Another Minox 35 Shutter Problem

I recently bought a used Minox 35 GL which seems to be in good condition. Yet, it seems to have a problem: Every now and then (and I have the impression that this mostly happens when I make many shots in a short period of time), the camera doesn't switch off after I press the shutter release. From the 35 GT I also own (and from the regular operation of the camera) I know that immediately after the shot, the camera switches itself off. So I first noticed the problem when the needle of the exposure meter didn't swing back to zero when I fired the shutter. When I looked into the lens, I was surprised to find the shutter still open.

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Now for the great surprise: The camera is also supposed to switch itself off when you collaps it. So I thought the quickest way to close the shutter would be to collaps the camera. It didn't help! The shutter stayed open, and the exposure meter remained operative! I had the idea (but not the opportunity to test it yet, as the problem only arises every now and then, to remove the battery to see whether that unlocks the open shutter. But anyway, I'd be happy to have some feedback on this problem.

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Just to report a few test I already made: I fired the shutter when pointing the camera at bright and dark subjects, and I could hear the camera respond by using short and long exposures. So at least in principle, the meter and shutter control work. Generally, however, I have the impression that the camera tends to underexpose a bit. (Remember, I am familiar with the GT, and from that I know when to correct for backlight and the like. So it's not underexposure due to the averaging characteristic of the meter I am talking about - which I think should also result in inconsistent underexposure - but consistent underexposure of most of the shots on one film.) I have tested the value indicated by the Minox meter against that of a handheld spot meter, both measuring a gray card and other uniform surfaces at a short distance, and the two values are identical. Yet, the Minox seems to underexpose. From that, it would seem that the shutter doesn't always get the information from the meter correctly, although some information (see long/short exposure test above) seems to be transmitted.

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Any ideas?

My EL (the very first model) has a shutter that doen't work at speeds higher than 1/125 s. At speeds between 1/125 and 1/30 s, it works sporadically. Slower than this and it works reliably.

I have since found the problem: A sticking shutter. This reduces the response time of the shutter. A mild case may result in consistently underexposed slides -- except with long exposures (say longer then 3 s).

To fix it, remove the black plastic cone around the rearside of the lens. Observe the shutter actuators to the right of the lens. There is a lever with a spring on it that pushes on a tiny little metal knob (smaller than a pinhead). This knob is very much part of the shutter leaves. Now, work this knob up and down several times (to work it loose). Use a fine screwdriver or a needle.

My Minox 35 EL worked across all shutter speeds reliably after this treatment.

By the way, there is a great deal of viginetting in a Minox 35. Never seen anything like it before.