My Contax G2 is frozen

[bernt]

I just bought a Contax G2 with the 45mm lens (second hand). Half way through the first roll, the shutter refused to work. The focusing mechanism and the light meter though work fine.

I changed to fresh batteries but the shutter was as dead as before.

I took off the lens and then the shutter was OK!!

I put my friends lens on the camera and now the shutter fired nicely.

So the problem is the lens which refuses my camera to fire.

Is there anybody else who has experienced the same, a dead shutter caused by the lens? I have tried to clean the metalic contacts on the lens and house. Nothing helps.

I hope there is a little "trick" i can do to resolve the problem.

What do you think?

 

[Issy]

Did you examine the contacts on the lens (and the pins on the body)? Anything look out of place? Shorted?

Bill

 

[Xmas]

Bernt

The lens focus mechanism is mechanically coupled and if the camera has not enough torque to operate it would not be able to expose.

Not had this problem myself, some one else may know what to do next...

Noel

 

[bernt]

Thanks for showing interest,

Thanks for showing interest,

Issy, I have tried to carefully clean the contacts, it didn´t help at all. To me it is impossible to see whether they are out of line, they all look OK. Of course, out of position contacts could be the reason.

Xmas, I am curious how the focusing mechanism works. I guess that the house tells the lens what the correct distance is and then the power or torque to move the glass into position comes from a small electrical "engine" inside the lens. To repair the lens one would probably need to disassemble the lens. That sounds risky and expensive to me!

I am asking myself if it is better to buy a "new" secondhand instead of paying a lot to get it repaired. Of course I hope that someone might chime in and tell me there is a little trick to get it working.

Bernt

 

[Dougg]

The focusing motor is in the camera body (not in the lens)... The mechanical coupling is at the lower side of the lens mount nearest the name "Contax". I suppose if the mechanism of the lens is jammed, the body motor cannot run the focus on that lens, but could focus some other Contax lens. It sounds like your problem is in the lens.

 

[bernt]

Thanks for the reply Dougg!
When I take off the lens I can see there is a sort of screw on the lens in the position near the Contax-name, the position you talk about. I think this would be the coupling. When I carefully try to turn the screw, it feels locked. Would anybody of you know if it is supposed to be locked? I would guess that one should be able to move it or turn it slightly.
Bernt

 

[keoj]

Would it possible for you to try the lens in question on another G2 body?

keoj

 

[uhligfd]

Are you in single AF mode when the lens does not allow the shutter to fire? If you are not focused on anyting (i.e. if the two black squares under the distance scale blink in the VF), the camera will not work by design. Make sure that you are in focus or just switch to manual focus and watch if the camera fires at all with this lens.

Do you have other lenses?

 

[Xmas]

Bernt
My lens coupling screw head device also seemed stiff off the camera, but operates on camera ok.
Noel

 

[Socke]

I can turn the "screw" on all my lenses with a screwdriver and two fingers very easy. I don't think it should be stiff.

 

[Xmas]

Socke
I'll try a screwdriver - but mine -I've only one with the mechanism- did not move freely with fingernail, and it works on camera so I did not try a screwdriver.
Noel

 

[bernt]

Thank to all of you!

Keoj, I have tried the lens on an other G2. The camera refused to shoot. So I conclude that the problem lies in the lens.

Uhligfd, even when I use it in manual focus mode, the shutter is dead.

Socke, very interesting to hear that you can easilly move the screw with a screwdrive, since I am absolutly not able to do that on my lens. I am a bit confused when Xmas says that the screw on his camera seems stiff when the lens is off.

My conclusion so far is that it is the lens and not the camera
that fails.

I think I am going to order another second hand lens instead of repairing the old one. This time not on ebay, but at keh.com.


Again folks, thanks for the help!

Bernt

 

[Xmas]

Bernt

Tried a screwdriver. There was a slight uniform drag all the way through the focus range, this does not seem to annoy my G1. It could be the little gear box in the lens (of mine) needs a lube.

Noel