said:
I have seen this a few times, it's not difficult to rectify, but it is difficult to explain how to do it. :)

The self-timer needs to be re-set, also. Again, not difficult, but easier to demonstrate, than to describe.

I could do it in 5 minutes. The key is finding the right repairman who isn't going to overcharge for this...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, now I feel less stressed as it seems an easy fix. Do you think it is safe for me to do? I am ok reading instructions on the how-to ;)
Or if you could spare some digital pics, or anything... I am actually very eager to try out the mistique of the Leica! (and also to calm myself after so much money spent for camera and custom duties!) :)
 
"I tried the self timer, and it buzzes until almost back to place, where it stops and does not fire the shutter."

The self-timer needs to be reset. It should be sent to a technician...

I could give you the instructions, but even then, you need the proper tools to remove the self timer retainer without gouging. And then you'll need a properly sized tool to reset the self timer (and you'll need to know how far to turn it.)

Not sure it's a good idea to do this yourself...
 
The good news is that nothing is broken.

Whoever took it apart last, did not set the self-timer properly. The self-timer needs to be cocked, prior to the chassis being removed from the shell.

If it's not, things will not line up properly, and the self-timer will either not fire the camera, or the situation you have described will occur.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
digitalintrigue said:
"I tried the self timer, and it buzzes until almost back to place, where it stops and does not fire the shutter."

The self-timer needs to be reset. It should be sent to a technician...

I could give you the instructions, but even then, you need the proper tools to remove the self timer retainer without gouging. And then you'll need a properly sized tool to reset the self timer (and you'll need to know how far to turn it.)

Not sure it's a good idea to do this yourself...
Click to expand...

Thanks digitalintrigue (and the others as well!) for your replies. I will not risk the DIY. I have emailed the seller, a very nice guy, who has agreed to pay me back for the repairing.
Are you located in Europe? Or can you suggest me a european technician I can trust? (sorry, but I would like to avoid USA and the possibility of having to pay customs again!)
 
I was going to recommend Youxin Ye in the US. Not sure where you hail from...

Youxin is a good repairman, fast and reasonable in his pricing. A nice guy, too.
 
I solved the issue with my M4 curtains and now I have the same problem you have!

It´s not the self timer since it´s not actuating. It might be the shutter is not properly adjusted or installed or one of the springs is loose, will check later today.
 
New problem solved! The cause for the winding-on causing unintended shoots was that the opening curtain latch spring was loose, so it didn´t catch the drum gear properly. It just needed to be cla. Not big deal. Working pretty smooth now :)
 
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