fuji g690 dark slide curtain failed?

[fbf]

I never used the curtain since mine never really worked properly. I left it alone but today the curtain stuck on the rear door and when I tried to open it, the curtain was ripped out of the camera..😎

My question is, can I still use the camera the way it is? (don't plan to change lenses in the middle of roll). I guess I can't dry fire the shutter now w/o putting a roll of film inside?

Thanks.

 

[Spanik]

The shutter is in the lens so that won't matter much. You can put the selector on R (rollfilm) and dry fire normally.

Only possible issue is if there's an interlock that prevents you from taking photos when the curtain is closed and it still thinks the curtain is closed. Don't have the G690 so you'll have to check that.

 

[kuzano]

I think it will be fine to shoot...

I think it will be fine to shoot...

As long as there are no remnants of the dark slide sticking out into the frame. There is not a shot prevention interlink related to the dark slide. The only thing you lose is the ability to do a midroll lens change. Since you only get 8 shots on a roll of 120 and since 220 is effectively NLA, that's not a problem in my form of shooting.

So many of these have lost dark slide function over the years. I am actually surprised to see one with a working dark slide. I buy 2 or 3 of these old "Texas Leicas" a year.

Since I am now 70 years old, I may have to switch to the much lighter GSW690 II or III models. The plus.. lighter and EBC coated against flare.

I am concerned at this age however, about acquiring that "Anheauser" disease, where you drink a six pack and forget where you left your camera, or what you went out to shoot? Did I spell that right?

Where am I?

One model that does have a problem with a non working dark slide is the G690bl. The bl stands for breech lock. That's a lock on the side of the lens mount that will not unlock if the dark slide does not work. Again not a huge issue, but if you do have a second lens, you have to dismantle the breech lock if the dark slide does not disengage it.

I might be tempted to get the repair manual for the G690 from eBay (almost always listed there) and open the camera to get the rest of the dark slide out of the camera.

I've used 3 or 4 of these with inoperative dark slides and never been hampered. However only had one cloth curtain actually come out of the slot. I simply cut it cleanly out and went on with shooting.

I have spoken with Frank Marshman a couple of times on this issue, and he says they are too fiddly to fix and I get the idea he doesn't. He seems to think the loss of the midroll lens change is not a big deal, and the camera is not degraded from normal usage otherwise.

I do have a bl, with a good dark slide. I have had a bl with a defunct dark slide and you must disengage the lens lock... chrome thingy on side of lens mount... and go on with using the camera.

There is not much to go wrong with these old tanks, but my favorite is the GL model with two shutter buttons and they took of the lens lock....

My fantasy kit in Texas Leicas would be a GL690, A GM670 (same size body as the GL, but 6X7 film format, A good AE100 metered EBC lens, a backup 100 standard lens, and a 65MM lens. Oh, yes, and a sherpa to carry them.)

Hunka, Hunka, Steel Love. Capable of outshooting any 6X9/6X7 kit on the planet with the right driver behind the viewfinder. Not suggesting here that I am that "right" driver.

 

[fbf]

Thanks for the input guys. I know I can always find the right guy for the right answers here....
One side of the dark slide was ripped out of the camera so I did the same to the other side....looks completely out of the camera.

Still can't get the camera dry fire though....tried to fiddle the dark slide knob underneath. It does rotate back and force if I click on the little release button. It won't dry fire in S or R mode...

Any idea?

 

[Spanik]

Did you take the lens off and was it cocked at the time? Is the red dot showing in the viewfinder? From what I can find on the net, there is an interlock between curtain and shutter.

 

[sevo]

One model that does have a problem with a non working dark slide is the G690bl. The bl stands for breech lock. That's a lock on the side of the lens mount that will not unlock if the dark slide does not work.

The same goes for the GM/GL. Worse, these have both a breech lock and a release lock interlock coupled to the curtain wind mechanism. Changing lenses and releasing the shutter is still possible as long as you can simulate winding the curtain, regardless whether the curtain is missing. But you cannot remove the lens if the curtain is stuck open, and if the curtain is removed, it will probably end up permanently stuck close, with the release knob locked.

 

[kuzano]

Just took my bl out today to shoot a roll....

Just took my bl out today to shoot a roll....

The same goes for the GM/GL. Worse, these have both a breech lock and a release lock interlock coupled to the curtain wind mechanism. Changing lenses and releasing the shutter is still possible as long as you can simulate winding the curtain, regardless whether the curtain is missing. But you cannot remove the lens if the curtain is stuck open, and if the curtain is removed, it will probably end up permanently stuck close, with the release knob locked.

I changed the lens to my AE100, and realized that there is also an interlock on the Dark Slide where you cannot trigger the shutter with the dark slide closed. Forgot that on the G690bl...

You're still OK if only the curtain is gone from the camera, and you can still activate the dark slide close and open function. Tried to shoot for five minutes before I remembered to open the dark slide????

Shot 8 and dropped them off at Walmart, into a "Send Out Only" envelope and off to Fuji. Shot Fujicolor NPH400.

Apologies for the oversight.

Old age? mebbe!

 

[kuzano]

These cameras won't dry fire without film in them on R

These cameras won't dry fire without film in them on R

Thanks for the input guys. I know I can always find the right guy for the right answers here....
One side of the dark slide was ripped out of the camera so I did the same to the other side....looks completely out of the camera.

Still can't get the camera dry fire though....tried to fiddle the dark slide knob underneath. It does rotate back and force if I click on the little release button. It won't dry fire in S or R mode...

Any idea?

Must have film in the camera and the camera on R, AND as I was reminded today, the controls for the dark slide must be in the position as if the dark slide is OPEN. You do that by pulling forward on the short chrome tab on the bottom of the camera.

I have been able to shoot this body on S without film and the darkslide controls in the open position. I can only shoot it on R with film in the camera, AND the dark slide controls as if the dark slide is open. I phrase it this way because you no longer have the curtain, so you can't see if the dark slide is open or not. However, you can pull the tab on the bottom and the control for the dark slide will retract if nothing else is wrong inside.

Try sacrificing a roll of film, to get film in the camera to see if it shoots as it was designed to, Film in, Switch on R, Dark slide control reset to DS open. Otherwise, it may need to come apart, as a portion of the remainder of the dark slide inside the camera may be hanging something up. I can tell you who to send it to who may be able to disengage any of the dark slide stuff that may be in the way. PM me if you want that info, since the man is winding down on his repair work.

 

[Dante_Stella]

If it is an original G690 (i.e., no lens lock button), no problem.

My repairman shared with me this tip: if you release the dark slide (closed-->open) and it does not open all the way, wind it closed and release it again. DO NOT "HELP" IT ALONG. That will buckle the curtain and rip it off its tapes.

The dark slides on these are very difficult to fix, and it requires removing the front standard of the camera and then recollimating everything when you are done. So don't buy the baloney of Ebay sellers that claim it's a "minor" repair - and if yours breaks and you can still use the camera, it's not worth fixing. In fact, it might be cheaper to buy a second body for your other lens.

Dante

 

[Dante_Stella]

By the way, if you jam the dark slide, you should be able to dismount the lens by prying up the little leather/metal cover over the lens lock button and unscrewing the big brass screw that connects the button (holding the lens in place with a little pin) to the linkage that connects to the dark slide.

Dante

 

[fbf]

Yeah, I was referring to original G690
Tried with film on different setting (R or S), played with the bottom knob and turned the dark slide knob. Camera is not firing.
Anything else I can do at this point?

Btw. I can see the red dot in the viewfinder if that means anything. But I don't see the dot on GL690 or Gm670

 

[Spanik]

Red dot means the curtain is closed. So the interlock is active.