Help Needed > Yashica GSN Not Working

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pradeep1

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Hello All,

I recently purchased a Yashica GSN on eBay. The camera looks to be in good condition. Everything is clean, crisp, and clear. I put a 4LR44 battery with a foam sleeve and a aluminum foil rig to fit the battery cockpit, and the battery test indicator works fine. The meter seems to read fine.

The only problem is that when I cock the camera and press the shutter release, it does not release the shutter. I tried the self-timer and that too does not release, so I am guessing the shutter release mechanism is kaput.

Am I missing something obvious with this camera?

Any and all help would be much appreciated. I would like to keep this camera, since it is in excellent condition.

Thanks,

Pradeep
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You may have the "Pad of Death" problem. There is a small rubber pad deep within the bowels of the camera that is one of the early parts to fail. The problem is explained in detail at these places:

Yashica Guy’s site:

http://www.yashica-guy.com/

Mike Feuerbacher’s site:

http://feuerbacher.net/photo/frame.html?repair/KonicaAutoS2/KonicaAutoS2.html~Main

There is also a characteristic "thump" or "thud" sound that is heard when the cameras is functioning properly. Thst comes from a part hitting the rubber pad. When the cameras is quiet, the pad has usually failed and must be replaced.

It is fixable.

-Paul
 
I paid something like $35 for it. I've emailed the seller to see if they'll refund my money. I thought maybe I was doing something wrong that would prevent the shutter from releasing. :(
 
I noticed that you are in Georgia. Mark Hama is the preeminent Yashica repair person and he is in Marietta.

http://www.markhama.com/

A non-functioning Yashica is worth between $5 and $15 depending on the condition of the body. You might try and get the difference refunded and then have it repaired.

-Paul
 
pshinkaw said:
I noticed that you are in Georgia. Mark Hama is the preeminent Yashica repair person and he is in Marietta.

http://www.markhama.com/

A non-functioning Yashica is worth between $5 and $15 depending on the condition of the body. You might try and get the difference refunded and then have it repaired.

-Paul
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Paul. Any idea what Mark Hama would charge to fix something like this? I'd much rather throw this camera away and buy a good one from one of the RFF members than fool with fixing this one, since I saw a post the other day on the marketplace forum where someone was selling a fully functional Yashica GSN for a reasonable price.
 
It is not my intent here to malign your intelligence in any way, but have you checked to see if the shutter release lock is in the unlocked position?

Also, chances are if you send it to Mark Hamma you will get a camera back that functions perfectly, has all the bugs out, and will probably work better than anything you could by on ebay.

Ted
 
tedwhite said:
It is not my intent here to malign your intelligence in any way, but have you checked to see if the shutter release lock is in the unlocked position?

Also, chances are if you send it to Mark Hamma you will get a camera back that functions perfectly, has all the bugs out, and will probably work better than anything you could by on ebay.

Ted
Click to expand...

Don't worry, you don't have much to malign :p . Yeah, the shutter release lock is open. The shutter release clicks and disengages. Recocking the lever re-cocks the button, but the actual release of the copal shutter does not take place.

I saw the "pad of death" fix and it seems a little beyond what I want to get involved, considering this is only a $35.00 camera.

The Mark Hama idea is correct, but I just don't want to invest so much money in a cheap camera. I mean, if this was a Leica or something, I can see going to Mark Hama, but this Yashica GSN is just one of many of my rangefinders and I am not that attached to getting it fixed.

Thanks for all your help guys. I'll see if that flea-bay member will refund my money, else, I'll be putting up a broken GSN up for sale. :mad:
 
I think Mark charges about $75 for a CLA on a GSN or so. Email him and see.
I bought a couple of them from someone who had them done by Mark and
they were in super shape.
 
I want to second the notion of cleaning the shutter with lighter fluid. It's not that difficult and very satisfying when you get the shutter working.

By the way, the Yashica clunk is caused by a rod that catches on a pawl after you depress the shutter button. When you cock the camera, the rod "clunks" as it is knocked off by the shutter advance mechanism. You can see this work if you take the bottom off the camera.

Without the pad, the rod does not move far enough to catch on the pawl.
 
Oh, and the reason for this rod catch clunk thing, I believe, is to keep the electrical contact open for the meter when the shutter is not cocked. Otherwise the meter would be on all the time, instead of only with a charged shutter.
 
I just got an email back from the seller. She says the camera was working fine when she shipped it. She blames UPS for rough handling. I told her that the box and packaging was very good and I don't see how handling could have damaged the camera. She says that delicate cameras can easily get damaged in transit.
In any case, she is going to make an insurance claim with UPS and most likley going to give my money back. We'll see how it goes.

With that said, does anyone have a really good condition Yashica GSN they want to part with? Email me at: pkspemail-publicforums[at]yahoo.com if you do.

Thanks,
 
Rob said:
I think Mark charges about $75 for a CLA on a GSN or so. Email him and see.
I bought a couple of them from someone who had them done by Mark and
they were in super shape.
Click to expand...

I'll probably contact Mark or stop by his place the next time I am in Atlanta for work on my other, more valuable, cameras.

Thanks,
 
Pradeep, i have a yashica i'd sell you but i'm in europe and the shipping would cost way too much i think. (20 $ or more)
 
Pradeep,

Chances are that seller could not distinguish between the shutter opening or being stuck after the shutter release was pressed. There was no damage in shipment. Let UPS have their shot at it first, you probably have to. Unless a seller has actually run film through a camera and looked at the results, it is near impossible to really check out a camera. If you get nowhere with the seller, the Ronsonol (or isopropyl alchohol as an alternative) will usually fix stuck shutter blades. I have used needle-nose pliers as a spanner to take the front element off of Canonets and other cameras in a similar manner. It is better than having a paperweight. I am sure that $35 will pick up a good working camera here at RFF. At least it will have been checked.
 
Brian Sweeney said:
Pradeep,

Chances are that seller could not distinguish between the shutter opening or being stuck after the shutter release was pressed. There was no damage in shipment. Let UPS have their shot at it first, you probably have to. Unless a seller has actually run film through a camera and looked at the results, it is near impossible to really check out a camera. If you get nowhere with the seller, the Ronsonol (or isopropyl alchohol as an alternative) will usually fix stuck shutter blades. I have used needle-nose pliers as a spanner to take the front element off of Canonets and other cameras in a similar manner. It is better than having a paperweight. I am sure that $35 will pick up a good working camera here at RFF. At least it will have been checked.
Click to expand...

I think you are right Brian. I don't think the seller is a camera person, considering their other auctions. In any case, if I can't get anywhere with the seller, I'll try flushing the shutter blades. But hearing the others' advice, it seems like there is something wrong in the release mechanism and not the shutter - all that clink, clunk, and pads of death posts above?
 
I want to thank all of the RFFers who have helped me out with this situation. This is a really great forum and am starting to feel accepted here. I think I'll stick around for a while and learn from you guys. I don't know enough about RF cameras to advise others, as I do with digital equipment, but I'll at least learn.

Thank You,
 
First test with a broken/malfunctioning yashica rf is the Clunk Test. When you wind the film, does it make a Clunk sound first and then winding, or it's just plain smooth winding?

If it does not clunk, the abovementioned Pad is broken.
 
here is another idea...On GSN you can put the battery in backwards and it will light
the lights like its working but will not fire the shutter. (Pretty sure anyway)
Reverse the battery and see if it works both lights and shutter...
Rob
 
Rob said:
here is another idea...On GSN you can put the battery in backwards and it will light
the lights like its working but will not fire the shutter. (Pretty sure anyway)
Reverse the battery and see if it works both lights and shutter...
Rob
Click to expand...

A big HMMMM on my face.....I'll try it and let you know.
 
The Yashica GSN is late stone age technology. The lights are not LED's. They are tiny "grain of wheat" incandescent bulbs. They light up regardless of the polarity.

-Paul
 
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