Canon LTM Shot a roll, now shutter won't fire after going to 'B'

[Jamey777]

Argh... I scored a really nice Canon IId with a 50mm 1.8 and ran a roll of film through it.

All the mechanicals are silky smooth, shutter speeds sounded great etc. I probably did several hundred fires at various speeds.

I got home from dropping off the film and decided to play with 'B' and some other timer settings and the shutter stopped firing. If I do the double exposure trick (shutter depress then turn the shutter speed dial cc) it is the only way it will rotate. I can do multiple actuations only after pressing the shutter and holding it down a bit.

It's almost like something slipped out of place when I rotated to bulb?

Any ideas? I would like to try and fix it if I am able (I am a 5 or 6 on the 'ability to tinker' scale). I can't put much more money into it so I will throw it up on the bay 'for parts' which seems a shame.

I really like the camera, especially the 'zoom' for the rangefinder focusing. This is my first 'leica-esque' RF.

Thanks,

Jamey

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Did you change the shutter speed before you wound the shutter using the speed dial?

Will the shutter wind when using the regular winder knob?

Can you get a sacrificial roll of film and wind it all the way onto the takeup spool then rewind it like normal? You will catch the winding sprockets and possibly get it back in-time with the winder knob. That is, if I have your problem right.

Aside from that, you can take the bottom plate off then unscrew the plate which covers the mechanical timing controls. You should be able to gently pull the shutter plunger from there and possibly get it going.

It really sounds like the camera thinks that it is in between frames so it will not fire unless you use the "double exposure" method.

These cameras are also not foolproof tanks without a little bit of care. It is very possible that your repeated shutter firing just happened to be the thing that caused a breakage. Not uncommon with a Barnack copy. I've owned seven film Leicas and every one of them has needed a CLA or greater repair upon receipt of the body. It's just something that a 60+ year old camera has to have.

If you decide to sell, send me a PM.
If you want to keep it, email Youxin Ye and ask how much a repair might run. He can bring those bodies back to life very quickly and pretty inexpensively.

Good luck!
Phil Forrest

 

[colyn]

Also try winding the shutter via the shutter speed dial not the usual winder then set a speed other than B and see if it works..

You should always wind before setting the shutter speed..

 

[Jamey777]

Film trick didn't work. Not sure what you mean about 'pull the shutter plunger'?

The important bit is that the shutter *never* fires...

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

The important bit is that the shutter *never* fires...

Thanks for the advice.[/QUOTE]

Ah, it sounded like you could get it to fire from your initial post. You're going to have to send it out for repair unless someone else on the forum chimes in with a different trick to get it to wind and fire.

Phil Forrest

 

[colyn]

Remove the lens and watch the shutter curtains while winding the shutter. You should see the first and second curtains moving across the film plane. They will be capped by the lathe which is where they come together to make a light tight overlap. If one or the other does not move you have either broken or unglued shutter tapes which will require a teardown and service.

Also make sure the "a"-"r" switch is fully at the "a" position. If it even slightly off the "a" position this can prevent shutter function. The mechanism may also be partly stuck down due to dried lube..

 

[Jamey777]

Mystery solved, I must have broken the shutter tapes because nothing moves as I wind the shutter. The 'a' switch is correct, it isn't that.

Email sent to Mr Ye, with a link to this thread.

Thanks for the help!

Jamey