[jenniferk]

Kia ora!

I’ve just picked up a Pentax P30N - got given it for free because it had some shutter issues.

I took a look and the mirror was locked down - I followed some advice on this forum and found that the rear shutter was down, so I lifted it and the mirror came back up!

Now it’s doing this interesting thing where the shutter only fires every second wind. After hunting through this forum again, I found someone who had a similar problem and got around it by winding a half and then a full each time, which is working for me too! Only every now and then, the film wind will stick one thirds, and the shutter won’t fire, and the LEDS go dark as if the camera has no power.

I’d love an idea of where to start looking to repair this! I have a repair manual and am willing to give it a shot. It seems like a power or battery issue - I have new batteries in it, right way up! Maybe some contacts need cleaning?

Thanks for all your help!

[MarkJerling]

Welcome to the forum. Can't help you with the P30T, sorry. SFX, yes.

[TwoUptons]

Have you developed any film out of it yet? I have a sneaking suspicion that your "wind and a half" may actually be winding the film on farther than it should.

There are some shutter issues with the older cameras (MEs and MESupers) where they exhibit similar behavior.
I know the insides of a P30 are different, but it may be a similar thing... so my first guess would be flaky mechanical behavior that shows up with some electric side-effects...
Like something is slipping, and it takes the extra winding to get it to complete its cycle, and if it doesn't quite, the electrics lose their minds.

I'm not a camera tech, so take that with a lick of salt...

-Eric

[jenniferk]

I haven’t put a test roll through yet, so not sure! The counter only moves forward one per ‘wind and a half’, but we’ll have to see!

I might take off the bottom plate and see what I can see - might be something mechanical with the shutter release?

[officiousbystander]

I have had and disposed of two P30s with similar problems. They weren't built to last. If you've developed an interest in Pentax keep the lens and buy an MX or even an ME Super. ME Supers can have film advance problems also but I find all they need is a little love. You have to use them or they start to jam up a little. Nevertheless with this camera you don't know if there's an issue until you run a roll through.

[mcvegan]

I've had a p30t since they were new but it was in its bag for a couple years. I took it out and the mirror was stuck (fixed that) and now it does the shutter, one wind, and two winds. argh! anyway--my other p30t, p30n, or p3 don't have this mirror/shutter problem. just my old, dear p30t I've had for 30 years. I'd love to get an answer how to clean it.
I have an ME and ME super I am hoping to fix so I know the infinite issue is. so I have what I need to get in there and do that.

[andrewd]

working P30Ts can be had so cheap that it is not worth repairing unless you want to do so for the fun of it. I believe your problem is a mechanical problem with the gear train under the base plate of the camera, at the end of the wind stroke there is some sort of linkage that sets the shutter to cocked state. Your camera is failing to do this on every wind cycle, meaning you will have some blank frames (the film is still being wound). I saw the issue explained online so a bit of searching should find a solution.

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Last edited by andrewd; 02-26-2023 at 12:51 AM.

[kypfer]

I've accrued a P30t, a P30n and an ME Super with similar problems.
So far I've removed the base plate on each one and "fiddled and poked" and swilled a bit of solvent into likely-looking places.
The nature of the symptoms has changed on a couple of the bodies … the mirror no longer sticks up ,,, but getting the shutter to release reliably, (even at 1/125 on the ME Super) … is being a bit more problematic.
I found an illustrated strip-down for a P30 on-line Pentax P30 winder/mirror stuck repair. - Album on Imgur that looks to be fairly straightforward, if a little long winded (34 stages of disassembly!), which ends up with having to extract the mirror box to access part of the mechanism … so it's not a five-minute job!
There's also a P30 repair article here https://learncamerarepair.com/product.php?product=241
Good luck

[AsahiRaccoon]

working P30Ts can be had so cheap that it is not worth repairing unless you want to do so for the fun of it. I believe your problem is a mechanical problem with the gear train under the base plate of the camera, at the end of the wind stroke there is some sort of linkage that sets the shutter to cocked state. Your camera is failing to do this on every wind cycle, meaning you will have some blank frames (the film is still being wound). I saw the issue explained online so a bit of searching should find a solution.

Yes, I agree! For a P30T, unless one is interested in learning the clockwork inside a camera, looking for the feeling of accomplishment of being able to do DIY repairs, or the camera has some sentimental value attached to it, it is not worth the time and effort.

---------- Post added 02-28-23 at 12:14 PM ----------

Kia ora!

I’ve just picked up a Pentax P30N - got given it for free because it had some shutter issues.

I took a look and the mirror was locked down - I followed some advice on this forum and found that the rear shutter was down, so I lifted it and the mirror came back up!

Now it’s doing this interesting thing where the shutter only fires every second wind. After hunting through this forum again, I found someone who had a similar problem and got around it by winding a half and then a full each time, which is working for me too! Only every now and then, the film wind will stick one thirds, and the shutter won’t fire, and the LEDS go dark as if the camera has no power.

I’d love an idea of where to start looking to repair this! I have a repair manual and am willing to give it a shot. It seems like a power or battery issue - I have new batteries in it, right way up! Maybe some contacts need cleaning?

Thanks for all your help!

@andrewd is right about the mechanical issues in the winding cycle and shutter cocking. The only thing I worry more than this is that the LEDs go dark. Does it happen when you try press down the shutter button all the way to fire the shutter? Do you need to turn off then turn on the camera to get the LEDs light up again? I am asking because you might have an electrical issue too.