XA Expert Anyone?

[dazedgonebye]

I have my hands on a non-working XA.
Battery check is good. The meter is working. The rangefinder looks good.

The film will not advance and the shutter will not fire. Actually, I dry fired it 8 times then it stopped. After opening the back, the counter did reset.

I'm not positive, but it looks like the rewind button is not extending down as far as it should.

I have the repair manual...written for someone that doesn't need it. I haven't been able to get the top off. If anyone could help me with that, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,

 

[Trius]

Steve: Can't help too much on opening it up. Perhaps if you carefully tried to pull the rewind button down with needle nose pliers that might give you a clue.

My suspicion is that there are problems with the film advance mechanism/wheel. I had an XA with this symptom (but no problem with the rewind button) and it could not be repaired with a new part (some sort of gear, IIRC) so my tech cannibalized another camera and made one good one.

Earl

 

[Bill58]

I had the same problem twice w/ the same XA and my repair guy fixed it.......for $20 (twice). Due to language problems I have no idea what was wrong--sorry.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I'd pay $20! I'm afraid postage kills the deal though. 🙂
I could get a local guy to work it for probably $50. That's always the problem. It's so expensive to pay for repairs.

So, still looking for help taking off the top end of this thing.

Anyone?

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I took my crushed by taxi XA4 to Olympus London and they repaired it free of charge in a couple of hours.

Try your local official Olympus center.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I dropped the West coast repair center an email. We'll see what they say.

 

[erikhaugsby]

If you want I could compile a small picture thread of disassembling my XA.

 

[dazedgonebye]

If you want I could compile a small picture thread of disassembling my XA.

I wouldn't put anyone through that kind of work...but I appreciate the offer.
Maybe you can just help me understand what I'm missing?

I've removed the rewind knob and the 2 screws underneath it. I've removed the screw on the back near the top. The only other screw I see is a small silver one near the middle top that isn't holding the top down.
The thing lifts up on the rewind side, but is being held down on the film counter side.
Obviously, I'm missing something that needs to be unscrewed or removed.

 

[erikhaugsby]

Pry off the red shutter release with a really small flat-head screwdriver; underneath that is one screw and then the electro-release button for the shutter.
It'll probably seem like you're using too much force, and I unfortunately chipped the button, but this is the only way I know of to get to the screw.

Also, have you removed the front clamshell cover? That can keep the top from cleanly lifting off.

 

[rogue_designer]

did it stop before or after the shutter cocked?

It could be a bad shutter release, the button tends to warp and can prevent the contact from being made.

 

[dazedgonebye]

Pry off the red shutter release with a really small flat-head screwdriver; underneath that is one screw and then the electro-release button for the shutter.
It'll probably seem like you're using too much force, and I unfortunately chipped the button, but this is the only way I know of to get to the screw.

Also, have you removed the front clamshell cover? That can keep the top from cleanly lifting off.

Ok, I probed at the button a bit and did not want to get too heavy handed, so I stoped. I'll try again.
I did get the clamshell cover off and on with no problems.

 

[dazedgonebye]

did it stop before or after the shutter cocked?

It could be a bad shutter release, the button tends to warp and can prevent the contact from being made.

I think after the shutter cocked...but I'm not sure.
The button is my main suspect at the moment.

 

[erikhaugsby]

Here's a picture of what's under the red button.

The top, darker, screw holds the electro-shutter together and should not be unscrewed if you don't want a half dozen tiny metal magnets flying around.

The lower, lighter, screw is the last screw to hold the top plate to the main body. Once it is removed delicately lift the top plate from the body, be wary of electrical cables that connect the top plate (shutter release and what honestly looks like a speaker) to the body. You don't want to break those solder welds.

The light residue is from super glue that I used to attach the red button back to the body the last time I removed it. I'm not quite sure what Japan used to attach it, but super glue works fine for me.

edit: fixed the attachment. bad picture the first time.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I just got the red button cover off. I'll work on the top end tonight.
Any idea how to trip the shutter bypassing the button?

 

[erikhaugsby]

Now that last question is unfortunately out of my league. Maybe you could find the electrical path and connect the wires to simulate a button-pushing?

 

[dazedgonebye]

Two wires going to the switch...seems obvious that shorting them would do it, but it did not.
Also, after 2 tries, I'm unable to get the thing back together properly. The little piece that covers the rangefinder window will not move back in to place when the door is opened. I'm not sure what is out of place....

Dang. I think in the end, I'm going to have a little black paperweight.

 

[Bill58]

I tried ONE time to fix mine and it's so complicated, I couldn't put it back together again. took a zip-lock bag full of parts to my repair guy.

 

[erikhaugsby]

The little black piece catches on a pin and a rod to move it back and forth. Mine fell out; since I couldn't put it back I just left it out and no ill effects came of it. I'm sure that it leaves the window more prone to damage, but I didn't/don't really care.

Sorry that you can't find the problem. Those electric cameras sure are buggers, aren't they?

 

[dazedgonebye]

I tried ONE time to fix mine and it's so complicated, I couldn't put it back together again. took a zip-lock bag full of parts to my repair guy.

Sounds about right. I'm still looking for a $20 repair guy though. 🙂

 

[dazedgonebye]

The little black piece catches on a pin and a rod to move it back and forth. Mine fell out; since I couldn't put it back I just left it out and no ill effects came of it. I'm sure that it leaves the window more prone to damage, but I didn't/don't really care.

Sorry that you can't find the problem. Those electric cameras sure are buggers, aren't they?

I'm afraid the mechanical ones usually are too tough for me as well.
I'll learn one day...not to buy these things!