67 help please

Hi Pentax world,

I've just bought a 67 body on t'internet, when it arrived i was desperate to hear it in action so downloaded a manual. Followed the instructions:- 1) open back.......2) turned the exposure indicator dial to show 1 or more........3) shut the back and then went on to wind on the film advance lever and tried all the different shutter speeds.

Very thrilling hearing all the clunks with that huge mirror banging up and down. Then I tried the mirror lock up slider, wow this is all so good I can't wait till my lens arrives then a pentaprism !!!!

Then it all went horribly wrong, the mirror stuck up, and stayed up, and stayed up and is still up. I've bought 2 new batteries,they haven't helped. The lens arrived that didn't help.

I am so worried I've broken my dream camera .....boo hoo!! can anyone help? Please......

Pete

Pete,

Sounds to me like the black foam light seal(s) are getting old and sticky.

I'm not at all familiar with the 67's, but there may be an issue with the lock-up slider as well?

Don't dispair! I don't think it's anything you've done.

Do you have any idea of the camera's age?

Hi Pete, welcome to the forum.

If, as Mac says, the problem is down to sticky light seals in the mirror box then it won't be the end of the world - they are replaceable after all.

If it turns out to be something more complex then there are specialists who can fix and service such cameras - it won't neccessarily be cheap but a good service will soon have it running like the day it left the factory (and it'll cost much less than replacing it!).

If you tell us where you're from we'll be better able to recommend somebody local to you.

Are you certain that it is OK to fire the shutter without film in it? 645s cant be used without film. A different beast I know, but it is worth checking. Is the shutter lock button inadvertently set? Is the film advance lever fully wound on? The mirror is held up by a solenoid which requires battery power so if it has been up for more than an hour then the battery will be flat. A service by Pentax will cost around £100 but they will take between 3 and 6 months to do it. It might be worth phoning Harrow Technical for advice.

If the camera has taken 10 shots, then that's a full 120 film....So it might lock up at that point until reloaded. Presunably there is some interlink that the film activates to reset the counter and start the picture taking process again?

Just a thought, but it might be worth sacrificing a roll of film to see if that makes any difference. You say the mirror is stuck up but is everything else working OK? Like winding on and the shutter firing or has the whole thing jammed?

Thanks to everyone for their help. I think I will have to send it off to someone who can fix it I'm in Lincoln UK any idea where to go?
Pete

I'd give Asahi Photo a ring if I were you; 020 8232 8111

They're in Brentford so not exactly local local, but they do offer guaranteed work on 67's by Pentax trained technicians. Worth a phone call anyway.

i seem to remember there is a little button on the front of the camera that will reset the mirror, you'll need a pen tip to press the button.

a little late maybe...