Sokol Automat aperture fix

[blacknoise]

[FONT=MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica]Hi there,

I picked up a Sokol Automat the other day, and although the shutter and metering seems fine, the aperture seems oily and sticky. It closes a little when you fire the shutter (on B), but it does this slowly and doesn't close all the way. I know that I probably need to remove the lens groups and clean the diaphragm with a solvent, but I cant quite figure out how to get in there.

Thanks in advance for any help 🙂

Rob[/FONT]

 

[Valkir1987]

Most problems with automatic diafragms is the fact that they will catch up oil or grease someday. Many fixed lens rangefinders have this problem. I took my Sokol apart because it had the same problem, but it is a very hard camera to take apart. Wires need to be desolderd, the lens is built up with many rings etc.

Its a great camera, but far to complex to have it repaired at a decent price.

 

[blacknoise]

I was thinking it would probably be difficult 🙁

Is there an easy (or difficult) way to take the rear lens element out? that way I could get at the aperture and carefully swab it with a solvent of some sort.

 

[blacknoise]

Anyone got any pointers on taking the camera apart? Its only useful as a paper weight at the monent, so I might as well take a shot at it.