Ricoh 500G shutter button fell off

[theoldsmithy]

I think the title says most of it! I’ve just taken my 500G for a quick stroll, went to put it back in the cupboard afterwards, and as I tilted it, the shutter button fell off. I can’t see how it attached, there is no screw thread or anything, just a tiny hole at the bottom of the shaft. Does anyone know how to get it re-affixed?

 

[wwfloyd]

I'm sitting here looking at a 500G, but, have not had one apart. I'll first note that most of the fixed-lens Japanese rangefinders I've seen, have the shutter button held on only by the top cover. The button is shaped something like a stovepipe (Abe Lincoln) hat, and the "brim" keeps it under the top cover.

The 500G has 2 pieces visible on top of the cover: the mushroom shaped shutter button, and a stationary collar below that. The collar may be attached to the underside of the top cover in such a way as to trap the shutter button. Do you have the collar attached to the top cover? If not, that's probably a key to the problem.

That's all I can offer, right now.

 

[theoldsmithy]

Thanks for checking. This doesn’t look like the arrangement you describe. The collar on the body is firmly attached, and the shaft of the shutter button in fact tapers down at the bottom. There is a small hole in it, which I assume is supposed to engage with a pin or similar. I found a pin which may have also fallen out but it doesn’t fit that hole!

 

[wwfloyd]

OK, the smaller pin goes deep down into a hole that you might be able to see, by peeking down through the collar with a flashlight. The actual shutter button rides on the flat of that smaller pin. That much is standard stuff, which facilitates a screwed-in cable release: when the cable release pin extends, it protrudes through the shutter button, to press down on the smaller pin, to trigger the shutter.

Unfortunately, I'm still not able to say what holds the pieces in place.

REALLY good that you found that smaller pin!

 

[wwfloyd]

I was thinking of taking mine apart, to find the answer, but, I see the 500G is of novel construction -- does not have a traditional top cover. Have been looking for the key on what few pics of the 500G I can find online. I see the entire front plate would have to come off, to get in there.

 

[wwfloyd]

I found what you need, on an old Geocities page -- made by a person whose 500G shutter button fell off. Has pictures and instructions. The last photo shows the shutter button attachment. Not a great pic, which I will try to embed, here. The text describes the button being held on with a "collar", which, I think means a cir-clip or e-ring in a groove. I can't see a groove on yours, but, that's a pretty bad photo. What do you make of this? Here's the URL: http://www.geocities.ws/zzhuy/500g/shutterButton.html

The clip ring (or retaining collar) might still be loose inside the camera. If it's missing, a substitute can probably be found, in a standard cir-clip or e-ring or e-clip (there may be other, better names for these that I'm not remembering).

 

[theoldsmithy]

Yeesh, that looks fiddly. But the camera isn’t much use as it is, so I will have a go on the next wet day! I can hear something rattling about if I shake the camera so I suspect it is the circlip. Thanks for taking the time to research this, that’s been really helpful.