M2 problem - shutter? curtain?

doitashimash1te

doitashimash1te

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Can anybody tell me what is wrong with my M2? I shot a test roll with it and it turns out that most shots are ruined.. see the negatives. What could this be? Is the shutter timing defective, or will it need a curtain replacement?

Any input welcome, thanks in advance.

m2problem.jpg
 
But why is one pic fully exposed and the others just a little bit? If they are all done at 1/250, that looks strange to me.
Are you sure all are at 1/250?
Looks like the 2nd. shutter curtain starts correctly but is stopped at some point. Therefore the shutter stays open too long. The point where looks like being influenced by shutter speed.
Or: was the shutter speed sial correctly set? Engaged into the proper hole to get a proper shutter speed?
 
I did some tests, camera open (both front and back) without lens in place, putting my eye in the frame, sitting in the dark and camera pointed towards the light, and fired a lot of shots using all speeds from 1/1 to 1/1000th.

The problem is consistent:

Slow speeds up to 1/125: no problem; I see a full image.
1/250: sometimes a full image, but most of the times half an image, or worse: a small stripe of light as you can see above
Higher speeds 1/500 and higher: no image at all (where my other M at 1/500 shows me a glimpse of a whole image)

Any ideas?

Magus, is this information in line with your diagnosis (shutter brake)?
 
Thank you all guys, for nailing this. I will look for a place near me where I can have my M2 CLA'd for a reasonable price. Of course, I will inform you as soon as I get a diagnosis.
 
In case you haven't heard of him, Don at DAG camera repair is pretty famous around here. It's about $290 USD plus shipping to get a CLA for an M2. It seems to me, at least for a few years after you get a CLA from DAG, you can actually add $300 to the camera's value if you were selling it since he is so well known that people would pay extra to get a camera they know is in top working form and well-serviced. Maybe there are many reputable repairmen out there, but since I live in the wilderness...this is the only one I've heard about.
 
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Seeing a smaller stripe of light above flash sync speed is totally natural. The 2nd. shutter curtain is released before the first has 'landed'. That's the only way of reaching higher speeds.
This might be shutter break or the 2nd. curtain chasing the first too fast. The first bit of exposure is always OK, then unexposed.
Magus: The shutter break 'catches' the 2nd. curtain after exposure, right?
 
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If you are lucky it may be dried/gummed lubriciant, and might go away with another 1000 or so shutter releases, try about 1000 to see it frees up.

Noel
 
sirius said:
In case you haven't heard of him, Don at DAG camera repair is pretty famous around here. It's about $290 USD plus shipping to get a CLA for an M2. It seems to me, at least for a few years after you get a CLA from DAG, you can actually add $300 to the camera's value if you were selling it since he is so well known that people would pay extra to get a camera they know is in top working form and well-serviced. Maybe there are many reputable repairmen out there, but since I live in the wilderness...this is the only one I've heard about.
Click to expand...

Don does great work but he seems pretty back logged at the moment.

Another great guy for a mechanical M (2, 3, 4) is Youxin Ye. You can hope for
a return in two weeks.

Roland.
 
Xmas said:
If you are lucky it may be dried/gummed lubriciant, and might go away with another 1000 or so shutter releases, try about 1000 to see it frees up.

Noel
Click to expand...

Might be something for a rainy Sunday afternoon... :)
 
Someone a bit closer to home is Will van Manen , www.kamera-service.info.
I had my M3 and M4 CLAd by him, cost is around 135 euro per camera (excluding shipping cost, bus as that is all in the Netherlands not very expensive) and very well done.
Succes ermee !

vriendelijke groeten
Rik
 
Rik said:
Someone a bit closer to home is Will van Manen , www.kamera-service.info.
I had my M3 and M4 CLAd by him, cost is around 135 euro per camera (excluding shipping cost, bus as that is all in the Netherlands not very expensive) and very well done.
Succes ermee !

vriendelijke groeten
Rik
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot! I'll check him out.
 
You have a really bad case of shutter "capping". The two shutters are out of synch and chase each other across the filmgate! It often happens when the camera has been sitting for a while OR when the tension on the shutter blinds has changed. Occasionally you can "dry shoot" until it works again, but if it is a lubrication or even the felt in the tracks coming loose - you will only cause more problem. A good techncian can re-adjust the speeds quickly - only need to take off the cover under the baseplate and access the screws there. If everything else works, a full CLA is un-necessary although I recommend that every 8-10 years.
You can do a "de-capping" yourself, but it does require a shutter speed tester and some small screwdrivers as well as a tool to undo the locking screws on the shutter tensioning screws.
M2's are generally bullet proof, but "capping" is not uncommon. At the moment i have one that is doing it at 1/250 and above - so i load it with 25/50 ASA film. Another one will not fire with the release-button, but only by applying pressure on the advance lever! Both are due for service in the next month anyway.
 
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