Help! my YashicaLynx 14 broke!

[GWT]

I've just brought a Lynx 14 and received it yesterday, everything looked great until today when the shutter button wouldn't pop back up. Each time I wind the camera on the shutter fires but the shutter release button doesn't pop up.

Does anyone know what's gone wrong and can it be fixed?

Help.....please.

 

[KoNickon]

Maybe it's gunked up. A little lighter fluid (naphtha) into the shutter release recess (the hole into which the button fits, not the threaded hole in the release itself) might unstick it.

 

[GWT]

Many thanks for replying Nick, I had a go with the lighter fluid but sadly it doesn't seemed to have fixed the problem.

 

[farlymac]

Having any luck with the Lynx yet? Looking at some photos I took while I had the top off to remove and clean the rangefinder, I don't see a lot that could affect the shutter release from the top, unless a wire from the photocell somehow got between the top of the shutter release shaft and the camera top. If it's something further down in the body, I wouldn't know because I never tore mine down that far. A long shot possibility is the return spring on the bottom of the shutter release shaft has broken.

PF

 

[GWT]

Lynx 14

Lynx 14

Hi, I think the problem is indeed within the shutter release shaft. Either the spring has snapped and is restricting the shaft movement or something has come loose and got stuck along side. I've removed the base plate and I can push the shaft back up into the firing position, but once depressed it stays down. Also it seems stiff to move, the first day I had it everything worked great so it is a little frustrating.

From the links you posted me it seems that I would have to remove the leatherette to get to the lens mount screws, once the lens is off it should be fairly clear what the issue is.

I would like to try to fix it myself, I love older cameras and the skill would be extremely useful - but as you rightly pointed out the Lynx isn't the kind of RF to practice on. It took me a fair time to find one which was in good condition and that was a reasonable price I would hate to ruin it.

Also the finder spot isn't the greatest, I'm not sure if all Lynx 14's suffer from a dull finder but I have a electro 35 GS which is lovely and bright and i recently picked up a Konica auto S2 which has possibly the brightest finder I've ever seen, so once I take off the top plate maybe the mirror will need replacing - That I imagine will be another post!

 

[farlymac]

Hi, I think the problem is indeed within the shutter release shaft. Either the spring has snapped and is restricting the shaft movement or something has come loose and got stuck along side. I've removed the base plate and I can push the shaft back up into the firing position, but once depressed it stays down. Also it seems stiff to move, the first day I had it everything worked great so it is a little frustrating.

From the links you posted me it seems that I would have to remove the leatherette to get to the lens mount screws, once the lens is off it should be fairly clear what the issue is.

I would like to try to fix it myself, I love older cameras and the skill would be extremely useful - but as you rightly pointed out the Lynx isn't the kind of RF to practice on. It took me a fair time to find one which was in good condition and that was a reasonable price I would hate to ruin it.

Also the finder spot isn't the greatest, I'm not sure if all Lynx 14's suffer from a dull finder but I have a electro 35 GS which is lovely and bright and i recently picked up a Konica auto S2 which has possibly the brightest finder I've ever seen, so once I take off the top plate maybe the mirror will need replacing - That I imagine will be another post!

Some folks put a black patch on the front of the viewfider to make the image stand out more, while others put colored filters in the rangefinder window. And I take it we are talking about a different forum as to the links. When you push the shaft up, does it have a lot of resistance, or does it move smoothly? From my photos, it looks like the shutter button rides on an adjustable post, which is on an offset platform that actually pushes the shaft. It's in this area that the wires from the CdS cell can get in the way, but not a likely scenario. The top isn't all that hard to get off, so maybe you can start with that, and see if you can free up the shaft from the top.

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjz8CrmK

PF

 

[GWT]

Lynx 14

Lynx 14

Many thanks for those lynx repair photos, they look like their going to be seriously useful when I undertake my fixit procedure!

There is definitely some resistance when I push the shaft up, the shaft isn't loose at all. I may have a look later on today and see if those wire are indeed the problem. My wife and I have not long moved into a new place and we've got a bunch of renovation work going on so the place is pretty dusty - I'll have to scope out a clean spot!

 

[farlymac]

No need to rush things, GWT. It could even be a case of dried lubricant. Congrats on the new place, and Happy Renovating!

PF

 

[GWT]

I just took off the base plate to check if the shaft was still tight and it actually moves quite freely. I'm wondering now if the spring hasn't gone?