remove shutter dial on Mamiya 7ii?

[jay_chadney]

<p>My exposure compensation "dial" is hard to move. It catches and I have to do odd maneuvers with my hands to get a good angle to move the compensation sometimes. I feel like I could break it with as much pressure as I am putting on it, and I am getting a deep indent in my finger from the little button! I had another 7ii a few years ago and it was very easy to move the compensation from -2 to +2 and back again, so I know how it should be.<br>

Can I just remove the little black thing with the 2 holes for a spanner wrench and the entire shutter dial will come off so that I can investigate/clean? I don't want to open a can of worms and have parts spring out on me. I just want to try and save $60 or so to take it into a shop.<br>

Thanks.</p>

[andrew_lind]

<p>try drowning the dial in lighter fluid that will dissolve and hardened oil or gunk and hopefully get you on the move again<br>

best of luck</p>

[jay_chadney]

<p>So just turn the camera upside down and try to dip just the shutter dial in a pool of lighter fluid?</p>

[Komatsu]

<p>Ya right!! Sounds good to me.<br>

Why not just spend the money to get it repaired by a professional? Your camera is too expensive a tool to be dunking in lighter fluid. What if it catches on fire? You going to smoke it? </p>

[andrew_lind]

<p>carefully pour the lighter fluid in and around the shutter dial and work the dial so the fluid can seap into the gaps.<br>

and @ Ken its an old camera repairman trick, also how on earth would your camera catch fire unless you have a magical way of fixing your cameras using a naked flame. If so I would love to hear about it<br>

Regards Andrew</p>

[dave_s]

<p><em>carefully pour the lighter fluid in and around the shutter dial and work the dial so the fluid can seap into the gaps.</em></p>

<p>This is arguably the most idiotic advice I've ever seen on photo.net, to the extent that I wondered if this was a malicious prank. Any plastic part that comes into contact with lighter fluid will dissolve, or fuse to the parts around it. A Mamiya 7 has a lot of plastic. The shutter dial is plastic. </p>

<p>Jay, your camera is worth over a grand-- spend $60 for a professional to adjust it.</p>

[andrew_lind]

<p>use ligher fluid not acetone, lighter fluid does not dissolve plastics. If you go into a camera repair specialist don't be suprised if he/she a can of zippo fluid sitting there. Where as acetone or nail polish remover does dissolve and fuse plastics, so is not used in unjamming and loosening up cameras.</p>

[andrew_lind]

<p>If you serch lighter fluid on photo.net you will see many pages about its use in repairs and degunking. It is not as effective as specialised products but at the same time it doesn't cost $50 a bottle. Lighter fluid has been used in camera repair since WW2, it was the US Navy's principal cleaner for their photographic equipment. If you live in the US make sure you use a Naphtha based product such as Zippo fluid or Ronsonol.</p>

[rob_hale1]

<p>Hi Jay.<br /><br />Umm due to your question I thought I should reassess this adjustment and decide if I should send it off for repair as mine is very stiff. <br /><br />Well, try this, instead of using your finger, turn the camera round so the lens is facing you. Left hand behind the body. Use your right hand thumb to press the button in and to rotate the hub. Well all of a sudden mine is smooth to rotate and easy to use.<br /><br />Hope your responds to this method.<br /><br />Best Regards<br /><br />Rob</p>