mzsaunders
Newbie
Hello to forum members from a newbee with A Cautionary Tale and a Cry for Help.
I’ve had an Electro 35GT for several years that I use for indoor natural light monochrome photography. I recently decided to replace the suspect light seals and bought a kit from Jon Goodman. Jon’s kit comes with a replacement Pad of Death so, after doing the seals, I replaced my home-made effort. I now had a perfectly good GT, with fresh seals and POD (and a new battery). However, I couldn’t leave it there. Jon’s instructions included how to adjust the horizontal (infinity) and vertical rangefinder alignment. Mine was a tiny bit out horizontally at infinity, so I tried to adjust it. Once I’d touched that screw however, I was screwed. Nothing I did would bring the images together – the moving one stayed to the right of fixed by varying amounts far greater than the original mismatch, depending on the screw position.
I tried swapping in the good rangefinder from my parts body (after checking it in the parts body) and it was the same. I tried my out of adjustment finder in the parts body and was able to adjust it no problem. I swapped them back and, of course, it was out again.
Next thing I tried was checking focus on the film plane. I used a piece of negative envelope taped across the film plane for this, set camera on B and used a cable release to hold the shutter open. I determined that the focus scale on the lens was out, so loosened the three screws around the ring (I found they were a little loose anyway) and reset it to agree with the focus on the film plane. I was then able to adjust the rangefinder so all three elements appeared to be in line.
So, happy enough with that, I ran a test film. It was mostly good, but I clearly still had it slightly out of adjustment,. Now the story takes a turn for the worse; when it came to loosening the screws on the ring again, one of them was jammed in. I couldn’t shift it and, in the end, had to drill it out. I got it out, but it left an ugly hole in the ring, focus no longer moves smoothly and the end stops at infinity and 2’8” have gone. I could probably live with this, but the saga isn’t over yet.
My problem now is that the camera seems to be stuck in bulb mode. With the battery out it fires as expected, but with the battery in the shutter stays open as long as you hold the button, whether set to B, auto or flash. Yesterday, I took the top and bottom plates off again to see what I could see. All looked fine, POD was still in place, but I found that the rod under the POD wasn't latching on the lever in the base. It was fine before, so maybe being held on bulb stretched something. Anyway, I adjusted it so it now latches. When I reassembled the camera, it’s still misbehaving, but now the shutter stays open after releasing the button and only closes when you wind-on the film.
So, morals of above are ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it’ and ‘when you’re in a hole, stop digging’.
And my question is, does anyone know what’s wrong and how to fix it?
And a supplementary question; I have considered the possibility of swapping the lens, meter and electronic gubbins from the parts body (though I don’t know for sure that one works). The parts body is a series 1 Electro. Will the swapped parts work in the GT body? I know I’ll lose the 1000ASA capability and the word ‘Color’ (it’s misspelled anyway) from the lens. Battery check light isn’t a problem as I’ll just swap the plate with the window for the indicator light over.
I think the silver lens on the black body would look rather natty.
I’ve had an Electro 35GT for several years that I use for indoor natural light monochrome photography. I recently decided to replace the suspect light seals and bought a kit from Jon Goodman. Jon’s kit comes with a replacement Pad of Death so, after doing the seals, I replaced my home-made effort. I now had a perfectly good GT, with fresh seals and POD (and a new battery). However, I couldn’t leave it there. Jon’s instructions included how to adjust the horizontal (infinity) and vertical rangefinder alignment. Mine was a tiny bit out horizontally at infinity, so I tried to adjust it. Once I’d touched that screw however, I was screwed. Nothing I did would bring the images together – the moving one stayed to the right of fixed by varying amounts far greater than the original mismatch, depending on the screw position.
I tried swapping in the good rangefinder from my parts body (after checking it in the parts body) and it was the same. I tried my out of adjustment finder in the parts body and was able to adjust it no problem. I swapped them back and, of course, it was out again.
Next thing I tried was checking focus on the film plane. I used a piece of negative envelope taped across the film plane for this, set camera on B and used a cable release to hold the shutter open. I determined that the focus scale on the lens was out, so loosened the three screws around the ring (I found they were a little loose anyway) and reset it to agree with the focus on the film plane. I was then able to adjust the rangefinder so all three elements appeared to be in line.
So, happy enough with that, I ran a test film. It was mostly good, but I clearly still had it slightly out of adjustment,. Now the story takes a turn for the worse; when it came to loosening the screws on the ring again, one of them was jammed in. I couldn’t shift it and, in the end, had to drill it out. I got it out, but it left an ugly hole in the ring, focus no longer moves smoothly and the end stops at infinity and 2’8” have gone. I could probably live with this, but the saga isn’t over yet.
My problem now is that the camera seems to be stuck in bulb mode. With the battery out it fires as expected, but with the battery in the shutter stays open as long as you hold the button, whether set to B, auto or flash. Yesterday, I took the top and bottom plates off again to see what I could see. All looked fine, POD was still in place, but I found that the rod under the POD wasn't latching on the lever in the base. It was fine before, so maybe being held on bulb stretched something. Anyway, I adjusted it so it now latches. When I reassembled the camera, it’s still misbehaving, but now the shutter stays open after releasing the button and only closes when you wind-on the film.
So, morals of above are ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it’ and ‘when you’re in a hole, stop digging’.
And my question is, does anyone know what’s wrong and how to fix it?
And a supplementary question; I have considered the possibility of swapping the lens, meter and electronic gubbins from the parts body (though I don’t know for sure that one works). The parts body is a series 1 Electro. Will the swapped parts work in the GT body? I know I’ll lose the 1000ASA capability and the word ‘Color’ (it’s misspelled anyway) from the lens. Battery check light isn’t a problem as I’ll just swap the plate with the window for the indicator light over.
I think the silver lens on the black body would look rather natty.
farlymac
PF McFarland
You could get a junk GT for parts so that everything is original. When you drilled out the screw, did you make sure to do a teardown on the lens body to remove all the chips? You didn't drill too deep, did you?
PF
PF
Noll
Well-known
I think most of us have done something like this at some point - 'fixing' our cameras into oblivion! I wish I could offer more advice, but at least you've killed my plans to fix the horizontal alignment of my own rf's. Good luck.
ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
Well, I have had very good results by sending mis-functioning Yashicas to Mark Hama. They come back working like new. How long will be have the benefit of this talent (and his reservoir of parts)?
Get your Electros fixed up now!
Get your Electros fixed up now!
mzsaunders
Newbie
Thanks for tips Farleymac and ColSebastianMoran. I already bought a junt GT on Ebay for £8.50 listed as 'not known to be working'. It hasn't arrived yet. You never know, it may only want for a battery, lightseals and POD, so could replace the GT as the live body. Thing is, I can't help thinking I'd need 1000ASA one day.
I'll keep Mark Hama up my sleeve; I don't think my GT warrants the cost of repair, especially as it will involve shipping from England to GA and back.
Noll, I'm delighted that my sorry tale has kept you on the straight and narrow. If my memory serves me, my junk Electro started out as a working one that I, to use your excellent phrase 'fixed into oblivion'. I've done the same with a Zorki (which was probably beyond saving) and two AF zooms for my Pentax SLRs.
Come to think of it, the GT was the only camera I ever 'fixed better' when I did the original POD repair. I did seals on my Konica C35, but don't count that as a repair, as it didn't involve any disassembly.
Next time I'm tempted, I'll re-read my original post here first!
I'll keep Mark Hama up my sleeve; I don't think my GT warrants the cost of repair, especially as it will involve shipping from England to GA and back.
Noll, I'm delighted that my sorry tale has kept you on the straight and narrow. If my memory serves me, my junk Electro started out as a working one that I, to use your excellent phrase 'fixed into oblivion'. I've done the same with a Zorki (which was probably beyond saving) and two AF zooms for my Pentax SLRs.
Come to think of it, the GT was the only camera I ever 'fixed better' when I did the original POD repair. I did seals on my Konica C35, but don't count that as a repair, as it didn't involve any disassembly.
Next time I'm tempted, I'll re-read my original post here first!
mzsaunders
Newbie
Update
Update
I stripped the lens back to the shutter and found that it isn't moving freely. I assume that as it isn't opening fully, the firing process isn't able to complete.
I've tried freeing it up with some lighter fluid and got it moving better. It's still sticking more often than not, but a few times hasn't. At the moment, it's back to doing what it was before, but I've probably put a bit too much naptha on it, so am going to park it for a while to evaporate and see whether that fixes it.
My theory is that there was a bit of gunge on the shutter blades and holding the shutter open while I was trying to correct the focus allowed it to gum things up.
Strange thing is that if I take the battery out and fire it, it shows no sign of sticking, which would suggest an electrical, rather than mechanical issue.
Update
I stripped the lens back to the shutter and found that it isn't moving freely. I assume that as it isn't opening fully, the firing process isn't able to complete.
I've tried freeing it up with some lighter fluid and got it moving better. It's still sticking more often than not, but a few times hasn't. At the moment, it's back to doing what it was before, but I've probably put a bit too much naptha on it, so am going to park it for a while to evaporate and see whether that fixes it.
My theory is that there was a bit of gunge on the shutter blades and holding the shutter open while I was trying to correct the focus allowed it to gum things up.
Strange thing is that if I take the battery out and fire it, it shows no sign of sticking, which would suggest an electrical, rather than mechanical issue.
farlymac
PF McFarland
It has a 1/500 default speed when the battery dies, so you can keep using it with Sunny-16 calculations. So in bright daylight with 100 ISO film, you would set the aperture at f8, and shoot away. Udjusting for shadows, and when the sun goes behind clouds, of course.
With the lighter fluid treatment, it's best to remove the assembly from the camera, and really flood it two or three times, blowing it dry with an air bulb between floods. Check the electromagnets to make sure nothing is sticking to them.
PF
With the lighter fluid treatment, it's best to remove the assembly from the camera, and really flood it two or three times, blowing it dry with an air bulb between floods. Check the electromagnets to make sure nothing is sticking to them.
PF