Specialist’s advice needed… shutter release problems

[Noaddict]

I’ve been the happy owner of a Bessa R for almost one year now. Last week, I was shooting some huge sand dunes just outside of Nouakchott, the capital city of Mauritania (in West Africa!), where I’ve been living for 6 months, when something strange happened. I shot a frame, advanced the film, and tried to take another picture, but no “click”… the shutter release goes down, lights the two LEDs, but it just doesn’t click, I can’t take pictures any more :bang:

No strange noise, nothing seems to be moving inside the camera, everything is clean… I don’t know what happened… do you have any advice on this situation??? I can’t send the camera to be fixed in a “official” shop, since shipping abroad is just too expensive… and I’m stuck here for some times… Does anyone have a DIY solution 😕

thanks,
Antoine.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

I don't have a Bessa R, so these are just shots in the dark so to speak. Are you by any chance near the end of your roll of film? Have you tried rewinding your roll and then re-cocking your shutter to dry fire it with an empty camera?

Does the Bessa have a "saftey exposure lock" that will not let you shoot a frame if there is too much light or too little light?

Wayne

 

[pshinkaw]

The Bessa is a Cosina body. If it is related in any way to the Canon T-60, or if it draws any ancestry from the Vivitar/Cosina 35mm SLR's 220/SL - 450/SL, the problem could be under the shutter release button. The button is fixed to the top, the release mechanism is an inverted "L" shaped button under it that is fixed to the body. Under that is another inverted "L" shaped button. The first one actuates the metering (and stop-down if it is an SLR) and the second one trips the shutter. Sometimes there can be a hang-up between these two inverted"L" shaped buttons. It is fairly easy to fix if that is occurring.

If the hang-up is at that location, it will frequently cause the rewind button to stick in the R or Up position as well.

-Paul

 

[Noaddict]

Thanks guys,
Paul, I think you're right. The rewind button is stuck in the up position and the meter still works.

Any clue on how to open my body without causing any catastrophic spring release or painful accidents ?

Thanks again !
Antoine.

 

[pshinkaw]

I've only worked on the Cosina SLR's. I would hate to give you bad advice and contribute to an irreversible accident.

You could post a question here. Someone will probably know.

http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/forum/

Another possibility that is easy to eliminate and/or fix is the chance that the stuck rewind button is the problem. Just remove the bottom (screwdirvers) the shaft of the rewind button has a cross-cut groove. A small metal tab on a pivot swings and fits into that groove holding the brewind button in. If the that is the problem, a toothpick can be used to release the rewinf sgaft and a little cleaning and lubrication can hapl prevent it from re-occurring.

All that can be done from the bottom.

-Paul

-Paul

 

[pshinkaw]

Yes it could start out intermittently, but it won't fix itself. It will probably get worse.

Rmember that my only experience is with the SLR's and not the Voigtlander R series. I've never peeked under the hood of a Vopigtlander.

-Paul