My OM1 jammed!

[Igor.Burshteyn]

my trusty OM1 jammed! I bought it well used (if not beaten to death), prior history is unknown, and it served me 8 years promptly. Probably I pushed it too far - should have CLAed it long ago.
Irony of situation is that it happened just after I commented on rff how great are OMs (still believe in that), and while I am on trip in Denmark.
I have photographic opportunities all around, 2 good prime lenses and no body to use them on - that hurts 🙁
OM1 jammed when I tried to use self timer, now I can not press shutter release, can not wind. Any idea of quick fix is appreciated.

 

[photovdz]

see with John H.... www.zuiko.com... known has the best repair service for OMs around the world... and not so expensive

 

[Igor.Burshteyn]

thanks, John Hermanson is long term solution, turnaround time is no less than 8 weeks...

 

[Beemermark]

Is the self timer hung up?

 

[photovdz]

john is a long term solution, but he usually answers to mail... and if he knows a solution he will tell ;-)

 

[George S.]

You did push it too far without a CLA. If you had a second body you would still be able to shoot. They're not that expensive after all. Buy another one to use while yours is in the repair shop. Problem solved.

 

[jesse1dog]

In what position is the self-timer lever?
You must have tried to reactivate the self timing!
You must have tried gently easing the lever into the firing position!
Just a few thoughts.

jesse

 

[Igor.Burshteyn]

self-timer gets activated but looks like just stops a moment before shutter would be triggered. I tried it many times, to no avail... I have OM4ti sitting on the shelf home in Israel, which doesn't help me here in Denmark.
-----
And while writing this, I activated self-timer one more time - shutter clicked! I unjammed my OM1!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I definitely need one more body - I see in my future black OM1n. And this one will get CLA. Tomorrow I will run a few films through the camera on location - Fridericksborg, Kronborg castles.

 

[BillBingham2]

Congrats and a good move on getting the back up.

B2 (;->

 

[kuzano]

Glad you got it....

Glad you got it....

I supscribe to a suggestion from another photographer, given many years ago...

Never succumb to use or "test" the self timer on ANY vintage camera. Frankly, I've hung up more camera's that way than any other "rule" I believe.

The temptation is sometimes great, but I just don't do it.

 

[Igor.Burshteyn]

thanks for good advices!
and what kuzano said - never, ever use self timer on vintage cameras - so true that we definitely should get it sticky somewhere on rff!

 

[jesse1dog]

Glad you got the camera going again.
There have been several cameras sold on eBay with a shutter jam. And all that was the matter was a self-timer jam of some kind. A slight jolt of the camera - like it going through the post (slight through the post?) - has been known to do the umjamming. Sometimes, probably in your case, there was a stickiness through little use and you have eased the situation. Changes in room temperature can have an effect too.
Very pleased for you - hope you get some cracking shots.
jesse

 

[John Hermanson]

Turnaround can be as little as 1 (ONE) business day if you're willing to pay for it. Regular turnaround is down to about 5 weeks now. If your camera has never been cla'd, I'm sure it needs it, along with new foam. John

 

[Igor.Burshteyn]

Jacob Holdt "Faith, hope and love" (Was:My OM1 jammed!)

Jacob Holdt "Faith, hope and love" (Was:My OM1 jammed!)

I've been today through Danish Zealand, from Roskild to Elsinore (always sounds to me like places from Tolkien's world). Old beater OM1 is still going strong.

 

[David Hughes]

FWIW I'd say that the usual cause of shutter jam and mirror lock up is dead batteries.

I've bought a lot of dirt cheap cameras with a dead battery and half used film in them. I assume they were given away because the owners thought they were broken!

The half used films are good for testing and practising cutting proper ends or long leaders for the pre-war cameras. The dead batteries are best thrown away but it does pay to carry decent ones when camera hunting.

Regards, David

PS And if I mention that the "Check - Reset" position on the meter switch of the OM2n will usually free the mirror a lot of dead ones might get a second chance in life...

 

[John Hermanson]

Since OM-1 is all mechanical shutter, dead battery will not cause lockup. See if self timer is partway wound. If it is, wind the rest of the way, hold, then try to wind shutter. If shutter winds, let self timer run down and fire shutter. Then shoot as usual. John

 

[Igor.Burshteyn]

John, thanks, as usual complete and precise instructions - that's how I unjammed my OM1.

 

[David Hughes]

Since OM-1 is all mechanical shutter, dead battery will not cause lockup. See if self timer is partway wound. If it is, wind the rest of the way, hold, then try to wind shutter. If shutter winds, let self timer run down and fire shutter. Then shoot as usual. John

Thanks for the correction but my reply wasn't aimed at the OM1 problem since "any vintage camera" had come into the thread. And I meet a lot of collectors when looking at old cameras who don't even carry a SR44 or two with them to test things...

Regards, David