HELP - is my G1 shutter broken??

[Steveh]

Hi all - I've been having a lot of fun over the last few weeks with a G1/45/90 kit I picked up on EBay (where else!), having read all about the joys of the G system on here. So imagine my horror when I walked into our bedroom yesterday to find the camera, which I'd left safely sitting on a mantelpiece, lying on the (very hard) fireplace tiling 3 feet below with the back popped open and a nice ding in the ISO control end. Trauma! None of my kids will own up but I know one of them's guilty 😡

Checking the camera out, the rangefinder still seems to be working ok, and the shutter clicks and winds on. The problem though is that when I either take off the lens or open the back I can't see the shutter moving, at B or any other speed. The grey front curtain opens and closes fine, but nothing seems to happen to the rear one. Does this mean I have a broken camera, or is it some quirk of the camera that means the shutter doesnn't function without a lens and/or with the back open?

Any help/knowhow appreciated 🙁 - if the shutter is broken is it likely to be repairable or should I just sell it on as "spare or repair" and pick up a new body for £150? And can anyone recommend a good repairperson in the UK (ideally London).

Thanks, Steve

 

[Xmas]

If you disable the autofocus on my G1 the shutter seems to fire & wind on ok without a lens, (nothing happend with autofocus selected, apart from the red glow from the active rangefinder in poor ambient light) mine is a pre 35mm lens model without the software upgrade. Yours might be different but still ok the software controls many aspects of the camera.

Please try it.

Noel

 

[Xmas]

Steve
Found my G1 would still fire & wind on if you point it at something it can focus on, so you may have a problem.
Sorry for abstract information

Noel

 

[Steveh]

Steve
Found my G1 would still fire & wind on if you point it at something it can focus on, so you may have a problem.
Sorry for abstract information

Noel

Thanks guys - by way of an update it actually started working again all by itself after a change of batteries (which didn't work initially) and sitting around for a couple of days, so all seems to be well again. For reference yes it should work fine with back open/lens off, and now does again!,

 

[thanatos]

...it actually started working again all by itself after a change of batteries (which didn't work initially) and sitting around for a couple of days...

The healing magic of masterly inaction.

Glad it's working. You'll love it.

 

[Socke]

Phewwy! So the accident just added some character to the camera.

I've heard about a G1 which has crashed so hard on the top left that the lcd broke and the buttons are stuck but the camera still works with the last settings.

 

[Xmas]

There may be a reset button somewhere I'll read the manual...

Noel