XA fault

[farlymac]

Today I received an XA from a good friend, and while checking out the functions, it decided to lock-up the shutter. Or quit firing, I don't know which. Everything was working perfectly, even the A11 flash that came with it, though it needed a new battery (slow recycling). But after setting the camera for flash, and then shutting off the flash before making another dry exposure, the shutter quit.

Battery check, meter, self timer, and flash all still work, so it's not the shutter release switch. And I tried pressing the Flash Off bar in a little to see if it may have not gone full stroke.

What I'm wondering is, has this happened to anyone here, or is it an uncommon problem? I've already downloaded the repair manual from KyPhoto, and a guide for disassembling the body, but am curious as to whether I have overlooked anything obvious before I take it apart.

PF

 

[Noll]

I think I've heard the shutter button can get deformed and sometimes won't trigger the electronic release. The solution to this is to take the top of the camera off, access the red shutter button, and sand the bottom of it flat.

I'm pretty hazy on the details so hopefully someone else will confirm this issue/fix...

 

[farlymac]

I fixed it. Took the bottom off, rigged up a battery set, then started manipulating levers until the shutter triggered. Actually got the right one first time. It just looked like the culprit. It's all working fine now. And I didn't lose the detent from the lens door either.

To be more precise, you can see two solenoids when the bottom is removed. One is sort of out in the open, and the other is tucked up underneath it a bit. The second one is the shutter release, and it's spring loaded grey lever is in front of the coil as you look at the bottom. Pull it towards you, and the shutter will release if there is power on it. Leave it in that position, and put the bottom back on.

I had taken the front door, and re-winder off, but that was unnecessary for this repair. Just glad I didn't have to go any deeper.

In the future, I will turn off the flash after taking an exposure, and before winding to the next one. Don't know if this is what caused the hang-up, but it couldn't hurt to avoid whatever I did right before it happened.

PF

 

[farlymac]

Crap, it just hung up again. This time, I was observing the actions from the front of the camera, and the shutter started to go into an intermittent slow-motion opening act before it finally hung.

Sticky shutter? Weak spring on the release lever? Bad solenoid? Lots to look at in the morning. And this time I'll take photos.

PF