QL17-GIII, shutter locked in manual mode

[CafeConLeche]

Hi, I am trying to fix this QL17-GIII, it has got few issues, including stuck shutter blade, corroded battery contact, meter issue, mold on lens, and bad light seal. I was able to fix most of them, except this finally issue. The shutter is locked in manual mode.

The shutter works fine in A-mode with battery when not over/under exposed. But in manual mode (with or without battery), the camera locks the shutter and won't let me fire. This is my first QL17-GIII, and I don't have a working one to compare with. At first I noticed the meter is not indicating the f-speed that I have dialed, so I thought the needle trap is not trapping correctly and cause the camera to think I am under exposed and locked the shutter. But then I read on the internet, the QL17-GIII meter is disabled under manual mode, meaning the meter won't even indicate the F-speed that you have dialed. So there must be a linkage somewhere to override the shutter lock while in manual mode. I opened up the front panel on the left side of the lens, trying to see if I can find that linkage, but I can't see any movement when adjusting from A-mode to manual. It would be a much bigger project (a one that I am not sure if I will be able to handle) if I am to further disassemble the camera.

If you are familiar with repairing QL17-GIII, could you kindly point out where should I be looking at?

 

[ronnies]

Sorry, can't help but you'll get lots of camera repais info at http://www.kyphoto.com/cgi-bin/forum/discus.cgi.

Ronnie

 

[CafeConLeche]

It's fixed. Turns out there is indeed a linkage. it's a lever coming out from the back of the lens, you will need to take off the lens from the focus ring by using spanner wrench from the film room. After the lens is taking off (there will be wires connected, don't pull to hard), you will see the longest lever that has an arm, the arm is stationed when in A-mode or flash mode, but freed in manual model. This lever was somehow always stuck even in manual mode on my camera. I open the first plate from the back of the lens, still no visible view of what's wrong, but to further disassemble it, i will need to take apart the shutter timer gear and shutter speed governor, which I don't think I am capable of doing. But at this point, the lever has become loss, like it's disconnected from whatever it was suppose to connect to, I thought I have broke it (paniced a little). Analyzed it for about 2 hours, realized I can see something from this tiny hole on the side, can't see the problem, but i can see it also has an arm, and when I turn aperture ring to A, I was able to set the arm to a position that's stationed, then from that point on, everything worked. Leave it at A-mode, then put everything back together, now both A and manual mode works. Shooting my first roll now. Feel free to drop me msg if you need help or details.