Gsn Pod

Harlee

Harlee

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I've been shooting Yashicas since the early 70's when we were living in Sasebo, Japan and I continue to use them to this day. In the past I've replaced the POD on several of them, but quite frankly, I've never had any success with removing the lens plate and going at it from the front end. I've always done it with the top removed, which is a challange to say the least. My question is, have any of you actually replaced the POD by going through the front, removing the lens, replacing the POD and then getting it all back together? I've downloaded and read over numerous suggestions with pictures of how to do it the proper way, but as I've said I've never been successful at it using that approach. Anybody out there come up with a better or more approachable method to replacing the POD without dismantling the camera. I'm good at using tools, but at this stage of my life I'm not as daring as I used to be. HELP! :bang:
 
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Can't help with this, but what's wrong with your first method, removing just top plate? I imagine this is least hard way to replace POD. Just put POD on end of needle, put a drop of glue and place it....there :D
 
I have never done this but I will say that the most prevalent repair method is the one you don't want to do. Sometimes what seems a long way to a solution becomes the one you wish you had taken when the job backfires and you have a problem to resolve with another technique.

Plan B would be buy another since most go for about $40 - $55 a copy this might be cheaper than sending it out for a repair.
 
jan normandale said:
Plan B would be buy another since most go for about $40 - $55 a copy this might be cheaper than sending it out for a repair.
Click to expand...

Only from trusted source and with recently replaced POD. As we know, all minty Electro rangefinders, unused for last 40 years, have POD issues (those which depend on it).
 
Hi. I have done this on 3x Yahicas, two 35GTs and one 35CC, all three by taking the lens off.
To be honest, the hardest part for me was getting the leatherette off without ripping it. Thanks to my hamfistedness, I have replaced all three covers - one in replacement leatherette, the other two i bought some nice burgundy leather offcuts for £3 and stuck that on. It gives a classy look, at least to my eyes !!
Taking the lens assembly out is not difficult at all, just 4 screws on the face of the camera. You just need to be careful with two things - don't jerk the lens assembly off too hard since you may snap the wires, and make sure the cocking lever fits back into where it came from.
Hope that helps. All of my replacements took about 15 minutes to do.
One last thing - make sure the PoD is the exactly correct size - too large or too small will give metering issues, battery rundown, and the collapse of western civilisation.
regards, tony
 
I fiddled with it again last night but it appears I just don't have the touch anymore to replace the pod the way I want to and used to. In the past I did utilize a bent needle and that worked, so I'm going to persevere and use that method again. Thanks for your imput guys. I am noticing that prices are going sky high on the Yashicas in many cases. I've had good luck with the MG-1s and have a couple of mint black ones that didn't set me back much. Neither one of the MG-1s needed the pod replaced, just resoldering the white wire going to the battery terminal.
 
Thanks Tomisimpern! My bigest problem disconnecting the lens method has to do with disconnecting the film counter. In the literature I've read, it really isn't very clear if the frame counter has to be removed or just loosened to pull the lens out. I've removed the screw that wraps around the rod, but I'm not sure if the other 2-3 screws holding the film counter need to be removed or not. I may give that method another try since you state it's not all that difficult. Using the top removal method, I've replaced the pod on 2-3 GSNs, one GTN and 1 or 2 MG-1s. And taking your advice, I certainly don't want to be responsible for bringing an end to western civilization - it appears to be doing that by itself without my help!!!
 
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Well, I took the bull by the horns and took the lens off of my GSN and replaced the POD utilizing the method most folks recommend. I must admit that it is much easier to remove the POD residue left behind and glue on a new pad. Now, if I can get it all back together I'll be one happy camper. Not that I really need another GSN, I don't, but I really wanted the experience of doing the repair in that fashion. If I can get it all back together and get it working, I'm open to picking up another one, cheap, not working, and try the same approach just for the experience. I really am a curious guy and love to tinker with things like that, and getting it back together and working will be very pleasing to me.
 
I don't see any problem in putting it back. The only part you need to be cautious about, except braking cables, is to make sure that the shutter cocks when putting the lens assembly back. There is a rotating spindle in the camera house which the lens assembly must connect correctly to. Could be a little frustrating.

The CC can not suffer from POD.
 
The hard part going in from the top is getting the fragments from the old POD cleaned out - even if you manage to scrape them off their seat completely without dropping any into the camera, chances are that pieces have already crumbled off before it failed. Besides, the lens on about half the Electros I've handled was wiggling, and needed either a re-lube of the helicoid or re-tightening to the front board. Overall, the camera does usually benefit from opening it for a cleaning, and it does make POD replacement much more easy...
 
Harlee, when you went in from the front to change the POD did you find out if you had to disconnect the film counter or not?
Thanks,
Tom
 
The lens assembly connects to the counter and release button through a fork, so no need for that. You might need to loosen the screws a little just to make the reassembly easier.
 
Micromoogman is correct. I found out that the frame counter screws need to be loosened or removed in order to remove the lens housing. The frame counter needs not be removed although some repairman say it does. Getting it all back together will be a challenge getting everything lined up correctly. But I'm going to try and put it back together later this afternoon and see what happens.
 
Well, I managed to get the lens assembly back on the camera. When you get everything lined up properly it drops right into position, but here's what I learned about getting everything lined up properly. I tried several times and it wouldn't drop in place, but there are two things I noticed. First, it helps to turn the focusing ring to it's lowest setting, 2.6 feet. Secondly, the tee pin on the lens housing slips into a corresponding receptical but I learned that the tee pin turns and unless it's turned in the proper position it won't fit into the corresponding receptical. Once I turned the tee pin to match the female recptical, the entire lens assembly simply dropped intpo position. One other problem, as I was attempting to put the lens assembly on to body, a brass template with two arrows dropped out of the camera, and I'm not sure just where it goes, but I know it's the brass part which tells you in which direction the aperature ring has to be turned when you see a red or yellow arrow in the viewfinder. So, it has to go somewhere where it can be seen in the viewfinder. I have a few junk Yashicas which I'll look at tomorrow and see if I can locate where it goes. I'm going to try and upload it with this reply.
 
hi Harlee.
The tee pin is the shutter cocking spindle that Micromoogman mentioned - it's quite frustrating if that slips out of square when you are lining things up.
The reasoning behind having to adjust the lens focus to re-marry to the body is that the rangefinder has a connection to the lens (because it's coupled), so when youplace the lens assembly back, it has to push the RF connector back slightly against spring preesure. It's not much pressure, but can be offputting, especially if you're worried about forcing anything.

That little arrow template goes just on the side of where the red and yellow indicators are, on top of the camera. The arrow cut-outs give you a nice red or yellow under/over indicator in the viewfinder, rather than just a red or yellow glow. The piece sits at 90degrees to the camera body, and simply glues back in place. Looking from the rear of the camera, find the little block where the lights are, and the piece glues on the left side of that block. Just make sure you center it, because it needs to be in the exact position to see both lit arrows correctly.
Hope my garbled explanation helps !
Tony
 
I thought the "arrow plate" went in there someplace but wasn't quite sure where. Thanks for explaining that, it surely helps. I feel now that I almost know what I'm doing. Even if things don't work right, because there are other issues with this camera, I intend to pick up another one and repeat the procedure. Thanks a bunch for sharing your Yashica knowledge with me, I really appreciate it.
 
well, to be honest, if you've bothered to get on to the Yashica rangefinder forum, you're pretty likely to know the shorthand already. but that's a good point too.
 
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