GXR EVF stuck in waist-view position (help)

[rhl-oregon]

GXR friends, if anyone has experienced their EVF getting stuck in the upright (waist-view) position, I could use your advice. Mine caught on something in my bag, ratcheted all the way up, and does not want to ratchet flat again.

I have tried non-invasive approaches; haven't pulled out the screwdriver yet; will try to get advice from Ricoh later.

Thanks, Robert

 

[ricnak]

Robert.
The same thing happened to mine on the first day of using it. Pulled it a bit hard getting it out of a bag. I took it back to the shop and told them it must be faulty before i researched it further. They got me a replacement - it took over 6 months. It does say in the product info not to apply any extra pressure or damage may occur.
h.

 

[GaryLH]

I took a close look at mine. On the main evf head there seems to be a plastic bar that engages the rackets on the bottom section body. I noticed on the body there is a slightly deeper channel before the rackets start. I wonder if there is a similar deep channel in the back. Your plastic bar may be stuck in that deep channel on the other side. The plastic bar has a bit a spring action designed into it, but looks flimsy. Without a lot of care to lever it back over into the first racket position maybe as likely to break as anything else.

I would try taking it back to dealer as well...

Good luck
Gary

 

[rhl-oregon]

Thanks, friends. No dealer-return options here! But I have joined the Ricoh forum and sent a query to one of ts members who has posted that it can be fixed. I will share his advice once I get it. In the meantime, I'm looking at Gary's advice with a tiny flathead screwdriver in hand and a meditative mind...

 

[johannielscom]

Sorry to read about your troubles Robert. I'll be sure to handle mine with care...

Pls keep us posted on the reply on DIY repair!? Now I gotta go look for that Ricoh forum...

 

[rhl-oregon]

So far: i asked Tom Caldwell on the Ricoh forum about it. He advised putting gentle pressure on the rectangular spring plate opposite the ratchet. This has not solved things so far so I also sent a query to criscam (US Ricoh tech).

Obvious hindsight: don't leave evf on camera! Baby it! It's a good thing I like TLR view coz that's what I got for the time being.

 

[wogg]

This happened to me several times, but I just carefully and firmly forced back over the the lock bump to normal position, and it didn't seem to affect it negatively.

 

[rhl-oregon]

Problem solved. There are 2 round tabs on either side of the hinge. They're rubber👍, and lightly greased over a tiny steel bar that traverses the hinge area. With nothing to lose, I pushed the steel bar out with an equally tiny screwdriver, and the ratchet relaxed into the closed position.

Here's an afterphoto of the minor surgery. The bar partly portrudes, the tabs are ready to be pressed back into place. Two elderly Olympuses are visiting like deacons from the church, and the screwdriver is ready to climb back into the case of guitar tools.



Now I just need to follow Tom Caldwell's advice: take the EVF off whenever the GXR gets tossed into a bag.

Robert

 

[johannielscom]

Thanks Robert,

I've been pondering this approach over the last few days, since I noticed the black rubber caps over the ends of the rod on my newly-arrived finder. Good to know it does the trick like that. And, I've taken that advice serious from the start and have dedicated the little leather case for my 21mm Leitz finder to the VF-2. Now, to find a new leather case for the Leitz finder...😎

The Komura is underway, I hope (trust) you'll like it!