Konica Hexar AF Hexar button fix step-by-step

[jaimiepeeters]

Hey guys

anybody had done this and still, at the end of their first next roll of film, experienced a shutter issue?

I did the step by step cleaning and it all seemed to work out well. But today during the last 10 shots of the current and first roll after cleaning, I noticed the shutter not firing all the time. When I press really hard it would fire.

Should I go through the process again?

 

[md2008]

Hey guys

anybody had done this and still, at the end of their first next roll of film, experienced a shutter issue?

I did the step by step cleaning and it all seemed to work out well. But today during the last 10 shots of the current and first roll after cleaning, I noticed the shutter not firing all the time. When I press really hard it would fire.

Should I go through the process again?

Yes. I had to do mine three times before the fix "took". Each time I did it, I thought everything looked immaculate. I didn't do anything differently each time I repeated either. It's been almost a year now with no shutter problems.

 

[jaimiepeeters]

OK!

is there anything that you might have overlooked the first time. In a sense of not having cleaned something well enough, not having made sure something made contact? Just trying to figure out what to do to make it perfect.

I dont mind having to do it 3 times, if that makes it successful.

 

[md2008]

OK!

is there anything that you might have overlooked the first time. In a sense of not having cleaned something well enough, not having made sure something made contact? Just trying to figure out what to do to make it perfect.

I dont mind having to do it 3 times, if that makes it successful.

I guess it just took three cleanings - next time, I'll just clean for longer or repeat a few times before I reassemble. I think maybe the base wasn't getting cleaned very well because I used just a little cleaning solution on the Q-tip each time since I didn't want to get anything wet into the camera. The crabby think I actually soaked in cleaning solution so I'm pretty sure that was clean from the first time.

 

[jaimiepeeters]

Noted.. will redo the entire process as soon as I can get my hands on a tiny screwdriver again.

 

[bucs]

thanks for posting this. just finished cleaning mine and it is working perfectly now.

 

[foto_mike]

I just fixed mine using this procedure. Thanks.

There was a brownish film of oxidation or crud on the contact pads of the switch. A q-tip swabbed the center(ish) ones clean but it wouldn't reach into the two corners where the other two pad were. I stuck a tiny precision slotted screwdriver into the wet q-tip and twisted to get some cotton floss wrapped around the end. Using that, I could reach into the tiny corners better.

It works perfectly now.

 

[yeah!]

thanks a lot for the step by step instructions, just fixed my hexar yesturday and is now working perfectly! I noticed the 'crab' piece was looking super flat so I bent the legs down slighty also, could it be that after 30,000+ shutter clicks that the crab just gets flattened, therefore looses contact?

 

[bensyverson]

Yeah, could be!

 

[johannielscom]

It's not just that the two-way tactile switch (the 'crab' thing) gets dirty, but it has minute oxidation on it that can cause the shutter to malfunction.

I've always cleaned the switches on the cameras I did with vinegar. Polished them with a soft cloth and vinegar and the problem never re-occured.

Oh, and I used a needle tip to pry the metal switch cover off, the screwdriver approach always got me jumpy since you need leverage and it could either press the screwdriver onto a part of the camera that isn't designed for taking force or in bad cases you could pop off the whole button assembly if the soldering gave way. Using a needle tip sure was fiddly but I felt more assured... Maybe I was worried too much for nothing though.


Happy shooting! <---More Hexar goodies here.


.

 

[Teuthida]

Thank you, Ben. Great info. I've printed it out for future reference.

 

[andephotographic]

Just posted in another thread. I did mine once just after getting it and all was fine for, oh 4 months but just recently it started acting funny again. Think it might be the cold and damp getting to it. Done the clean again but haven't tried bending the crab.

Both times I've had mine apart I have left the ribbon connector on and just flopped the pcb over out the way.

 

[yossarian123]

awesome, great instructions. I just ran across this page cuz my 2 week old hexar started pooping out today. I popped it open using these instructions and 20 minutes later it's good as new again. thanks!

 

[kikaso]

Followed the instructions and the camera works like new! Thank you for the detailed pictures.

 

[pinkarmy]

how i wish someone could do the same to the Contax T2...

 

[Richard G]

I am stuck at the ribbon cable step. I can prise the edge component towards the side, but then am I to lift the black plate up with the blade of the screwdriver? Does the clip rotate upwards away from those two metal bars at the front and the back end of the clip???...

Worried I will damage something. I have never opened a cable clip like this before. In the pictures it doesn't look like there is a soldered on black component on the end of the ribbon when it's free.

Help!

 

[Richard G]

Bump. I've looked for ribbon cable removal on Google and cannot find anything with sufficient detail.

 

[Richard G]

I got it. I prised open the little clip of the ribbon cable lock, which sees that move laterally and then freeing space for the ribbon cable to be slid out. I used an opened paperclip to prise the cable out.

 

[Sunti]

Appreciate the detailed info. Thank you.

I've saved this link in case my much-beloved Hexar goes bad some day. Hope I don't have to to perform the surgery too soon.

 

[Richard G]

I am now stuck at the prising the metal cap off stage. I can't see any glue. I doubt anyone would glue it on. The opening in the vertical front of the clip slips over a protrusion in the front face of the plastic platform to keep it on. With the edge of the flat bladed screw-driver I have shaved that flat and flush with the metal surface, but still I cannot move the clip. Following Johann's suggestion I have managed to get a pin between the edge of the top and the plastic platform and I can move it just a little, but it won't move much. I am worried that if I apply to much force with the screw driver I'll lift the clip and the plastic platform clean off its soldered connection to the board. A crochet hook-like micro tool or dental hook might be the thing to prise the clip free a little before lifting if off. I am close to giving up on this. Mine may just be too tight to work on.

I would welcome any suggestions.