M3 Flash Sync Reliability

[tedwin]

Hello.

I have an M3, 978 - 135. It's a fairly late one, frameline selection lever, round strap lugs, but still with the raised lens release guard.

I use one of those sync plug adapters. Problem is it fires the flash fine 80% of the time, but sometimes not at all and sometimes just after the shutter has fired. Its driving me nuts because I am obviously unable to re - cock the shutter without advances the film, therefore wasting film. But worst, missing shots!

Same set up working fine with digital and with TLR. Just literally swapping cord between cameras.

Anyone else suffer from this? Know of home remedy?

Camera CLA'd at some point and in otherwise perfect condition. Clear viewfinder, everything else smooth and perfect. Shutter speeds more accurate than I could hope for, curtains perfect.

Thanks in advance,

Ted.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Spray just a tiny amount of WD-40 on the the adapter and rotate it back and forth in the camera's synch socket a few dozen times. Then do the same by twiddling the adapter around on the cord's PC socket. There's probably some dirt or corrosion someplace along the route. That should dislodge it.

 

[tedwin]

Thank you.

I had already looked in the socket, and it looked spotless. A squirt of penetrating oil on a kitchen towel wiggled around inside the socket came out with a good amount of goo on it. Camera now syncing away happily.

🙂


Ted.

P.S. I do feel a bit dim.