Polaroid 180 shutter issue

[Paulrave]

Hi all and please excuse my lack of technical nous but I have a couple of Polaroid questions.
I've just bought a Polaroid 180 packfilm camera.
Everything works except the shutter won't open at all in M mode (standard manual) even though there is a click that sounds like the ****ter opening. If I put it in X (flash mode) it works and I seem to be able to set appropriate apertures and shutter speeds.
So my questions are:
(1) is there anything obvious and simple I can try to fix the M mode?
(2) if I can't get the M mode working can I simply stick it in X mode but with no flash attached and get the same functionality as M? The manual says you can use a range of shutter speeds for flash so I don't thing the camera sets a specific shutter speed (or indeed aperture) in its flash mode, at least without a flash attached.
All suggestions gratefully received!

Regards
Paul

 

[Dante_Stella]

I think you might be misunderstanding what the modes are. There is no "Manual" mode on a 180 - all modes are manual.

X is the standard operating mode. It fires electronic flash (if attached) when the shutter is fully open.

M is for using bulb flashes. This fires the flash and delays the shutter opening for about 20ms longer than the X mode does, so the flash bulb stuffing can be in full combustion when the shutter is open all the way. As on a lot of shutters, the delay mechanism often stops working and hangs up the shutter.

V is the self-timer. This will, more likely than not, hang up the shutter.

The shutters on these are not very well made. Leave the setting on X, and you should not have many problems. Also, when you are shooting, there are two sets of blades. As you are pressing the button, the first set opens, and then the second trips. Sometimes these shutters malfunction when you press the button halfway down and abort. And if the cable release (running to the red button) is out of sync, the shutter might misfire.

Dante

 

[Dwig]

There is little use for the M setting these days. It is only used for syncing with flash bulbs.

X = zero delay - flash is triggered when the shutter blades reach their fully open position. This is needed for electronic flash and can be used with flash bulbs at low shutter speeds 1/30th and longer.

M = medium delay - flash is triggered approximately 15-20 milliseconds before the blades reach their fully open position. This gives "medium" class flash bulbs time to reach their full brightness before the exposure begins.

V = self timer. In most (all??) such "MXV" shutters the flash sync is the same zero delay used for X sync.

 

[Paulrave]

Thanks

Thanks

Dante Stella/Dwig - see what I mean about lacking technical nous?! As a mostly 35mm guy I was thinking X was some kind of dedicated flash mode and M manual. Doh!

Thanks for this. I'm getting some nice results now in X mode suggesting that despite it's years the shutter speeds seem pretty accurate - at least the higher ones - which is reassuring.

Huge thanks again, much appreciated.

Regards
Paul