farlymac
PF McFarland
I've been doing some sorting recently of camera gear, trying to get organized once and for all. I came across my black body OM-1 MD that was really jammed up with a flopping loose winder lever.
Took the bottom off, as that's usually where the trouble starts. Tried many different levers, and couldn't trip the shutter. I did manage to rewind the shutter, as it was in half wind. I noticed the main pusher bar was not traveling all the way, and when you ran the delay timer, it only went as far as the point where the shutter should trip, then stopped. Somehow I did finally manage to fire the shutter, but then couldn't get it to wind again, with the lever on top just flopping back and forth. I could wind it by rotating the sprocket shaft, so at least the jam was cleared.
So it was time to take the top off. Winder and re-winder were pretty straight forward, but getting the ring off the PC port on top of the prism housing was not easy. I really need to invest in a better set of tools.
So after watching the actions a few times, I determined that the pawl for the main shaft drive gear was not catching. I had to watch the rotation many times to see if any teeth were missing on the gears, and finding they were all intact, I investigated to see if a tension spring may have broken off the pawl.
I took the winding/frame counter assembly off (three screws, and it lifts right off, but you have to break them free first), and couldn't find any evidence there was a spring. So I put it back on, and decided that the pawl must need to ride against something to make it go into position, and that maybe it was riding above that barrier. So I pushed the bar holding the pawl down a little bit, and that did the trick, winding every time. Success!
That is, until I noticed the shutter speeds had gone away. I had the shutter on 1/2 second, and it was very intermittent, hitting it right about one out of every six actuation's. I fiddled with changing the speeds, taking some of the bend out of the pawl bar, anything to get it back to working again, but eventually the speed governor just quit, leaving only one speed.
It was about this time, while I was moving the camera body at different angles to get a better view of the workings when I saw a coil spring go rolling past my foot. I picked it up, and quickly figured out it was for the return on the door latch, as that was the only place with a pad-and-pin for it to rest on.
After a few more tries at getting the speed governor working again, I gave up, and put the camera back together. The door wouldn't latch up. The latch had no return! The darn spring fell off while I was putting the top back on, so it was flashlight and on-my-knees time again looking for the stupid thing. Found it quickly, only to have it pop off again. So the third time I took great care to place the top on first, then insert the spring so it couldn't go flying. The camera now rests with all the other future parts donors.
I hate working on SLRs!
PF
Took the bottom off, as that's usually where the trouble starts. Tried many different levers, and couldn't trip the shutter. I did manage to rewind the shutter, as it was in half wind. I noticed the main pusher bar was not traveling all the way, and when you ran the delay timer, it only went as far as the point where the shutter should trip, then stopped. Somehow I did finally manage to fire the shutter, but then couldn't get it to wind again, with the lever on top just flopping back and forth. I could wind it by rotating the sprocket shaft, so at least the jam was cleared.
So it was time to take the top off. Winder and re-winder were pretty straight forward, but getting the ring off the PC port on top of the prism housing was not easy. I really need to invest in a better set of tools.
So after watching the actions a few times, I determined that the pawl for the main shaft drive gear was not catching. I had to watch the rotation many times to see if any teeth were missing on the gears, and finding they were all intact, I investigated to see if a tension spring may have broken off the pawl.
I took the winding/frame counter assembly off (three screws, and it lifts right off, but you have to break them free first), and couldn't find any evidence there was a spring. So I put it back on, and decided that the pawl must need to ride against something to make it go into position, and that maybe it was riding above that barrier. So I pushed the bar holding the pawl down a little bit, and that did the trick, winding every time. Success!
That is, until I noticed the shutter speeds had gone away. I had the shutter on 1/2 second, and it was very intermittent, hitting it right about one out of every six actuation's. I fiddled with changing the speeds, taking some of the bend out of the pawl bar, anything to get it back to working again, but eventually the speed governor just quit, leaving only one speed.
It was about this time, while I was moving the camera body at different angles to get a better view of the workings when I saw a coil spring go rolling past my foot. I picked it up, and quickly figured out it was for the return on the door latch, as that was the only place with a pad-and-pin for it to rest on.
After a few more tries at getting the speed governor working again, I gave up, and put the camera back together. The door wouldn't latch up. The latch had no return! The darn spring fell off while I was putting the top back on, so it was flashlight and on-my-knees time again looking for the stupid thing. Found it quickly, only to have it pop off again. So the third time I took great care to place the top on first, then insert the spring so it couldn't go flying. The camera now rests with all the other future parts donors.
I hate working on SLRs!
PF
oftheherd
Veteran
Wow. Just wow. At least I guess you gained more knowledge about the OM-1. I can't imagine the frustration.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Those OMs are very intricate ... there's a lot crammed into a very small space and consequently they can be delicate.
You're a braver man than me!
You're a braver man than me!
johnf04
Well-known
Thomas Thomosy has a set of instructions for the OM-1 in his first camera repair book. He says "The OM-1 has a unique non-ratcheting winding ratchet, the claws of which are operated by friction instead of springs". See pages 91 and 92.
farlymac
PF McFarland
You must have a different version than mine. It's on pages 83-84. But I forgot it was in there, so I went in blind. Unfortunately, the only things he covers are the battery circuit, the door latch spring, and the ratchet pawls. He "can't figure out why anyone would ever have to take the front off". Except maybe to replace the dang speed governor!
PF
farlymac
PF McFarland
Those OMs are very intricate ... there's a lot crammed into a very small space and consequently they can be delicate.
You're a braver man than me!
There should be stickers on the inside of the covers saying "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here".
PF
farlymac
PF McFarland
R
rick oleson
Guest
I have some notes on the OM-1 ... don't know if they would be any help, but you're welcome to a copy if you want it. Write rick.oleson@gmail.com