Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/06/16

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Subject: [Leica] Fixing a jammed OM4
From: philippe.amard at sfr.fr (philippe.amard)
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:39:56 +0200
References: <BLU0-SMTP15FA20951846533D038B0D8C820@phx.gbl> <C549158CB7314D7BBDCF2615B1BB84CC@Family>

Does it work with lft the table up to the baseplate?

Kidding

Ph


Le 16 juin 13 ? 22:37, Douglas Barry a ?crit :

> I have about five or six OMs and found that same shutter problem  
> with one of them - an OM1. However, thanks to a tip from my local  
> photography shop, I got it to work without dismantling or taking a  
> screw out of it.
>
> This is the tip. Find an old wooden table. Raise the camera about a  
> foot and a half off the table. Angle the baseplate so that it is  
> parallel to the table. Bring it down swiftly, while ensuring that  
> the baseplate remains parallel to the table, until said baseplate  
> strikes the table evenly along the baseplate length. The shutter  
> mechanism will immediately commence working.
>
> May the force be with you.......
>
> It's not a joke, this does work!
>
> Douglas
> _________
> Douglas Barry
> Bray, Co. Wicklow
> Republic of Ireland
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vick Ko" <vick.ko at sympatico.ca>
> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org>
> Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 4:52 PM
> Subject: [Leica] Fixing a jammed OM4
>
>
>> I bought an Olympus OM4 with a jammed film advance and shutter.   
>> The metering and battery check still worked, but the camera shutter  
>> and film are advanced and jammed, and the camera won't fire at B or  
>> 1/60 sec, the manual speeds.
>>
>> Searching the web, this seems to be a common flaw in the OM4.
>>
>> Here is how I fixed it.
>>
>> This photo, credit Rui Jorge Moreno, is a start:
>> https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6NZb8Rbu3v0/UE2zl5Q7u-I/AAAAAAAAAfk/-iWGqgtu4Xk/s720/2012-09-10%252000.49.24.jpg
>>
>> The pictured plate is the main sycnchronizer gear for the film  
>> advance, shutter tension drum and the mirror actuation.
>>
>> First, the plate needs to be removed.  Take off the three screws  
>> shown.
>>
>> Then, clean out the gears around.  Turn the shutter to B or 1/60  
>> (manual setting).
>>
>> If you press the shutter release, you'll see that the thin bar to  
>> the bottom of the photo moves.  There is a pair of lever under the  
>> silver gear that also moves.  If you move the top and bottom,  
>> you'll see that the film advance frees up.  That is a great  
>> essential first step.
>>
>> Also look at what the big thick bar is doing.  It activates the  
>> mirror movement, and it needs to move too.  Take this opportunity  
>> to study the mechanism and clean things.
>>
>> On my camera, the reverse lock (forked) lever was completely loose.  
>> It is also under the silver gear and needs to move freely.  You  
>> need to remove the mirror mover bar, via its big cross-head screw.   
>> THIS SCREW IS A LEFT HAND SCREW !!!!!  Remove the bar and secure  
>> the reverse lock (forked) lever.
>>
>> Then put the mirror lever back into place.
>>
>> Now, the camera gears need to be timed correctly.  You will find  
>> that the film advance finishes in 3 positions.  One is the correct  
>> one - and it ends with the rabbit ears of the silver gear in the  
>> right place, per the photo.
>>
>> Under the synchronization plate (that you've removed), you'll find  
>> the shutter tension drum.  Advance it to the tensioned position -  
>> it will click into place.  Advance the film advance to the right  
>> place.  Now re-install the synchronization plate, with the gears in  
>> the right place and the cutouts in the correct orientation.
>>
>> Now it should all work.
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information

One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible  
to the eye. Antoine de Saint Exup?ry in Le Petit Prince.
NO ARCHIVE






Replies: Reply from imra at iol.ie (Douglas Barry) ([Leica] Fixing a jammed OM4)
In reply to: Message from vick.ko at sympatico.ca (Vick Ko) ([Leica] Fixing a jammed OM4)
Message from imra at iol.ie (Douglas Barry) ([Leica] Fixing a jammed OM4)