This is extremely belated, but I just wanted to say thanks to the OP for posting this step-by-step guide. I had the infamous sticky shutter button issue back in June 2013. I saw this guide, but was hesitant to do it myself. A year prior, I'd used a local camera shop to get an SLR of mine repaired through a third party affiliate of the shop, so I decided to try them out (didn't know where else to go). I went in, with a print out of this step-by-step guide in the OP, explaining that I'm 99% sure this is the problem, but I'd rather someone else do it.
The shop took it in, thankfully, and stated it'd probably take 3-4 weeks to come back. That was a tough blow, because I loved using my Hexar anytime I went out shooting, but better that than annoyingly press the shutter and get nada.
Got the call to come in to pick it up and was told there'd be no charge. I tested the camera outside and sure enough, the sticky shutter button was still there. It turns out the repairman didn't do a thing because he "couldn't replicate the issue." Pretty simple, press the shutter, and 3/4 of the time, it won't do anything. The step-by-step guide was even sent along with the camera. I complained at the store only to smugly be told that "there aren't a lot of places willing to do these kinds of repairs on film cameras."
A bit frazzled, I decided to just do it myself. It was a bit nerve wracking and the metal piece attached to the plastic base was incredibly difficult to get off. But it all worked out and the shutter button was fixed thanks to this guide. So thanks to bensyverson for posting the guide, it was incredibly helpful.
Hello everyone. After many months of hesitating I eventually got hold of an original black HEXAR AF in pristine condition. I load the camera with film and realise that the shutter is doing all sort of weird things, not being able to hold down focus but mostly being unresponsive when I press down to take the shot. If I press hard enough it sometimes works, but really it is best described as random. I dreaded having to face that possibility and unfortunately here I am with this problem.
First of all, does that sound like the problem you are all experiencing?
I am really not a fix it guy at all, as someone else also said, but at least he was successful. I messed up cameras and lenses in the past trying my hand at repairs, but none was worth as much as this Hexar and really, I only just bought it and feel very frustrated that the first thing I have to do is perform surgery on it...
Is it really something that anyone half-competent with his hands can do, or are you all at a "semi-pro" level of craftmanship?
Thanks in advance.
I'm not really a fix-it person myself, which is why I tried to send it off to a repair shop initially, only to have that backfire. My repair of the sticky shutter button on my Hexar AF was the first and only repair I'd done. I was a bit nervous and shaky, but I got it done eventually. I'd give it a go if you really want to use your Hexar badly like I did. If you're still really hesitant, find someone in your area who knows what they're doing.
