Flexaret Repair

[Green_Blue]

My Flexaret has been working fine for a couple months ever since I bought it in Prague whilst travelling. But recently it has been acting up. The problem I have is that when I wind the film the shutter fires before I have even pressed the shutter release. Furthermore sometimes when I fire the shutter the aperture blades do not close properly.

My impression is that this would be an easy fix for a repairer but considering my local repairer would charge the price I paid for the camera just to have look at it, I don't think it'll be worth paying to repair.

So that's why I'm here I was just wondering if anyone had a repair manual for the camera or if anyone had any idea what I should do and if this would be easy enough for someone who has never repaired their camera.

[ronnies]

Try looking in The Classic Camera Repair Forum for tips on repairing older cameras.

Ronnie

[hanskerensky]

Probably the cocking stroke of the shutter isn't fully completed. In that case the cocking lever is not arrested at the end of the cocking stroke and returns immediatly and opens the shutter.

This is not something which you could easily address unless the complete shutter happens to be a bit rotated.

[MartinP]

I am the happy owner of a Flexaret VI (with replacement screen) and suggest Cupog on the usual auction-site for either repairs or replacement. It might not be so practical with postage costs from Oz of course. Good luck.

[Green_Blue]

Thanks for the help guys, I guess its not as easy as I thought it would be. I guess I'll have to look around and see if there is a cheap repairer otherwise I might have to forgo this medium format adventure unless I can find a bargain TLR.

[Green_Blue]

Just an update, I have gone about and attempted to disassemble the flexaret the only problem I am having is that whilst I have unscrewed everything under the leatherette on the front there still is a connection between the front and the right of the camera where the film advance is. It would be great if someone could explain how to disconnect this final bit.

[pcp]

Probably it is a problem with stiff oil -- the camera's been sitting for long years in someone's closet without and time did its work.
Disassembly is tricky, as you will have to make an special instrument for unscrewing the part with lenses.

http://www.suaudeau.eu/memo/rep/Repa...I_Automat.html

[funkydog]

Thank you for posting the repair guide. Flexaret repair is definitely for the bold and adventurous. I guess the complexity of the repairs keeps the prices of these cameras low.
My Flexaret VI now requires medical attention after a decade of sleep. My local repair guy flat out refuses to work on it. Pity. It's a beautiful camera but not worth the expense and effort to ship it back and forth with Cupog for repairs either.