k1000 mirror stuck with pentax-A Lens

mycroft · 06-24-2009, 11:19 AM

Thanks for the link clm i was looking for that information and had no luck. About the tokina lens when i move the aperture ring the viewfinder does get darker.

According with the link you gave me, the diaphragm release is the one that gets stuck. I tried to reproduce this without the lens. First i push the diaphragm release on the camera's body, later i wind the film, press the shutter and most of the times i tried this the diaphragm release and the mirror stay up just like when i'm using then 50 mm lens. And I have to press the shutter again to release it.

So the problem is with the camera, i got it on a flea market like a month ago. I was excited when i got it but looks like i made a bad choice.

Is there a way to fix this by myself? Here where i live i don't know of any camera repair services. And excuse me for keep bringing this up, but then if i remove the diaphragm actuator from the lens, the lens will be useless?

Thanks for your replies.

mycroft · 06-24-2009, 01:00 PM

Me again, searching in the internet i found a coment about the pentax k1000

*******
I notice people have said the k1000 has no lock-up mirror. I
don't no if this is true of all k1000 cameras, but my mirror locks up.
However, this feature is not mentioned in any of my camera's orginal
literature, nor does it seem to appear in any of the astro-photo books or
even the regular photography books for that matter. In my case, I need to
cock the shutter, and then "flick" the button in a 45 degree downward
motion with my index finger. If you try this with the lense off, you will
notice the mirror flips up and stays up, but the shutter remains
closed
*********

That's exactly what i was talking about my last post, so that's normal, te weird part is how this same thing happens with the lens on.

Nesster · 06-24-2009, 01:01 PM

Well, you can get a M42 adapter and shoot takumars

I've seen some instructions in my past googling, it did not look to be too difficult a job - either something's not mating right or there's gunk in the works. Google's your friend

I have a similar though not as bad problem with my KX - on it opening the lens up gives more resistance than closing it down. And every now and then the meter goes intermittent, probably due to this lever. (I do have a SP where the works are locked, some day I'll fix it, but meanwhile I don't even have a bottom plate for it...)

Nesster · 06-24-2009, 01:23 PM

How to fix a ceased/"stuck" mirror on a Pentax ES Spotmatic
some instructions

A great resource including repair manuals:
Pentax Cameras, Lenses and other Photography Gear - Mark Roberts Photography
http://www.pentax-manuals.com/markroberts/k1000_man.pdf
look here around page 8

clm · 06-25-2009, 04:49 AM

Originally posted by mycroft

...but then if i remove the diaphragm actuator from the lens, the lens will be useless?

Thanks for your replies.

Not useless, but less useful if you repair or replace the camera.

mycroft · 06-29-2009, 12:55 PM

Thanks Nesster for the links. I've been reading the manual this days but no luck, i thought it will be easier but i couldn't be more wrong.

The only unussual thing i saw on the mechanism was that when i put the 50 mm on the camera the Mirror Tensioning Lever moves up about 3 centimeters and comes back to it's position when i take it off.

The thing is that with the lens on i pushed the mirror lever back to it's place with my finger then i tried to load the film an the mirror worked ok, i tried this several times and worked fine none of those times the mirror got stuck.

I don't know if that's really the problem, but if i can find a way to keep the lever on it's place with that lens maybe my problems will be over. What do you think...am i getting nuts.

stevebrot · 06-29-2009, 03:22 PM

Executive Summary:

Your camera body was likely badly damaged at some point by persons/forces unknown
Your Tokina has been modified as a workaround
Please don't do surgery on your Pentax-A lens

From your pictures, it appears that someone has modified the Tokina lens. What you have labeled "Dynamic aperture coupler" is the aperture stop down actuator. Without this lever the lens will always be stopped down.

In all likelihood, the shutter/mirror/actuator mechanism in the camera has been damaged at some point such that the mirror will not drop after an exposure. I had a similar problem with one of my camera bodies. It worked great when no lens is mounted, but jammed up otherwise. This was serious issue for which the repair would have much cost more than the camera was worth.

While someone has modified the Tokina, this is not a good solution to the problem. Better to junk/repair the K1000 than to ruin another lens.

Steve

mycroft · 07-06-2009, 12:38 PM

Thanks for your opinion...and after several tries to fix the camera is time to face the facts...i wasn't a camera repair guy in another life

The A lens is ok and i will not try to remove anything from it. A friend of my cousin gave me the phone of a guy who claims that can fix the camera, but the price is way over of what i paid for the camera, so...new plan.

I'll kepp using the camera with the tokina lens (after all the photos aren't that bad, i wish i could say the same of the photograper

) and i'll try to find another camera and use the knowledge from this experience to make a better buy and in the future give a good use to that A lens.

Thanks everybody for your help.

06-29-2009, 03:22 PM	#22
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Executive Summary: Your camera body was likely badly damaged at some point by persons/forces unknown Your Tokina has been modified as a workaround Please don't do surgery on your Pentax-A lens From your pictures, it appears that someone has modified the Tokina lens. What you have labeled "Dynamic aperture coupler" is the aperture stop down actuator. Without this lever the lens will always be stopped down. In all likelihood, the shutter/mirror/actuator mechanism in the camera has been damaged at some point such that the mirror will not drop after an exposure. I had a similar problem with one of my camera bodies. It worked great when no lens is mounted, but jammed up otherwise. This was serious issue for which the repair would have much cost more than the camera was worth. While someone has modified the Tokina, this is not a good solution to the problem. Better to junk/repair the K1000 than to ruin another lens. Steve

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06-24-2009, 11:19 AM	#16
mycroft New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mexico Posts: 15 Original Poster	Thanks for the link clm i was looking for that information and had no luck. About the tokina lens when i move the aperture ring the viewfinder does get darker. According with the link you gave me, the diaphragm release is the one that gets stuck. I tried to reproduce this without the lens. First i push the diaphragm release on the camera's body, later i wind the film, press the shutter and most of the times i tried this the diaphragm release and the mirror stay up just like when i'm using then 50 mm lens. And I have to press the shutter again to release it. So the problem is with the camera, i got it on a flea market like a month ago. I was excited when i got it but looks like i made a bad choice. Is there a way to fix this by myself? Here where i live i don't know of any camera repair services. And excuse me for keep bringing this up, but then if i remove the diaphragm actuator from the lens, the lens will be useless? Thanks for your replies.

06-24-2009, 01:00 PM	#17
mycroft New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mexico Posts: 15 Original Poster	Me again, searching in the internet i found a coment about the pentax k1000 ***** I notice people have said the k1000 has no lock-up mirror. I don't no if this is true of all k1000 cameras, but my mirror locks up. However, this feature is not mentioned in any of my camera's orginal literature, nor does it seem to appear in any of the astro-photo books or even the regular photography books for that matter. In my case, I need to cock the shutter, and then "flick" the button in a 45 degree downward motion with my index finger. If you try this with the lense off, you will notice the mirror flips up and stays up, but the shutter remains closed ******* That's exactly what i was talking about my last post, so that's normal, te weird part is how this same thing happens with the lens on.

06-24-2009, 01:01 PM	#18
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	Well, you can get a M42 adapter and shoot takumars I've seen some instructions in my past googling, it did not look to be too difficult a job - either something's not mating right or there's gunk in the works. Google's your friend I have a similar though not as bad problem with my KX - on it opening the lens up gives more resistance than closing it down. And every now and then the meter goes intermittent, probably due to this lever. (I do have a SP where the works are locked, some day I'll fix it, but meanwhile I don't even have a bottom plate for it...)

06-24-2009, 01:23 PM	#19
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	How to fix a ceased/"stuck" mirror on a Pentax ES Spotmatic some instructions A great resource including repair manuals: Pentax Cameras, Lenses and other Photography Gear - Mark Roberts Photography http://www.pentax-manuals.com/markroberts/k1000_man.pdf look here around page 8

06-25-2009, 04:49 AM	#20
clm Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 220	Originally posted by mycroft ...but then if i remove the diaphragm actuator from the lens, the lens will be useless? Thanks for your replies. Not useless, but less useful if you repair or replace the camera.

06-29-2009, 12:55 PM	#21
mycroft New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mexico Posts: 15 Original Poster	Thanks Nesster for the links. I've been reading the manual this days but no luck, i thought it will be easier but i couldn't be more wrong. The only unussual thing i saw on the mechanism was that when i put the 50 mm on the camera the Mirror Tensioning Lever moves up about 3 centimeters and comes back to it's position when i take it off. The thing is that with the lens on i pushed the mirror lever back to it's place with my finger then i tried to load the film an the mirror worked ok, i tried this several times and worked fine none of those times the mirror got stuck. I don't know if that's really the problem, but if i can find a way to keep the lever on it's place with that lens maybe my problems will be over. What do you think...am i getting nuts.

07-06-2009, 12:38 PM	#23
mycroft New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mexico Posts: 15 Original Poster	Thanks for your opinion...and after several tries to fix the camera is time to face the facts...i wasn't a camera repair guy in another life The A lens is ok and i will not try to remove anything from it. A friend of my cousin gave me the phone of a guy who claims that can fix the camera, but the price is way over of what i paid for the camera, so...new plan. I'll kepp using the camera with the tokina lens (after all the photos aren't that bad, i wish i could say the same of the photograper ) and i'll try to find another camera and use the knowledge from this experience to make a better buy and in the future give a good use to that A lens. Thanks everybody for your help.