Mamiya TLR 80mm shutter problem

<p>I just got an 80mm f2.8 "Blue Dot" for my C330f. Cost me $30.00. Seller fairly stated that shutter was inaccurate. Here's what it does: Speeds from 1 sec. to 1/8 sec. all sound like about 1 sec. Speeds from 1/15 sec. to 1/125 sec. have similar but not identical sounds. They seem to get progressively shorter, but it's hard to tell. 1/250 and 1/500 sound good.</p>

<p>I have flushed the shutter with naphtha (Ronsonol). There seems to be an improvement in performance in speeds from 1/15 and faster. Slow speeds still all sound and look the same. Any ideas as to how to proceed? I <em>know</em> that a professional would do a vastly better job than I, but the point is to get the lens functioning at minimal additional cost. A CLA would be about the price of a lens from KEH or similar dealer with a warranty.</p>

<p>Thanks to all of you!<br /> Les</p>

<p>EDIT: I <em>was</em> successful in repairing my 65mm--shutter is good, images are sharp and contrasty.</p>

<p>May not work with a lens shutter (as it did on my focal plane shutter camera with similar problems) but it costs nothing to exercise the shutter over many cycles and to do that more than a few times over a few days to see if it frees up the slow speed mechanism.</p>

<p>I've been buying the newest MF gear I can afford for the past 5-6 years, simply because the accumulation of age-related problems with old gear and difficulty in sourcing reliable repairs quickly made buying inexpensive gear with "issues" a false economy. I'm not running a shelter or rescue operation for hurt cameras and lenses. Get a professional fix or buy from KEH.</p>

<p>It needs a full tear down; soak for a day or two in a no residue, plastic, rubber safe solvent; lubed and reassembled.</p>

<p>Great grandfathers cleaning regiment and other stop gap measures will not work and may ensure total, non repairable failure.</p>

<p>I would have made an offer to service it before the great grandfather technique was used. I will not touch it now.<br>

Good luck with a DIY.</p>

<p>No need to flush it with whatever liquid or to "exercise" it. If it does not work correctly, it has to be fixed, this is the only cure. Ok. it will cost you something but it should last (almost...) a lifetime.</p>

 

<p>Charles: I think someone had already done worse to it than I did. There was, as the seller had described, a residue of "something" on the rear surface of the viewing lens cell. It cleaned off perfectly with the coating intact, but it certainly wasn't anything original to the lens.</p>

<p>Shutters made from1900 to mid 1930's were all metal and solvents like lighter fluid (naphtha) would not harm them. Starting sometime in the mid 1930's new lens coatings were put into use as were metal coatings. By the 1940's rubber and plastics were put into use in shutters. Many solvents that were in use then are now harmful to the newer shutters.<br>

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Grease is oil in a soap base. The soap base keeps the oil suspended so that it is next to the surface that needs it and movement remixes the grease improving the mix. Now let the grease sit for 6 months to a year and the oil starts to separate out. Oil that has been allowed to sit in direct sun or in a high heat environment turns into a thick sticky goo similar to dried syrup. Soap base turns hard and does not go back to a soft material. It usually has to be scraped off or it breaks off in chunks.<br>

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Sounds like someone could not rejuvenate it via a solvent soak. I am not that familiar with Seiko shutters but have had a couple apart years ago. One was toast from using in a state of disrepair and the other returned to good operation status. (Mamiya RB lens)<br>

If it were mine I would give it a go but I will not gamble with someone else's in questionable condition.</p>

 

<p>I don't know anything about this specific shutter, but some have different gear trains and spring systems for the slow speeds and for the faster speeds. That could explain why you got the fast speeds mostly working, but no change in the slow speeds.</p>

<p>You need to bite this bullet and send it to a pro like Carol Miller at Flutotscamerarepair.com for an evaluation. She does fabulous work and is about as reasonable on price as you can find.</p>