Shutter Release Problem - Please Chime In

You can count me in amongst those experiencing this issue. I've missed a number of shots because of this since I've had this camera and it is probably my number one bugbear with the RD-1. I always assumed that it was because I'd either left the LCD on or that the camera had gone into sleep mode (though like Sean I have mine set to 20 mins).
 
As a specs wearer, I recently changed to using the diopter correction lens. Two things - one is that the 'clarity' focusing is not now quite so apparent, though it still works. My left eye, now OOF sometimes wanders about a bit, so I see a double image rather than one clear one. However, it's still very usable.

Second, and I think more relevant here, is that I can now see the shutter speed indicator much more reliably. It's really quite hard to see it with specs on. So now at least I know if the camera's asleep, and can do the 'second press'.

This doesn't solve the problem, but at least now I'm not being caught by surprise so much.
cheers
Phil
 
Sean,
Since you replaced your previous generic batteries with the Sterlingtek batteries are you still experiencing the same amount of shutter problems? The reason I ask is that while doing quite a few tests to determine the best adapters to use with various lenses on the R-D1 I found that when close to the point that the battery died (I was using the LCD a lot) I experienced quite a few misfires. Two to three presses before fireing. New battery inserted no problem. You had noted in the Battery thread that your batteries at that time were draining more quickly and probably faulty.
 
Sean,

my RD-1 (bought in Japan, August 2004, serial approx. 0...0177) has more than 7500 exposures and does not show the problem you describe (although it shows all other more "common" RD-1 problems...).

The only shutter problems I witnessed are super long exposures when battery nearly empty (the shutter is left open until the battery is removed or goes dead...)

Regards

Dragan, Switzerland
 
I'm fairly sure I've run into the problem with the Epson batteries but I shot a wedding on 4/30 with the Epson and Sterlingtek batteries and didn't seem to notice the problem very often. Maybe I'm subconciously pre-tripping the shutter. I made about 600 pictures with the R-D1 that day and when I'm working like that, I don't notice much about the camera unless there's a problem. What I'm noticing mostly is that I need two more R-D1 bodies.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Sean
 
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Sean,

The camera gets asleep after you leave it for a couple or minutes, whether the LCD is folded in or out. The first press wakes the camera up; the second fires the shutter. Is this what you descirbe? It has always occurred on mine. #0003xx, 15K exposures.

Cheers,

MIKIRO
 
MIKIRO said:
Sean,

The camera gets asleep after you leave it for a couple or minutes, whether the LCD is folded in or out. The first press wakes the camera up; the second fires the shutter. Is this what you descirbe? It has always occurred on mine. #0003xx, 15K exposures.

Cheers,

MIKIRO
Click to expand...

Hi Mikiro,

No, this is a different issue but thanks for the suggestion.

Cheers,

Sean
 
Sorry, Sean. My previous post was redundant. Have you already solved the problem with Epson? I called Epson Japan today and asked if they know anything about such problems. The person in charge did some research and called me back. They don’t. They do not know either the issue of light and deep modes of sleep, which I have yet to confirm on mine.

Cheers,

MIKIRO
 
If I had a solid diagnosis on the conditions under which the problem occurs I'd start working with Epson USA to get it solved. As it is now, it only seems to happen when I'm making a lot of pictures (and in the midst of more important priorities, therefore). I don't recall missing many frames recently because of it. I think I may have trained myself to press the shutter release down partway once after each wind of the shutter cocking lever.
Hard to say...when I'm in the midst of intense work, I don't think about the camera much (per se).

Cheers,

Sean
 
I had another attack of the "dead shutter" problem today. The shooting was fine when I was on the first battery (I have 3, one Epson and two generics). But after I inserted the second battery (a generic), the shutter suddenly became unresponsive after a sequence of 6-7 shots. It returned to normal after I switched the camera off for a few minutes. However, the shutter died again after a sequence of a few shots in quick succession.But this time, it did not recover even after I turned it on and off half a dozen times and left it off for 15 minutes. According to the battery gauge, the battery was half full, and I was very sure it was not in sleep mode. It suddenly dawned on me that a couple of fellow users complained that the shutter problem get progressively worse with mileage, and it might be caused by the "aging" of the battery. I inserted the 3rd battery, and the camera immediately returned to normal.


I am not very knowlegeable about batteries. Most generic battery are the 1.3 volt varieties. Is it possible that after successive charging, their ability to maintain the correct voltage after successive shots get progressively worse and therefore causing the shutter to hang?
 
Sean,

Increment your counter again. I've experienced the shutter not firing also, but as a regular M user I guess I just didn't think too much about it, recocked the shutter, and it fired perfectly the second time. I did not pay any attention or shall I state, notice a pattern. I will carefully watch for the cirumstances under which this occurs and report back.

My serial # is 19xx and count is approximately 100+/- a few.

I'd also like to thank you for the terrific and detailed review on LL.

CM
 
brightsky said:
Sean,

Increment your counter again. I've experienced the shutter not firing also, but as a regular M user I guess I just didn't think too much about it, recocked the shutter, and it fired perfectly the second time. I did not pay any attention or shall I state, notice a pattern. I will carefully watch for the cirumstances under which this occurs and report back.

My serial # is 19xx and count is approximately 100+/- a few.

I'd also like to thank you for the terrific and detailed review on LL.

CM
Click to expand...

You're very welcome. I find that I still experience this shutter behavior sometimes with the LCD out (and switched off) even with a well-charged battery. It's become habitual for me now to do a half-press of the shutter release before tripping the shutter (if the LCD is swung out).

Cheers,

Sean
 
Anyone using a softie?

Anyone using a softie?

I'm still experiencing some intermittent shutter problems when I use a soft release. Sometimes, the soft release turns freely, and in certain positions the shutter is locked completely so that you can't press the button at all. I wonder if something is broken inside of my shutter switch. Has anyone else experienced this problem with either a cable release or a soft release? Today, I took the softie off and the problem doesn't seem to occur, but I would much rather shoot with the softie. I find that I have to use the tip of my finger to shoot the regular shutter button.

Larry
 
My Camera is 1983 (not 1984). Approx 1200 exposures. I read Sean's post with interest. My shutter does stick from time to time. I tried to test Sean's theory and the damn thing performed flawlessly! I will continue to test and report back. :confused:
 
Update

Update

Update: Used my camera today (19xx) with the LCD folded inside. My #1 Epson battery wore down to empty and I replaced it with fully charged #2 Epson battery. At no time did the shuttere stick, despite a low battery conditon and I fired a few frames of nothing just to ascertain if it would stick with the battery almost drained.

Tomorrow I'll test it with the LCD screen out and see if I can recreate the problem.

At least with my R-D1, the problem does not seem battery related, at least with the Epson batteries.

CM
 
I, too, experienced some sticky shutter in the last two weeks. Every time it was related to a single third-party battery almost being empty. Dr Yao provided me with 2 Techstep 1600 mAh batteries, at least one of which seems to cause some sticky shutter when the dial indicates it being nearly empty (the other battery doesn't show any problems).

I solved the stickyness easily every time by shutting down the camera, taking out the battery, putting it back again, switching on the camera, and changing shutter time. That made the shutter come loose again.

I'm now going to put in a new battery as soon as I experience a sticky shutter. For me it is just one of those things one has to learn to live with.
 
My shutter was stuck today. I noticed that the retaining bezel around the shutter release was loose. I turned it clockwise, then used two toothpicks in the spanner slots to tighten it further, and the shutter now works. I hope this works for others.

Regards,
Ken

Sean Reid said:
I'd love to hear from other R-D1 owners about the following:

From time to time (much more often recently) I've found that my shutter release will not trip the shutter even after the advance has been fully cocked.Sean
Click to expand...
 
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