Yashica Lynx-14E Repairs

[farlymac]

Got this camera yesterday, and it wasn't in the best of shape. Lots of dirt and crud, a dead meter system, and severe damage to the filter ring. But after an afternoon of work, it's looking and working better now. The meter is only half working, as only the Under light works, so this is something to think about later. I can use it in fully manual, since it is not dependent on the meter, and the shutter is completely mechanical. It still needs seals, but I'm out at the moment, and the filter ring will need some fine adjustment once I get a 58mm filter or hood to check it with.

Tired, dirty, and a little bent.

Condition Survey 1 by br1078phot, on Flickr

The ring dent is about 25mm long, and the front element is scratched.

Condition Survey 6 by br1078phot, on Flickr

Battery wire corroded off of the well which killed the meter circuit.

Broken Connection by br1078phot, on Flickr

All fixed and cleaned up.

Yashica IC Lynx-14E by br1078phot, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7699588@N07/sets/72157629578163303/

PF

[pinkarmy]

i think i have a dead Yashica Electro Half somewhere,
i will dig it out to see if it could be save.
thanks for the tips!

oh, that ring dent repair is magical

[GWT]

I wonder if you may be able to help? I think I'm going to have to operate on my new Lynx 14. The shutter button seems to be stuck, or at least the shutter rod seems to be stuck somewhere inside - the button just flops about and the shutter fires each time I wind on. I took my lynx to a camera repair chap who had a look but was reluctant to remove the leatherette as he didn't want to damage it - Now it's down to me.

I'm going to have to get under the leatherette to remove the plate and I think lens, will the lens just full away when I remove the plate screws? What should I watch out for?

I've not done any repair work before but I suppose that the sooner I learn the better!

[farlymac]

Originally Posted by GWT

I wonder if you may be able to help? I think I'm going to have to operate on my new Lynx 14. The shutter button seems to be stuck, or at least the shutter rod seems to be stuck somewhere inside - the button just flops about and the shutter fires each time I wind on. I took my lynx to a camera repair chap who had a look but was reluctant to remove the leatherette as he didn't want to damage it - Now it's down to me.

I'm going to have to get under the leatherette to remove the plate and I think lens, will the lens just full away when I remove the plate screws? What should I watch out for?

I've not done any repair work before but I suppose that the sooner I learn the better!

The first thing is to have the proper tools. They don't have to be expensive, but cheap will sometimes set you back more than the money involved. And it helps to practice on something you're not worried about messing up. Tearing down a Lynx was not high on my priority list when i started working on cameras.

Here are some sites that I referred to before starting work on the Lynx.

http://feuerbacher.net/photo/frame.h...x14E.html~Main

http://www.yashica-guy.com/index.html

http://www.yashicaddiction.com/

You may be able to unjam your camera from the bottom, without any disassembly other than taking the bottom plate off, and manipulating some levers. But if you figure that you can't fix it yourself, sending it off to http://www.camerarefurb.com/ (our own Russ Sisco) or Mark Hama http://www.markhama.com/ in Atlanta would be far better than to have a broken pile of parts.

Again, it's not the camera to start learning how to do any kind of repair work on. I've been a repairman my entire professional life, but only got into working on cameras due to circumstances. I started by going to the charity shops, and buying P&S cameras that were usually only a dollar or two. Then after taking them home, doing a complete workover to find their faults, and fix the ones I could. Then I started in on the simpler cameras in my collection, fully researching all I could about them before turning the first screw. If you can, get the two volumes by Tomosy on camera repair (maybe your local library will have them to check out).

Good luck!

PF

[GWT]

farlymac, many thanks for your reply.

I would rather get someone else to do the repair and certainly Russ or Mark look like the perfect people however I live in the UK and I don't fancy having to ship the Lynx over to them.

I definitely take on your warning of "fail to prepare is to prepare to fail" the last thing I want is to be left with is a pile of blots and screws. I've managed to find Tomosy's book 1 at my library, so I've got that on order.

The repair guy i went to see seemed to think there may be something stuck next to the the shutter rod as when he took off the base plate he could push the rod back into the firing position, but once the shutter button was pressed it would just stay down again.

[farlymac]

Originally Posted by GWT

farlymac, many thanks for your reply.

I would rather get someone else to do the repair and certainly Russ or Mark look like the perfect people however I live in the UK and I don't fancy having to ship the Lynx over to them.

I definitely take on your warning of "fail to prepare is to prepare to fail" the last thing I want is to be left with is a pile of blots and screws. I've managed to find Tomosy's book 1 at my library, so I've got that on order.

The repair guy i went to see seemed to think there may be something stuck next to the the shutter rod as when he took off the base plate he could push the rod back into the firing position, but once the shutter button was pressed it would just stay down again.

Then Monopix is your man. He's also a member here. Look him up.

PF

[GWT]

Many thanks for your help, I've found Monopix website and i'll give him a shout.

[farlymac]

Finally got the 58mm hood in from China, and used it to help me finish rounding the filter ring. It now goes on smooth, and I'll have no qualms about mounting a filter once I get some. I'll be heading to the camera shop on my monthly visit next week to find some.


P1070453_2 by br1078phot, on Flickr

One of six more photos I posted on Flickr at the end of the set. One showing the lens scratches, another of a spanner I made for the name ring on the lens, and the rest are shots of the hood and various caps for the lens.

PF

[raid]

Originally Posted by GWT

Many thanks for your help, I've found Monopix website and i'll give him a shout.

I also need monopix!
edit: Just realized that he lives in the UK.

[farlymac]

Yeah, Russ and Mark would be a lot closer to you, Raid.

PF