Koni-Omega lens problem

[dazedgonebye]

I received the 58mm lens today. It looks really nice. Came complete with a Series VII retaining ring and UV filter.
The problem is that the camera is unable to cock the shutter. It looks to move it all the way over, but not quite far enough for it to cock. I can cock it by hand and it shoots most of the time, but the camera just can't get it done.
I'm hoping that a few hundred cycles will loosen it up. I really don't want to pay to ship this somewhere for a CLA if I can help it at all.

Any other advice or insight?

 

[remrf]

Sorry to hear you are having problems. But at least you can still use the lens albeit manually.

I have a similar situation happening on my Mamiya C-3. On later models of the Mamiya tlr the action of advancing the film cocks the shutter at the end of the advance cycle. When 1 full rotation of the crank handle is completed you then reverse the direction of the crank 1/2 turn which cocks the shutter. On the older C-3 the two actions are not related and you must reach around to the lens and manually cock the shutter each time. There is a shutter release bar on the right side of the camera mounted on the front where the bellows and lens board are and a downward push on the bar fires the shutter.

Or is supposed to anyway. On mine for what ever reason when the camera is set to roll film single exposure per frame the shutter release bar will not depress far enough to trip the shutter . You can reach around to trigger it manually but not via the normal shutter release. However when the camera is set to multiple exposure per frame it will. In that the action of advancing the film and cocking the shutter are two unrelated actions this causes no problem once I figured out what was happening.

And like you I don't want to spend the bucks to send a 40 plus year old camera in for repair when it works in its perverse way as is.

Hopefully it will loosen up for you. They are great cameras and I very nearly got one myself when I was looking at mf cameras last year.

 

[dazedgonebye]

A closer look tells me that the shutter is opening, but not closing. When I crank it again, it closes. I've cycled it a few dozen times and it seems to be improving.
More excercise.

 

[CZeni]

A closer look tells me that the shutter is opening, but not closing. When I crank it again, it closes. I've cycled it a few dozen times and it seems to be improving.
More excercise.

That's going to help, but not cure it...a proper CLA would be in order. Send it off to Greg Weber and let him lay hands on it. If you have a proper camera store there with a real repairman 🙂 he could probably do it as well...

 

[dazedgonebye]

It doesn't seem to be improving any more, and my finger hurts from cocking the thing!
I hate the thought of sending it off. Between shipping and the fee, I'll be paying for it all over again.

 

[dazedgonebye]

Well, it looks like the cost of a CLA, plus shipping will be more than the cost of the lens.
Now, do I go back to that bay place and try to find one that is not "as is?" What the heck was I thinking?

 

[Doug]

I'd be tempted to get the CLA and eat the cost. At least then you know you have one in tippy-top working order, clean as a whistle. Dipping back into the pool at eBay is always a gamble.

 

[Stanton]

I had the same problem with a lens (I can't recall which one) on a Koni-Omega. The answer is a CLA. These cameras have been around for a long time, many in very heavy usage. They need and deserve a good servicing. If you buy another lens, you could have the same problem. Get it done correctly once. Dave

 

[dazedgonebye]

I'm discussing with Greg Weber, the possibility of trading mine for one he's already done. One way or another, I'll end up with a quality lens.

Major annoyance today with this camera. I "exposed" an entire roll with the darkslide closed. The interlock is supposed to prevent that, but it didn't. It's a shame too. I got some great shots with my 300D. I would have liked to have seen what the Koni could do in those circumstances.