Stuck Advance Lever Olympus OM 4

<p>Hey,</p>

<p>I am on a Thailand Vacation and suddenly after taking a picture the advance lever of my OM 4 is stuck.</p>

<p>I dont know what to do, it doesnt move at all. I rewound the film and got it out, but still it doesnt move at all.</p>

<p>Im grateful for every help,</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Hi Steffen!<br>

I decided to post a response here instead of replying to your PM so it can be a reference for others in the future.<br>

First, did you check your batteries? Before anything else, you should try to unlock your camera with the "Bulb" position. Press the small button with the "B" and while it's pressed, rotate the shutter speed selector to "B". If your camera unlocks when you do this then it's time to change your batteries.<br>

If not...<br>

This pictures are from my personal Oly om2-SP but the OM4 is very similar so it should be the same.<br /><br /><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KI9-bu5UTxE/UE2zlfBrjpI/AAAAAAAAAfg/Ksm8MfXk80Q/s720/2012-09-10%252000.48.53.jpg">https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KI9-bu5UTxE/UE2zlfBrjpI/AAAAAAAAAfg/Ksm8MfXk80Q/s720/2012-09-10%252000.48.53.jpg</a><br>

<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6NZb8Rbu3v0/UE2zl5Q7u-I/AAAAAAAAAfk/-iWGqgtu4Xk/s720/2012-09-10%252000.49.24.jpg">https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6NZb8Rbu3v0/UE2zl5Q7u-I/AAAAAAAAAfk/-iWGqgtu4Xk/s720/2012-09-10%252000.49.24.jpg</a></p>

<p>Start by removing the bottom plate of your camera with a small screwdriver.<br>

Take a look at the pictures. They were both taken with the lens facing down (down side of the picture, that is). I'm sorry for the poor quality but my old phone was all I've got at the moment.<br />Notice the green marking in the first picture: That's the mechanism we're interested in.<br>

Be sure to remove your batteries, just to be safe!<br /><br /><br>

In the second picture, take a look at the RED arrows. Those are the screws you'll be removing.This piece (highlighted in green, first picture) looks like one piece only. It's NOT! When you remove it, carefully, you should hold it very steady because it has a spring and if that spring jumps...well, bye bye! <br />However, if you hold it with your fingers (making sure it's secure) you should be fine. <br /><br />You should remove it very slowly because the rest of the mechanism (that will remain in it's place) can move to it's original position. If this happens, don't be alarmed. When you unhand the mechanism you've just removed, do it slowly, allowing the mechanism (along with it's spring) to go back to it's original position.<br /><br />Now, assuming you have removed the part indicated, you should wind the shutter advance lever until it's end. Important: It's not until it no longer moves. When you wind it, you feel a certain resistance, right? Well, this resistance will stop before the lever comes to the very end of it's "path". You can actually feel that the film advanced one whole position. If you fail to do this right, try again (even if you have a film inside, you'll only loose a couple of shots). <br />The final step is to put that piece you removed back in it's place along with the screws.<br />If the piece doesn't return to it's place easily, then you failed the previous step. Go back and redo it.<br /><br /><br>

Hope this helps. I'll do a video when I get my hands on a decent camera.<br>

ps: about the yellow arrows on the second pic - I marked those screws but from what I can remember, you don't need to remove them. <br>

BR, Rui Moreno.<br /><br /></p>

 

<p>deleted - alredy answered by RUI</p>

<p>Your camera is "overwound" (caused by out of sync wind gears and greasy latches). Proper repair requires degreasing the latch assembly which is stamped shut at the factory. Improper repair can cause the shutter curtains to unwind. John</p>

<p>Hey,</p>

<p>Thanks for the manual and the pictures.. It just took me a very long time to do as you suggested, but unfortunately, when I removed the part, which is to be removed, the rewind lever was still stuck.<br>

Whatever I do, it does not move one bit. <br>

Is there anything I can do about it? Otherwise I might just get a cheap digital point and shoot camera at the mall, because I probably dont find a place to repair over here.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Sorry to hear that! Maybe someone more experienced here can give you better advice. In the meanwhile, for what it's worth, here are my thoughts:<br>

Hand it to a technician you can trust. Our cameras have sensitive and tricky guts.<br />I had mine repaired once and although I later learned how to repair that specific problem I do not regret one bit! It cost me as much as the camera itself but hey..better to be safe than sorry, right? Just be careful to whom you trust your camera to, some guys will rip you off for a crappy service.<br>

Good luck!<br>

Rui.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"Maybe someone more experienced here can give you better advice... Hand it to a technician you can trust."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That would be <a href="http://www.zuiko.com/">John Hermanson</a>, who posted in this thread. He's an experienced Olympus repair pro.</p>

<p>Yes, I already tried to find out what exactly is meant by "latch assembly", but the only thing i found was a manual on how to remove the top cover (which wasnt even on the OM 4)..</p>

 

<p>I don't think JH was suggesting you do it yourself... :-)</p>

<p><em>& the server appears to be playing silly buggers...................<br /></em>Is it possible to delete a post rather than edit it?</p>

<p>My OM2SP lever was stuck too today, when I reached for the camera. I simply switched to mechanical 60 using little B lock thing, changed the batteries and everything works now. Maybe you have the same problem.</p>

<p>Exactly, it is not a do-it-at-home job. I don't say much about that because people insist on doing what they want. John</p>

<p>John is right.</p>

<p>I have a couple of parts cameras that worked before I fixed them.</p>

 

<p>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.<br /> <br /> Searching the web, this seems to be a common flaw in the OM4.<br /> <br /> Here is how I fixed it.<br /> <br /> This photo, credit Rui Jorge Moreno, is a start:<br /> https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6NZb8Rbu3v0/UE2zl5Q7u-I/AAAAAAAAAfk/-iWGqgtu4Xk/s720/2012-09-10%252000.49.24.jpg<br /> <br /> The pictured plate is the main sycnchronizer gear for the film advance, shutter tension drum and the mirror actuation.<br /> <br /> First, the plate needs to be removed. Take off the three screws shown.<br /> <br /> Then, clean out the gears around. Turn the shutter to B or 1/60 (manual setting).<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Then put the mirror lever back into place.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> Now it should all work.<br /> </p>

<p>Glad that someone's still using this info! :)<br /><br />Keep up the good job and good luck with those shutters ;)<br>

btw be carefull with the spring that's beneath those gears. I've messed up mine but I've managed to put it back to life again. If my camera gets stuck again I'll probably need to get a new spring, somehow... </p>

<p>Cheers,<br /> Rui Jorge Moreno.</p>

<p>I have done it successfully, but the middle screw was hard to lose, damage it a little. Hope it will function for a while.<br>

Kenneth</p>

<p>Post is still useful! Had an OM-4T with the stuck shutter. Thank you Rui Jorge Moreno for the pictures and the explanation. Lifted that little gearbox out once and the mechanism unlocked and I was able to advance and rewind perfectly.</p>