Something's dead inside my GSN!

[Twigs]

I got my GSN (my first RF!) on Wednesday, put in a new battery and ran a test roll. The prints came out fine so I replaced the light seals today, and while I was at it I noticed something inside the view-finder...

close up

Looks like some fossil of some ancient bug 😀

Should I do anything about it? It's invisible under normal use since it's too close to the eye for it to be seen.

Another question is about cleaning the lens, I read that it's best to leave the lens alone unless it's absolutely filthy... so is mine considered clean?

Any help appreciated!

 

[Stephanie Brim]

That is just weird.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Eeeewwww (sorry). Whoever sold you this had, emm, questionable storage practices, I think.

I've never seen the rear element of a lens like that, except one Summarit I once bought and immediately returned the next day, it was etched by fungus. That doesn't seem to have that kind of pattern, but I'm no lens disaster expert. If you're getting acceptable results, then probably that's what counts.

Personally, I'd ask if I can return it if they have a money back guarantee. If you're ok with it, then, like I said, that's what counts (really).

 

[RJBender]

I got my GSN (my first RF!) on Wednesday, put in a new battery and ran a test roll. The prints came out fine so I replaced the light seals today, and while I was at it I noticed something inside the view-finder...

close up

Looks like some fossil of some ancient bug 😀

Should I do anything about it? It's invisible under normal use since it's too close to the eye for it to be seen.

Another question is about cleaning the lens, I read that it's best to leave the lens alone unless it's absolutely filthy... so is mine considered clean?

Any help appreciated!

Clean the lens and see if you can blow out the bug with some compressed air.

R.J.

 

[b1bmsgt]

You never know where these cameras have been over the last 20-30 years. This one was probably in someones damp basement...

If you remove the screw on the end of the top piece nearest the viewfinder window and direct a blast of air from an air can into the hole, it MIGHT blow your little friend out of the way. It would be better if you could take the top off and clean the whole viewfinder assembly. You can find the procedure for pulling the top HERE .

I usually clean the viewfinder glass with a Q-Tip and my breath. I am very careful NOT to touch the angled mirror as it's coating is extremely fragile. Cleaning the front and rear viewing glass is usually enough to give me a crystal clear viewfinder. (I have done at least 15 of them so far! I have 20 more Electro's waiting to be worked on...)

As far as the rear element is concerned, blow as much crud off as you can, then gently loosen what 's left with a lens brush and blow again. Then I use the Q-Tip and breath method again, gently of course. Only use a Q-Tip once, then grab a new one. You don't want to scratch the lens with the junk you just took off. If it turns out that there is fungus on the lens, use a solution of 50% Ammonia and 50% Hydrogen Peroxide on it. This will kill and remove the fungus, but if the fungus has eaten away the lens coating, the pattern may still be there. It may or may not show up on your pictures...only a test will tell.

Hope this is helpful!

Russ 😀

 

[Twigs]

Thanks for all the input guys! I gave it a gentle wipe with a piece of lens cloth and the lines on the front element were gone, and those speckles on the rear element turned out to be dirt/dust. Now that I have a clearer view, I found some "water-spots" on the front element, but I can't tell if it's on the ourside or the inside tho.

As for the little buggy inside, I think I'm gonna open the top and see if I can get it out. Thanks for the link, Russ!

 

[Twigs]

I opened the top part (the rangefinder glass cover was glued on so tightly it took me an half hour just to take it off) and cleaned the rangefinder, now it's crystal clear, wohoo!

Byebye whatever-you-are.

But then I ran into even more trouble:

The shutter release (A) is stuck, I can't depress it. Film advance works when I push the part B down to the position shown in the picture. So I think it's just the shutter release.

What can I do to fix this poor thing?

 

[Twigs]

Was it moving before you took the top plate off?

Yes, everything on the camera worked. I even shot a test roll and the prints turned out fine.

 

[Twigs]

No it's not bent, when the film advance knob is turned the lever returns to the up position

 

[Twigs]

What is the POD? I ran a search on the forums but I couldn't locate it...

(and damn I broke the wire to the flash!)

 

[Twigs]

Is the POD located at where the arrow is pointing at? There isn't a pad underneath that bracket.

I lift those flaps (circled in the 2nd picture) up a little bit and suddenly the shutter worked again (fired once and then stuck again)... but I couldn't duplicate what I did

 

[Twigs]

Oh I know where it is now, altho I still can't see it... I poked at that locatoin with a screwdriver and something blocked me. So I guess the POD is still there?

Nope the release rod is still stuck...

 

[Twigs]

Yep it is here! What else should I check?

P.S. Thanks a lot G'man!

 

[Twigs]

Yeah all the screws and parts I took off are here...
I'd guess the camera is pretty hopeless eh.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

When I sent my Minolta 7SII to repairman Karl A Bryan
he found a spider's nest inside jamming up the works.

He couldn't identify the species, but the camera worked
like new once he was through with it...

"Excelsior, you fathead!"
-Chris-