Need help repairing a SRT

[richard_wallace2]

Need help in 3 particular things:

 

1) How do i repair a stuck light meter?

 

2) How do i clean the mirror (has foam stuck to it)?

 

3) Since the mirror is rather durty and the light meter stuck, i'll

probably need to replace the foam. How is that done? And were can i

get foam to do the reparing?

 

Once again my thanks for your help,

 

RWallace

[chris_accetta]

Well, I can't help with #1 but you could always use a hand-held meter or the Sunny 16 rule...

 

2) Very carefully. Ive used a q-tip moistened with Windex, VERY light pressure and patience. I'm sure that others may have better methods.

 

3) Replacing the light seals is easy. A pn member by the name of Jon Goodman (ebay ID: interslice) sells pre-cut foam replacement kits for about $10. You get detailed instructions with the kit and enough foam to repair several cameras. I've used his kits for my SR T-101 and XG-9. Highly recommended.

 

Good luck!

[ben conover]

Is the light meter 'stuck' or does the camera need a new battery?

 

Cheers.

[douglas_green1]

Or is the meter cell itself dead?

[jason hopper]

Since the foam has deteriorated enough to gum the mirror damper, odds are a bit of deteriorated foam has stuck the meter needle. To undo this, best bet would be a professional CLA. If you want to try cleaning & freeing this yourself, it involves lifting & removing the pentaprism, the cells and wiring and, if you're not careful enough, might involve the cables & pulleys and more... this is why would suggest going for that professional CLA.

 

For just cleaning the mirror, a little naptha, like in "Ronsonol" lighter fluid, on a Q-tip very lightly applied should work. Do not use too much fluid, just get Q-tip wet without dripping. Do not get any fluid or solvent on or near the focusing screen. On the mirror, once it's clean let the fluid evaporate without further wiping: you may have to do this over and over, lightly and carefully with a new, clean, wet Q-tip each time.

 

There are foam replacement kits on e*ay. The hard part is removing the old gummy foam without getting residue all over the place. I just carefully scrape under the old foam strips' adhesive film and carefully roll each strip up with an carefully-used x-acto blade, no solvents used to remove this foam (gets too messy).

[rob_murray]

I second Jon Goodmans seals. just ordered some to do my srt201. He has very good instructions he can send you via email.

[richard_wallace2]

I did check the battery before, the needle didn't move anyway. Must get it fixed/cleaned.

 

Thanks,

 

RWallace

[harris_goldstein]

Regarding the meter, make sure the springy metal tab in the battery compartment is high enough to make good contact with the batter.

[richard_oleson]

1) There are a number of possibilities for the meter:

 

First, the SRT on/off switch is subject to wear and it could be worn out.

 

Second, the wire to the (-) terminal of the battery box in any camera of this age is likely to have corroded over the years and may have broken off at the battery terminal. If this has happened, you will probably have to disassemble the camera, cut out at least an inch or 2 of the wire and replace it to get a proper fix.

 

A third possibility is that the needle is stuck to one of the rubber bumpers that it rests against when it's at one end of the scale or the other. If this is the problem, usually a slap will bring the meter to life for a short time (like until the next time the needle touches that sticky bumper again). To fix this requires disassembly of the top end and cleaning or replacing the bumpers, which are usually made of very small pieces of rubber tubing. It's a fairly delicate job.

 

2) For cleaning the mirror, the only thing I would change from the advice above is that I would use cigarette lighter fluid instead of Windex: it will remove the black gook with less rubbing. You want zero pressure against the mirror if possible, and with lighter fluid it's possible. The solvent will leave a sort of "water mark" on the mirror... this is easily removed by fogging the mirror with your breath and wiping away the fog with a lens tissue.

 

3) I second the recommendation for Jon Goodman's foam replacement kits.