Mamiya 6 - Shutter release button not clicking, film advance lever cocking endlessly

[adi_frank]

<p>I have a Mamiya-6. A couple of days ago it was working fine. Today I put in a new roll of film, closed the back cover and started to advance the film with the film advance lever. But noticed two strange things: [1] The shutter button would not function, I would press it, but nothing happens [2] The film never stopped. I could advance the film with the film-advance lever endlessly (without having to press the shutter button, which as mentioned, would not function).<br>

So I removed the roll of film to try and figure out what is wrong. Strangely, When the back cover is open - the shutter button WORKS! It clicks! But then when closing the back cover again - it stops working. I press it and no click. And I can pull on the film-advance lever over and over.<br>

Any ideas what might be wrong?</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

Frame counter reset not working when you open the back, so that when you close the back, you're still in wind-off mode?

[adi_frank]

<p>Hi Q.G. de Bakker. Thanks for you reply, but I'm not sure what you mean by...</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Frame counter reset not working when you open the back, so that when you close the back, you're still in wind-off mode?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Are you asking me if this is the case? Or are you implying that this is the problem?<br>

Can you please describe what you mean?<br>

Thanks!</p>

[adi_frank]

<p>Regarding the frame counter reset question... I think I understand now. No, that's not the case. The frame counter resets every time I open the back. And I can wind through the whole roll of film watching the frames advance. The film will not stop after one wind with the film advance lever... I can just keep winding it. It's like the camera is not acknowledging that the shutter has been cocked and therefore won't let me fire the shutter release.<br /> This is what I've tried and found out so far...<br /><br />When the back cover is open, the shutter release button fires normally. When the back cover of the camera is closed, the shutter release button will not fire and a red warning LED lights up in the upper right-hand corner of the view finder. I found a tiny pushable pin in the bottom crease where the back cover goes in when closed. While the cover was open I pressed the pushable pin with the tip of a pencil and the camera was fooled to thinking the back cover was closed - so the shutter release button fired fine (with LED warning light).<br /><br />According to the Mamiya 6 manual - this warning LED lights up when pressing the shutter release button in the following cases:<br />a. when the lens mount is retracted<br />b. when light shield curtain is closed<br />c. film is not loaded<br />d. shutter has not been cocked (film advance lever has not been wound until it stops)<br /><br />I tried cleaning the gold circuit connectors on both the lens and the lens mount. That didn't help.<br /><br />I currently put in my 3rd test roll of film - and with the film in the camera the shutter release button still won't fire and the warning LED lights up just as it did without film in the camera.<br /><br />There's a small hidden button on the right side of the camera which I never new about. According to the manual it's called an Emergency Winding-Stop Release Button. I read the description, but couldn't quite understand what its function is. Could this button possibly help me or be connected with my problem? Can someone explain exactly what it does? Here's the text from the manual:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>If the batteries have been depleted - especially when the power on-off lever has been set to the OFF position during long exposures (at "B" ; 4 seconds or 2 seconds) - the winding-stop prevents the film from being wound. If this happens, push the emergency advance/stop release button with a pen or other pointed object as shown above. The advance/stop is then released, allowing the film to be wound. Please note that that articular frame will be poorly exposed. The emergency winding-stop release button should not be used for any other purposes.</p>

</blockquote>

<p><br />Please help... I'm in the middle of a photography residency program in New York and I am lost without my favorite camera. :-[<br /><br />Thanks</p>

[john_stockdale2]

<p>Maybe it's as though the hidden button might be in its depressed position (or acting as though it were). There are various interlocks in cameras and something is not working, or stuck in the wrong position. I had a problem that was different to yours but illustrates an interlock scenario.<br>

http://www.photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/008QDh<br>

If i remember correctly, the shutter always works repeatedly with the back open (and no film).</p>

[adi_frank]

<p>Hi. I spoke to technical support at MAC Group in New York. They wouldn't let me speak to a technician to try and troubleshoot the problem on the phone. So without a choice I'll need to have the camera sent for repair.<br /><br />But I believe I have managed to narrow down the problem.<br /><br />After doing all sorts of tests, I have a strong feeling that the problem is that for some reason the camera is not registering there is film in it. And that is why the shutter release button won't fire, the film-advance lever will wind the film without it stopping at frame 1.<br /><br />Does anyone know how the Mamiya 6 detects if there is film in it? Is there some sort of lever or electronic censor?<br />If I find out what detects the film, I might be able to figure out what the problem is.<br /><br />Thanks!</p>

[john_stockdale2]

<p>I will have a look in mine later today. There must be either a liittle mechanical thing that is pressed down by the film, or maybe the rotation of the feed spool sets something.</p>

<p>Might it be the emergency button to which you referred earlier incorrectly being activated? It might have the same effect.</p>

[adi_frank]

<p>The thing that really has me confused is that the film frame counter DOES advance as I wind the film - so apparently the camera DOES know there's film loaded, at least in respect to the counter....<br>

I just can't figure it out...</p>

[martynas_photo]

<p>have no experience with mamiya 6 - but don't they have the leaf shutters in lenses? maybe the problem is somewhere in the lens shutter mechanism? or the electrical contacts between the lens and body?</p>

[adi_frank]

<p>Hi. Took the camera to repair service. Yesterday they said they can fix it - requires overhaul of winding mechanism. $300. Will be ready Monday.<br>

I guess they managed to fix the problem without needing parts, because I know that the winding mechanism parts for this model are unavailable anywhere - even not at Mamiya USA, since Mamiya stopped making parts for the Mamiya 6 some years ago.<br>

I hope it works as before. Will let you know. Thanks for the help.</p>