Yashica GSN automatic exposure question

T

the lobster

Guest
I am acquainting myself with a new (to me) GSN.

The battery is fresh and the "check" button yields a green light indicating all is well in that department.

However, when you depress the shutter release halfway, you should either get 1.) no lights, 2.)a yellow arrow, or 3.) a red arrow. Right? I found a manual posted online and that is what it said.

However, I get a red arrow when I slightly depress the shutter release and then no arrow when I press it a it further, and then a yellow arrow when I press it jus short of releasing the shutter. What is that all about? Any ideas/ experiences?

Thanks
 
Sounds like the "pad of death" to me. This can be replaced without removing the front lens assembly. You need a sharp needle, some glue and a steady hand.
 
Well, pad of death sure doesn't sound good.

Thanks for the replies.
 
Thanks for the link, Pradeep.

Here's a little tidbit which may or may not be related:

When I release the shutter (and the shutter is opening, not stuck), the shutter release button stays depressed (but the actual shutter does not stay open, it fires and closes) until I move the film advance lever just a little. Is that normal? Does it help the diagnosis at all?
 
It sounds like the pad of death, esp. with your last question.
It's not THAT big deal to replace it.

When the pad is completely gone, you don't hear the "clunk" sound while winding, the two lamps go completely insane, and the camera fires at (fast) speeds that are totally random.

However, i replaced the pad in a GSN, the shutter problem is gone, but the lamps still act weird occasionally, just like you describe. I took the bottom cover off, cleaned it a bit, it worked for a short while, now the red lamp is flickering again, when it should shut up.
So there are probably some contacts corroded too.
 
Thanks to all who replied. I think I'm stcking to meterless, batteryless cameras from now on! One less thing to break! (Except my little Rollei of course!)

I will look into the pad of death surgery; perhaps I will attempt it, perhaps I will sell this one for scraps! I guess it evens out- $7 for a "broken" Konica Auto S2 that needed a little lovin to get going, and $23 for a "excellent" GSN with some baggage. That'll learn me!

You've all been very helpful.
 
the lobster said:
Thanks to all who replied. I think I'm stcking to meterless, batteryless cameras from now on! One less thing to break! (Except my little Rollei of course!)

I will look into the pad of death surgery; perhaps I will attempt it, perhaps I will sell this one for scraps! I guess it evens out- $7 for a "broken" Konica Auto S2 that needed a little lovin to get going, and $23 for a "excellent" GSN with some baggage. That'll learn me!

You've all been very helpful.
Click to expand...

Don't you just love :bang: eBay :bang: ?
 
Hi,
I just got a second GSN from Bill Mattocks (see the "case" thread in classifieds) and it displays the same problem as my first GSN...to get the top plate off the three screws are a real $%##@! to move. Anything I can do to loosen them before I get out the blow torch.

Just kidding about that. My tiny screwdrivers are just that...tiny with not much grip on them.

doug
 
Harbor Freight Tools has a set of small tip jewelry type screwdrivers with a slightly thicker handle than the customery metal ones. They costs about $3-$5 a set. I resort to these when screws are tight. However, before I apply more torque, I apply a tiny drop of Liquid Wrench to ecah screw head and let it soak in. Also, When I have found that applying tightening torque alternatively with looseninf torque (basically wiggling the screwdriver back and forth slowly) will sometimes help break the screw loose without stripping the head.

-Paul
 
The idea behind a too thin grip on the jewelry screwdrivers is exactly the same as behind keys with too short handle etc. that is, you cannot apply high enough torque to break them. If you make them thicker and force them, the tiny thin tip will break off and the tool is gone. (Own experience!)

The yashica screws are indeed overtightened and/or stuck by corrosion. A tiny little droplet of oil put next to the screwhead and patting the screw a bit with the screwdriver always helped me. Acetone (~fingernail remover) might help even better, as said above.
 
This was Lobster's problem with his GSN:

"However, I get a red arrow when I slightly depress the shutter release and then no arrow when I press it a it further, and then a yellow arrow when I press it jus short of releasing the shutter."

This appears to be exactly the same problem as that on my the freebie GSN that Bill sent me. But, I opened it up this morning (Radio Shack had a little screwdriver kit with interchangable bits and a slightly-larger body and the screws came off easily!) and the problem does not appear to be the pad of death. It's grey, and looks fine to me.

Someone above mentioned dirty internal switches. Is that what this could be? And how to deal with that?

Also, the entire diamond of the RF is not visible, one side is cut off. When I look into the RF/VF assembly, there's a small rectangular lens in front of the divider between the VF and the RF areas, on the latter side, on a little stand. It's crooked. Could that be the problem there?

Thanks for any insight!

cheers
doug
 
Doug - i have two GSN's and on both of them the diamond-shaped RF pacth is cut off in its right corner.
"But sir, it's not a bug - it's a feature!" :D

As to dirty contacts, i have read that one should open the BOTTOM of the camera to solve the problem. I tried but it sorked only temporarily (read:after 1 day the red lamp started to flicker again)
 
Pherdinand is right about the risk of over-torquing screws. Anyone who has enhanced the torque of those little screwdrivers (some of them have holes on the handles to insert tiny cross-cheater bars) has probably stripped more than their fair share of screw heads too.

However, the only real alternative to removing a stuck screw is to leave it in place. As a worst case, I have had to drill out screws with stripped out heads and re-tap the holes.

Oh yes, electronic/computer stores have electrical contact cleaner which evaporates very fast. This is sprayed on to contacts in order to clean them.

-Paul

-Paul
 
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