Oly 35RD aperture

<p>Hi I am used to working on Canonets (old bigger ones) and Konica Auto S2, but was recently given a 35RD. The shutter fires fine but the aperture is stuck at f16. I went in through the front but when I got the front lens element out, it really didn't look like there was any grease or oil on the blades, so decided that wasn't the problem. So I put that back together and took the top and bottom off to get the whole front plate off. So I looked around and recognised the shutter speed governor on the back, but couldn't see anything to do with the aperture. Put it back together and when I wound the film advance, the aperture shot open all the way. So it wasn't sticky blades. I thought I had had a flukey fix, but when I checked the other apertures, every time I wound the film advance, the aperture got progressively smaller until after about 8 strokes I was back at f16, where I am stuck again. </p>

<p>So, it doesn't seem like sticky blades as they have moved all the way open and all the way closed at some point. It seems like the spring that is used to close the aperture (I am guessing that is how it works as it does on the original canonet) isn't getting enough resistance to stay open at the right place, well now it won't open at all. </p>

<p>Anyone got any ideas what is wrong here? And if so, where is the problem? Where is the aperture controlled, I am guessing in the front of the lens assembly. </p>

<p>Have looked around on line and even on some Japanese sites using google translate but not found anything other than cleaning the blades. Many thanks!</p>

<p>From my experience, I can tell you that shutter or aperture blades may be sticky even if there are no visible residues of oil or grease on them. <br>

The easiest way to check this is to drip some lighter fluid on the blades. If they work better than before, they should be cleaned carefully. When the lighter fluid has evaporated, they will work as before. When the lighter fluid is evaporated partially only, they may even work worse than before. </p>

<p>I tried to repair the sticky blades on a 35RD and putting it back together has been extremely difficult. It worked a few months and than, back again, sticky blades. I observed however, that it is relatively easy to bend the different linkages keeping the aperture open (don't know the exact technical terms). It is not impossible that someone fiddled with the camera, tried to clean those aperture blades and put it back somehow wrong.<br>

The RD was a nice camera as long as it worked but the controls were too small for my taste. The lens is beautiful though.</p>

<p>I had a 35 RD once and was able to remove the lens elements, front and rear, and soak the shutter and iris, intact, in Rosignol. I remember having to cut and re-solder the flash synch wires. I wiped all the excess goo from the insides as best I could and re-assembled. I used it after this repair for at least one hundred rolls of film, never quite getting used to the futsiness from the camera's diminutive size, but absolutely loving the images from its amazing glass. I sold it a few years ago and recently bought a black Olympus 35SP, which is so much easier to hold. Its bigger size gives me a more secure feeling; I don't feel like I'm going to drop it any more.</p>

<p>That's the problem with the RD that makes it difficult to service. Most front lens group gets seized and can't be unscrewed. If you force it hard enough with a spanner, you will distort the focus helicoid and focus will never work again. SO, lens has to be completely disassembled around the lens you couldn't unscrew. I have never seen an RD "repair" last more than a few months where the blades have been cleaned form the outside. It requires completely disassembly, degreasing and rebuild for the repair to last. Then since the lens focus ring has been off and lens has been apart, lens infinity has to be reset. A collimator is required to do this properly. Then rangefinder has to be set to new infinity. Then after all THAT'S done, you get to scrape out and replace all the rotting back foam. Time spent: easily 3 hours. That's why I stopped repairing them. John</p>

<p>Hey guys thanks for the responses, I thought I had clicked the notify me button but I guess not I had no idea anyone had replied. <br>

Like I said I don't think it can be sticky blades because they open wide and close fully with no problem, but I can't work out what mechanism is making them do this. The aperture ring isn't controlling the aperture properly. <br>

I will keep it in pieces for now, I am really keen to test the glass, but as others have mentioned, I can't turn the aperture ring without also turning the focus ring, it's all too small and tight to really be able to use easily. A knob on the aperture ring would have helped, it's right up against the body. Not the best ergonomically. <br>

Any other tips welcome. </p>

<p>In case anyone was interested, I managed to resolve the problem with the aperture. As I suspected it was nothing to do with sticky blades, and as with a Canonet I just fixed, the problem was with the spring that pulls the aperture back closed to f16. There was actually nothing wrong with the spring, but there was a piece that was stopping it from closing down. Job done. Going to test it in the next few days... thanks for your help on the way. </p>

<p>I've been working on a 35RD all day and have an unusual fault with the aperture blades. With the shutter assembly held horizontally, everything is fine, when held vertically in the mode the camera will be used, the diaphragm will not open to the correct aperture setting. The entire shutter unit has been disassembled and rebulit (several times now).<br>

Everything has been ultrasonically cleaned and the iris and shutter blades have been correctly installed. I used to be a professional camera repairer and my feeling is that there is some wear on the round brass plate (that the iris blades sit on) that is causing it to bind inside the shutter block casting. Horizontally it is free to move but vertically, gravity seems to allow it to get stuck.<br>

Obviously, lubrication is a no-no in this area but I was considering graphite but I don't think this would be a long term fix. If I find a solution, I'll report back because I suspect this is a common fault.</p>