Annoying SP problem

[OlyMan]

Just revitalised my SP after a couple of years lack of use by buying a Wein cell from this fella: http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZftbn . I can't recommend him highly enough: item came all the way here from USA quicker than some stuff I buy here (UK)! However, I digress...

One of the reasons it got left unused for so long in the first place is the annoying niggle it has with the shutter-release. Regardless of whether you use it on manual or program mode, pressing the shutter button sometimes doesn't trip the shutter. Sometimes it trips as you release the button, other times you have to press it again and it will trip on the second attempt. Bit annoying, and of no use for those "critical timing" shots :bang:

Is it a common, easy fix? a CLA here would probably cost more than the camera is realistically worth, though it would be a shame to skip it as it's got one of the earliest serial-numbers I've ever seen on an SP (185639) and is in otherwise near-mint condition 🙁

 

[Trius]

John: I have never heard of this specific problem. If the camera has not had a CLA before or at least in a long time, I personally would have it done, even if this is the only issue. "Worth" is a relative term, and an SP is always worth a CLA unless it is so bad it can only be a parts camera.

I have an SP that has a problem with the shutter release sticking after a shot. I have tried to fix this myself without a lot of success (the problem went away for awhile) ... I am going to give it one more go and if I can't fix it permanently I will have a CLA done. My other SP is in fine shape and is my main RF in any case.

 

[shadowfox]

Realistically worth? to be honest, a whole lot!

The lens on this camera alone is worth its weight in gold. That is, if you like sharp contrasty pictures with nice bokeh.

But, I'm biased 😉

 

[OlyMan]

Realistically worth? to be honest, a whole lot!

The lens on this camera alone is worth its weight in gold. That is, if you like sharp contrasty pictures with nice bokeh.

But, I'm biased 😉

Definitely! I'm still not sure which gives me the best pictures: my 50mm F1.8 for the OM or this lens...but that's a whole different discussion!

By "realistically worth", what I meant was is that it's cheaper in the UK to get another 35SP off ebay (about £40-£100, depending on whether cased & boxed) than to have this one CLA'd and repaired (which I'm guessing would be about £100). Of course there's then the risk that the 'new' one could develop another fault...

I wouldn't throw this one away (sin!), but instead would probably just store it away.

 

[shadowfox]

Definitely! I'm still not sure which gives me the best pictures: my 50mm F1.8 for the OM or this lens...but that's a whole different discussion!

By "realistically worth", what I meant was is that it's cheaper in the UK to get another 35SP off ebay (about £40-£100, depending on whether cased & boxed) than to have this one CLA'd and repaired (which I'm guessing would be about £100). Of course there's then the risk that the 'new' one could develop another fault...

I wouldn't throw this one away (sin!), but instead would probably just store it away.

I got you,

I say because the value of this camera lies mostly on the quality of the lens sample, if the lens is pristine, it's worth to have this CLA'd. But if the lens has fungus or haze on it, it's time to find another one on the bay.

 

[OlyMan]

Thanks Shadowfox. The lens is mint and totally clear (well, to my eyes at least). I've got quite attached to this camera, partly because it's one of the the earliest know survivors I have ever come across with a 185xxx serial number. The purpose of starting this thread was to determine if my problem was a common one which had a simple fix that I could do myself. From the replies here, I guess it's neither. I'll have to make my mind up whether to shelve it and buy another (a risk in itself) or cough-up a bit more dough for a CLA on this one, which is probably the safer bet. Either way, I'll be plodding on with it "as is" for a bit, due to the usual cash-flow problem of there being too much month left at the end of the money 😱

 

[OlyMan]

Solved!

Solved!

Just thought I'd put a post on here to say that I managed to solve the annoying "will-it-won't-it" shutter release...

Guess what? It turned out to be a problem with the self-timer mechanism. Not sure what made me try it, but I found myself messing with the self timer (with no film in of course), running through the various apertures and shutter speeds. I had never at all used the self timer before, and on the first few tries the mechanism stopped a second or so before it tripped the shutter. A gentle tap of the base of the camera against the table was needed to 'kickstart' it again. After half a dozen times like this, it started going the full distance and tripping the shutter properly. Since then, it has also consistently tripped the shutter with the release button.

Easy result then with happily no expenditure 🙂 Though I think a cla certainly wouldn't go amiss at some point when I can justify the expenditure, even if only to cure the slightly-misted and flare-prone viewfinder.

 

[shadowfox]

Congrats. One way to "exercise" these shutter trippers is by using a release cable.

 

[zuikologist]

Olyman - good news. Let's see some photos soon from this one.

BTW and FWIW I think the SP viewfinder is one of the better ones for a fixed lens RF. It might be worth having it cleaned just to maximise your enjoyment of a fine machine.

 

[Trius]

Agreed with zuikologist regarding the vf. It's not as fine as a Leica, the ZM and maybe some others, but it is quite good, one of the best of the fixed lens RFs.

 

[ColinW]

Olyman,

Glad you solved it, never tried the self-timer on my RC, think I'll go do it now! Are there any good contacts for a CLA in the UK?

 

[OlyMan]

Colin

Not sure! 😱 I was going to ask on this forum when I'd saved up enough money

Let's see some photos soon from this one.

I should hopefully be able to oblige very soon - last Saturday I dropped off a roll of 200ASA Fuji Sensia at Jesspos to develop, scan & mount. Sadly in this day of digital dominance the young assistant was clearly bewildered with my request 🙁 I even had to show him which boxes he had to tick on their transit envelope 🙄 Just an unfortunate sign of the times I guess.

 

[shadowfox]

John, just an observation, in this day of scanning film, wouldn't it be easier and potentially cheaper to *not* mount the slides?

 

[OlyMan]

There wasn't much in it tbh in tems of price. Dispite the fact the mounts will invariably end up in the bin if and when I ever use a particular side in one of my slideshows (I tend to glass mount my slides primarily because my Kodak 2050s are not AF), I do prefer to receive them mounted. It makes them much easier to sort on my light-table and makes them easier to chuck into a carousel and preview on my 5'wide screen to check sharpness and clarity. Plus there's something attractively-tangible about receiving a plastic lidded box of mounted transparencies, compared to a cardboard envelope of sliced-up film-strips which I'll invariably fill with finger-prints the first time I try to gingerly pull them out out of their poly sleeves.