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06-27-2017, 09:11 AM   #1
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Pentax 645 repair

I have a friend who has a 645 from his studies photography. Recently the camera went dead: as far as I can tell the shutter died. He already sent it to Pentax with a quote of 800€. Since you can have this camera for less second hand he declined repair.

Now the question: are their third party repair shops who can handle the Pentax 645?

I already looked at Harrow Technical, but on their website they say they don't do 645's:
QuoteQuote:
Sorry, we do not now repair ES, ESII, 110, 645, 67II, Spotmeters, Flashguns, Binoculars, Digital models.
Are there others?

06-27-2017, 11:17 AM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pentaxke Quote
Are there others?
Check here for potential repair facilities:

Pentax Repair Facilities (Wordwide listing) - PentaxForums.com
06-27-2017, 02:02 PM - 2 Likes   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pentaxke Quote
Recently the camera went dead: as far as I can tell the shutter died. He already sent it to Pentax with a quote of 800€. Since you can have this camera for less second hand he declined repair.

Now the question: are their third party repair shops who can handle the Pentax 645?

Are there others?
What was the repair estimate from Pentax? In other words, did they detail what had to be fixed or replaced? By far, the most common issue with the 645 is the power grip. Corrosion on the battery contacts is the #1 problem. Then sometimes itʻs the contact between the grip and the body that needs cleaning. If he knows of anyone else with a 645 that is working, and can just test his with the other power grip....

Has he tried to use the camera manually? By unscrewing the manual winding knob on the bottom of the camera, he can then attach it to the side with the manual winding screw. This manual knob doubles as the shutter release in manual. Does the camera work with manual winding and shutter release? Remember, you can only test the shutter release with film or with the back cover plate on (used when no back is on the camera).

Also, has he checked the power on his lithium battery cell on the bottom of the camera? By taking the power grip off and taking the cell out, you can sort of reboot the camera if itʻs a electronic glitch.

For repairs, have you inquired with keh.com? Bit of a hassle for you because of EU v. US but I canʻt imagine what would cost 800 euros short of a total overhaul of gears, motor, CPU, etc. Iʻve attached the ownerʻs manual for his reference.

Last edited by Alex645; 03-01-2018 at 12:11 PM.
06-27-2017, 02:52 PM   #4
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@strawman: I was not aware that there was a post for that. Thanks and sorry for the inconvenience...

@Alex: these I will have to check with my friend. But thanks already for your long explanation!

Ur great guys!

06-27-2017, 03:12 PM   #5
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Marc,
Please let us know how it all works out so we too can learn from you and your friend's experience. Good luck!
06-28-2017, 11:29 AM   #6
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Alex, will do. I just informed my friend and will report back when he answers...
06-29-2017, 01:34 PM   #7
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Quick update:

I got the camera from my friend to have a look what was possibly going on. Turns out as a half succes: the battery contacts were corroded, cleaned them and camera is now operating. However with a caveat: I can doe what I want, the camera stays in M mode, with both aperture locked t f/16 and ss @ 1/1000s. I can select 1/60s and it will do that (I guess, I have no way to checking that accurately) but still @ f/16 and I can also select B and the shutter stays open as long as I keep the shutter button pressed. However it is not possible to select P, Av or Tv. When I press Mode I can select Av, Tv and P, but once I release Mode button, the camera reverses to M (with 1/1000s and f/16.) I cannot for the live of me select another ss than 1/1000s (other than the X=1/60s mode, that I can.)

Anyone an idea what is going on? Is this normal behavior until a film is loaded. I cannot find anything in the manual either... I cannot open the compartment for the Lithium battery so no resetting either.

06-29-2017, 02:39 PM - 1 Like   #8
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Much of what you described I believe is because you do not have film loaded. The camera wants to make it clear that the functions are limited because there is no film loaded.

Also, for P, Av, Tv, is your lens set to the green A on the aperture ring?

For the lithium cell door, you'll need a spanner wrench to open it. It's probably never been opened, so it's possible that the battery corroded and is contributing to the problem. Use a tiny amount some lubricating oil (DB Blaster, WD-40), and let it soak a few minutes before trying to open it. I have a whole collection of specialty tools I've obtained over the years, and they sit unused for years, but I always end up using them again and again.

amazon.com : Neewer Professional Dual Tip Steel Stainless DSLR Lens Spanner Wrench Lens Range Repair Opening Tool for Most DSLR Cameras : Camera & Photo?tag=pentaxforums-20&
06-29-2017, 04:15 PM - 1 Like   #9
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I couldn't sleep until I fixed it, and I think I did (it's way past 1 am here.) The trick with the oil helped. The Lithium battery seemed ok, put it in again and now I can select the other modes. Will only be 100% sure until I test it with film of course, but I think everything works fine now...

Thanks a million Alex. Couldn't have done it with your help...!
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