Mamiya 7, Shutter

[degruyl]

I am not really sure that this is an issue, yet.

On the last roll of film that I shot yesterday, the last three frames, the shutter sounded like it took longer than it should have. It was set to 1/500 and 1/250. 1/125 worked fine, apparently.

I was in a somewhat dusty environment, and it is also possible that I have run down the batteries. I have shot roughly a couple of hundred rolls with this battery, and I have no idea how long it is supposed to last.

Until I develop that roll, I won't actually know if the shutter was way off or something else is going on, but I would like to know what I am looking at in terms of service. Is it a lens issue (because of the leaf shutter) or a camera issue (because of the electronics) or just a connection issue that can be fixed by thorough cleaning? Or, is it possible that something screwy happened to the speed setting knob, or that I am doing something wrong?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Roger Warren]

I can guess at three areas as possible problems.
1. Contact corrosion between lens and camera.
2. Extreme temperatures effecting shutter lubricant.
3. Battery

I suggest a cleaning and shutter comparison with old and new batteries. Next, I would call Mamiya.

 

[degruyl]

Well, there was no extreme temperature. Possibly extreme for Colorado in October (85 F) but not for the camera.

Corrosion is unlikely, but I will clean the contacts. Alcohol, I suppose.

Battery is first on my list, and I would have changed it if I had one on me and if I were not just shooting off a roll before getting on the plane. Then, of course, I will contact Mamiya for service.

 

[morback]

Electronically controlled shutter means either it works or it doesn't. No in-between. Your viewfinder will tell you if your battery is low.
The only shutter related problems (wouldn't fire) I had with my M6 were fixed by wiping the contacts on the lens.
Let us know how these frames turned out.

 

[degruyl]

will do.

Is it possible that it did not fire right away, but instead delayed? It was almost half a second between pressing 1/500 and getting hearing a surprise click. I thought I heard the shutter go, but I heard it again...

It might all be nothing: something else which sounded like a leaf shutter, but not on the camera. I can't feel this shutter, so I don't really know positively. Must develop film.

 

[morback]

It might all be nothing: something else which sounded like a leaf shutter, but not on the camera. I can't feel this shutter, so I don't really know positively. Must develop film.

Isn't that awesome? I have to admit I miss my M6... What an amazing photographic tool...

 

[degruyl]

Isn't that awesome? I have to admit I miss my M6... What an amazing photographic tool...

Much better than sliced bread.

Really, a great photographic tool that I am always nervous about breaking (unfortunately).

 

[Roger Warren]

will do.

Is it possible that it did not fire right away, but instead delayed? It was almost half a second between pressing 1/500 and getting hearing a surprise click. I thought I heard the shutter go, but I heard it again...

It might all be nothing: something else which sounded like a leaf shutter, but not on the camera. I can't feel this shutter, so I don't really know positively. Must develop film.

I hear the shutter open and close only when I set below 60th.

 

[john_s]

It sounds like the interlock switch. See these (relating to Mamiya 6 but it seems likely that the 7 is similar.

http://photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00RNmz

http://photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/008QDh

 

[degruyl]

That sounds exactly like what is going on.

 

[degruyl]

So I developed this last roll (I still have eight rolls to dev from that trip... but I fished that roll out of the pile).

It turns out that two frames are completely black (overexposed) and these correspond to the two frames which I heard the shutter behaving poorly. I no longer think it is the locking solenoid, but the shutter timer or the shutter itself.

I suppose I will try to fire off a roll tomorrow (I don't think you can run the camera without film. I might be wrong.. I'll try that first) and see if it displays this again.

I guess I have to find a camera repair shop that works on these.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Maarteun]

You can run it without film if you tap the Multi-exposure button.

 

[morback]

Nippon Photo Clinic "fixed" my Zeiss Ikon. When I was there I saw a Mamiya 6 in one of their bins.
I had to come back to them because the first time around they did not fix my problem (rangefinder alignment). They're on Broadway and 21st I believe. They can fix the Mamiya rangefinders.

Ohterwise send it out to Mark Hama. He repaired the stripped advance mechanism (totally my fault) of my Mamiya 6.

 

[degruyl]

Thanks.

How did you manage to strip the advance?

 

[morback]

Hmmm, embarassing...This is what I remember:

I remember putting a roll through my M6 and winding until it came to the end of it...(It didn't automatically stop at the first frame for whatever reason). Being a little confused as to what just happened I thought, no problem, I'll put it back in, upside down (I think), do the same thing and it'll be good as new.
So I switched the roll back, and wound the camera until I felt some resistance. My M6 was not too smooth anyways so...Being a man I used my brawn instead of my brain, forced it, heard the sound of gears being stripped and ended up with 1 kilo of dead photographic equipment on my way to vacation in Quebec.

That's the story. User error.

 

[degruyl]

Oh, I'll try not to do that, then.

Sorry about the camera.

 

[degruyl]

You can run it without film if you tap the Multi-exposure button.

What multi-exposure button? I think that is on the 7II not the 7.

 

[john_s]

You can fire the shutter if the back door is open.

 

[degruyl]

thank you so much. I had no idea.