I am wondering if anyone can help me here. I have a Konica T3 SLR and I took a photo with it (at the camera store) and they said that the mirror has locked up on it. The shutter is closed and you can depress the stutter release button (nothing happens though), but the film advance lever won't advance. If you look though the viewfinder, it is just black, and if you take off the lens there is no mirror there.

Any help? I called the repair store and they may want $65-100+ to fix it, but I can't afford that.

Thanks,

Mike.

-- Anonymous, November 18, 2000

Answers

Mirror Lock-Up

Mike, Try the following: remove the bottom plate (take off screws and remove battery cover). Inside you will see a semi-circular plate attached to the wind lever shaft with an arm connected to it. This arm actually reaches all the way over to the mirror box and is part of the linkage that arms and releases the mirror as well as cocking the shutter. Sometimes these linkages will gum up or bind. Try very, very carefully moving them or lifting them slightly. If the problem is to do with the linkage, this should release them. DO NOT force anything. If this is the problem, once released, you should place a bit of graphite (a very tiny bit) on the sliding surfaces where they meet. Don't use petroleum-based lubes as this will cause the surfaces to accumulate gunk over a quite short time. Besides, petrol-based stuff can seep and get slung all over the interior and won't protect against wear very well. Please let me know how you made out. Anyone else have some ideas?

Jon from Deepinaharta, Georgia

-- Anonymous, November 18, 2000

I'm not panicing!? Who's Panicing?!? :(

Hi Jon,

Thanks for the advice. You are indeed a genius! The Mirror as reset itself again. BUT (I wish there wasn't a but) I have 2 things wrong now:

1. The light meter don't work. (even with another set of batteries I took out of my Konica T) 2. The camera automaticly fires after you completely advance the flim level.

Am I in a worse position now than I was before? I don't know what I did wrong.

Any help would be appreciated.

Mike.

-- Anonymous, November 18, 2000

Better description of last problem I am having

Thought I would explain what is happening in more detail myself:

In reguards to the camera autofiring once the film advance lever is let go of here is what happens:

1. Advance the film lever to its furthest postion (normal film advance happens) (counter counts by +1) 2. When the film lever is let go of, the camera fires immediately (fires with correct shutter speed) (if you use the self-timer, it will work "properly") (the setting "B" does not work though, and when "B" is used inconjunction with and without the self timer, camera will auto fire)

NOTE: This almost sounds like there is something wrong with the shutter release button on top like something is holding it down).

Process camera goes though without using the self-timer:

A. Film lever advanced to maximum: (mirror is up) (shutter curtain is up) (front parts completed their clockwise movement)

B. Let go of film advance lever: (immediately the camera fires doing:) (shutter starts to lower, exposing film) (mirror is released, all front parts complete their counter-clockwise movement)

Does this help more?

Mike. michael.lepard@home.com

-- Anonymous, November 18, 2000

Don't Worry...etc. Self-Help In The Konica World

Folks, I have answered Mike in a private e-mail as best I could, so as to avoid feeling responsible for others who may try the same things, but for some problem outside of what Mike is experiencing. Besides, I'm no repair tech. Having said that, I do believe we each of us should have basic knowledge of the inner workings of our mechanical bodies. Not only can it get expensive having this and that simple "fix" done by a tech, I personally abhor having my cameras out of my hands for any length of time. So, out of sheer survival of my sanity as well as my pocketbook, I learned what little I know and applied common sense to come up with a few workable tricks. I don't mind sharing them with everyone, but realize that these fix-it tips are just a starting point in most cases to finding out just what is wrong with a camera that is malfunctioning. As these bodies age, more and more things will go wrong, most not of the death-knell variety, but, rather, of the creaking joint type. Do your basic maintenance on these cameras, they need it, now. However, for any real repair situation, we are blessed with a person who is dedicated to getting these things back to work. I refer, of course, to Greg Weber. As a matter of course, I recommend a CLA every so often, even when the body is functioning as it should. Another side benefit to doing your own checkups is that you have some idea what to tell the repair tech who is going to fix your camera. You wouldn't believe how that helps. Well, I guess I'm done spouting off, now. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Jon from Deepinaharta, Georgia

-- Anonymous, November 18, 2000

Self-Help In The Konica World

Hi Jon

I agree with you 100%. Although I don't have any mechanical knowledge of any of my Konica bodies and am a little afraid of screwing things up more than they are. Generally I send them off to be repaired. My only gripe is that it ALWAYS seems to be $90.00 to fix them! Except for my FT-1's they are probably not all worth that. My most reliable body is my original T2 that has ONLY the foam lighttrap in the door replaced over these 27 years I have had it. My first FT-1 and the TC-X went to Konica for CLA and came back with about $160 (for both) in repairs. The FS-1 went to a shop (reccommended by Konica) in NYC and came back at $90.00 and my T3 so far doesn't seem to need anything neither does my other FT-1 I just got.

Althoug I have never sent anything to Greg Weber I DID contact him about the FS-1 but he didn't have the necessary parts. Jon, What does he charge for a CLA?

-- Anonymous, November 18, 2000

Repair Manuals

Jon,

In connection with your thoughts on the need to be somewhat self-sufficient, I am wondering if you happen to own (or ever found it helpful to refer to) the official Konica technical repair/servicing manual for the particular Konica model. These manuals occasionally come up on eBay and there is at least one Seller who appears to earn his living from reprinting technical camera manuals. They often go for prices that exceed the cost of the camera bodies themselves!

Your comments would be appreciated as always.

Regards, John

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2000

Repair Manuals

John, I have not until now needed such deep repair knowledge. Mostly, by troubleshooting (read poking around) what I have coupled with what little knowledge I have from bodging around with other cameras, I have avoided the need. While not averse to stripping a camera down and looking around to see if the problem is easily fixable, I shy away from tackling truly technical stuff and let someone who knows what they are doing do the craftwork. That being said, I have in the past (and present) been known to putz around with inter-lens shutters and the like with the aid of tech manuals. Now, I am not against someone making a living by selling these, BUT I have to question the wisdom of the folks willing to pay those prices. One guy sells a manual on Prontor shutters and another on Compur shutters (and sets a ridiculous reserve), lowballs the opening price, and sits back for the feeding frenzy. The thing is, these same manuals are available from other sources for a reasonable price elsewhere. Obviously many people don't bother looking at other options and would rather get into a pissing contest with a skunk just for the convenience and thrill of bidding against others. One source (with whom I have no connection whatsoever) for such manuals is John Craig at www.craigcamera.com. I can tell you with assurance that his prices beat the tar out of e-Bay hawkers'.

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2000

Common T3 problem

Hi again Mike,

The "pre-firing" shutter problem you noted is pretty common to T3's, from what I've heard. I "think" it may have to do with wear and maybe over-lubrication of the mechanism. At least, my T3 never missed a beat until AFTER I'd had it CLA'ed a few years ago. Then it started doing the same as yours. Not every time, but often enough to waste a lot of film.

Without film in the camera, I simply cocked and fired the shutter a number of times and it gradually "got better"... finally stopped "pre-firing" entirely.

As to the mirror lockup problem, in addition to the other response you got, I'd also look closely at the light seals. When they get old, the glue sometimes leaks through and makes them gummy, could cause things to stick. Alternative, one could slip out of place and be causing the mirror to lock, as well.

Cheers!

Alan

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000