if the mirror is stuck then just unscrew the lens, if the mirror is in the down position you'll see it. if its up you will just see the back of it (matte black painted) up against where the focusing screen would be. it sounds to me like the mirror is stuck in the up position. that's the only reason the viewfinder would be completely black. could be an easy fix with a replacement of the seals (something I would recommend regardless) or could require more work like that of a basic CLA. when the meter switch is working properly it will stay in the 'up' position until the shutter is depressed, (make sure you press it all the way up so that it 'clicks' into place) but if the mirror is stuck in the up position for any reason, then the switch will
not stay in the up position because the meter is connected to the mirror mechanism. you said the shutter fires and advances normally? open the back of the camera, and watch the shutter. does it advance properly? does the advance lever advance after each depress of the shutter? my questioning is to determine wether the stuck mirror is due to just being stuck to the bumper or due to a failed shutter, as this can cause the mirror to not drop down, if the shutter doesn't go through a complete cycle.
would you mind removing the lens and taking a photo of the front of the camera for us to see? it would help to diagnose the problem.
Last edited by séamuis; 01-01-2012 at 10:30 AM.