645 mirror stuck in up position

gawan · 11-15-2011, 04:34 AM

After some time I took my Pentax 645 to shoot some B&W's. But I found a problem. For some reason the mirror is stuck in the up-position and won't come down. The lever in the side does not do anything. Any idea what might be wrong, and what to try? I don't remember any issues after the last time I used this camera.

I may have to old batteries, but at the moment don't have new ones available. But batteries should not be an issue here, right?

drougge · 11-16-2011, 11:58 AM

While I don't have my manual handy I suspect the mirror gets stuck up if the batteries are dead. There's a key somewhere under the camera that you can attach on the left side to wind the mirror down (also advances the film and cocks the shutter). If you have a little battery juice left (the shutter is electronic) you can probably take pictures like this. Or maybe you only get 1/1000.

But really, just get new batteries.

(I'm assuming the lever you're talking about is the DOF preview lever, which isn't supposed to do anything with the mirror.)

Spare Tire · 11-20-2011, 06:31 PM

I've had this happen before because of dead batteries. Didn't know there was a place to wind the mirror down or cock the shutter or advance the film.
My mirror was half way down, so i just flicked it down with my finger.

gawan · 11-21-2011, 03:38 PM

Thanks guys, and yes the battery seems to be the problem and the answer.
And yes the lever had nothing to do with the mirror, I use this camera so seldom I mistakenly thought it was the mirror up lever :-(

11-15-2011, 04:34 AM	#1
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400	645 mirror stuck in up position After some time I took my Pentax 645 to shoot some B&W's. But I found a problem. For some reason the mirror is stuck in the up-position and won't come down. The lever in the side does not do anything. Any idea what might be wrong, and what to try? I don't remember any issues after the last time I used this camera. I may have to old batteries, but at the moment don't have new ones available. But batteries should not be an issue here, right?

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11-16-2011, 11:58 AM	#2
drougge Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Malmö Photos: Gallery Posts: 787	While I don't have my manual handy I suspect the mirror gets stuck up if the batteries are dead. There's a key somewhere under the camera that you can attach on the left side to wind the mirror down (also advances the film and cocks the shutter). If you have a little battery juice left (the shutter is electronic) you can probably take pictures like this. Or maybe you only get 1/1000. But really, just get new batteries. (I'm assuming the lever you're talking about is the DOF preview lever, which isn't supposed to do anything with the mirror.)

11-20-2011, 06:31 PM	#3
Spare Tire Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Montréal Posts: 118	I've had this happen before because of dead batteries. Didn't know there was a place to wind the mirror down or cock the shutter or advance the film. My mirror was half way down, so i just flicked it down with my finger.

11-21-2011, 03:38 PM	#4
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400 Original Poster	Thanks guys, and yes the battery seems to be the problem and the answer. And yes the lever had nothing to do with the mirror, I use this camera so seldom I mistakenly thought it was the mirror up lever :-(

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