Pentax A3 SLR stuck mirror

Garce · 06-28-2022, 05:23 PM

Hello all. I recently inherited some cameras from an old friend, including a Pentax A3 SLR. This was an early program camera with a half a dozen lenses. I've some repair work but the thing I can't solve is the flip up mirror. It won't comedown. It moves freely down, bu twhen you let go it flips right back up. Any ideas how this can be reset? Thank you.

**scc** · 06-28-2022, 10:43 PM

Did you check the presence of a fresh battery?

Garce · 07-01-2022, 02:25 PM

The battery chamber needed some repair, which I did, and when I loaded batteries and did the batteries test I got the red light which I think means good. Thank you for your help though. Happy to hear any other ideas you might have,

**TwoUptons** · 07-05-2022, 01:49 PM

Will it run through a cycle other than the mirror coming down?
So if you press the shutter button, will the shutter operate and the film try to wind (even if it's empty)?
Which red light did you say came on?
Do you get the meter indicating inside the viewfinder? (I think the A3 tells you a little in there...)

It sounds like a) the shutter/mirror relationship is no longer as it should be and it needs a real repair... or b) it died in the middle of a cycle when the last set of batteries went, and it just needs something to trip it into completing that last cycle to start it working again...

I don't recall if the A3 stops working properly when empty (some cameras do...). It will probably say in the manual, but you may need to fool it into thinking it has film in it...

-Eric

06-28-2022, 05:23 PM	#1
Garce New Member Join Date: Jun 2022 Posts: 2	Pentax A3 SLR stuck mirror Hello all. I recently inherited some cameras from an old friend, including a Pentax A3 SLR. This was an early program camera with a half a dozen lenses. I've some repair work but the thing I can't solve is the flip up mirror. It won't comedown. It moves freely down, bu twhen you let go it flips right back up. Any ideas how this can be reset? Thank you.

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06-28-2022, 10:43 PM	#2
scc Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 165	Did you check the presence of a fresh battery?

07-01-2022, 02:25 PM	#3
Garce New Member Join Date: Jun 2022 Posts: 2 Original Poster	The battery chamber needed some repair, which I did, and when I loaded batteries and did the batteries test I got the red light which I think means good. Thank you for your help though. Happy to hear any other ideas you might have,

07-05-2022, 01:49 PM	#4
TwoUptons Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,215	Will it run through a cycle other than the mirror coming down? So if you press the shutter button, will the shutter operate and the film try to wind (even if it's empty)? Which red light did you say came on? Do you get the meter indicating inside the viewfinder? (I think the A3 tells you a little in there...) It sounds like a) the shutter/mirror relationship is no longer as it should be and it needs a real repair... or b) it died in the middle of a cycle when the last set of batteries went, and it just needs something to trip it into completing that last cycle to start it working again... I don't recall if the A3 stops working properly when empty (some cameras do...). It will probably say in the manual, but you may need to fool it into thinking it has film in it... -Eric