Pentax lx (again)

jcs0001 · 07-16-2018, 07:02 AM

I posted a couple of weeks ago about problems with the battery compartment on my newly acquired lx. It was easily solved so I put a roll of film through the camera after treating the mirror supports with a bit of graphite powder. The mirror is no longer sticky however I had suspicions that the focus was out a bit and the photos confirmed this.

Distant shots and those with a small aperture are great however closeups particularly with a large aperture are out of focus.

The only other thing wrong with the camera is that the shutter lock does not work.

This weekend I got in touch with Eric at PentaxRepairs and he advised that he is no longer working on LX models.

Being in Western Canada I am now looking for a reputable firm or individual who can do a cla on the camera. Of all my film slr's I find that this one is the nicest to use - great meter, large viewfinder area and great features.

If all else fails I am considering replacing the mirror supports and by trial and error adjusting their thickness. That is a last resort however and I am not prepared to tear into the guts of it to try to fix the shutter lock.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

John.

**jatrax** · 07-16-2018, 08:02 AM

Try Advance Camera in Portland, Oregon (503) 292-6996 I've no idea if they can help but they do have a Pentax tech on staff who has done work for me.

Advance Camera Repair

murrelet · 07-16-2018, 09:24 AM

I can second Advance Camera. Paul Gatineau is the Pentax specialist. The last time they did some work for me a few months ago they where a bit backlogged. Paul might be able to refer you to someone local.

stevebrot · 07-16-2018, 09:38 AM

There may be a repair place in the Lower Mainland that might be able to help. With any luck maybe one our Vancouver, BC film-shooting members will weigh in with suggestions. @gofour3 ???

Steve

Last edited by stevebrot; 07-16-2018 at 09:46 AM.

**pentageek** · 07-16-2018, 10:06 AM

Accordingly to service manual the operation is relatively simple - as long as you have proper tools

Beware of 'specialists' who try to adjust the mirror by glueing extra layer of rubber on mirror limiter - it is not going to work (verified with my LX, unfortunately).

**boriscleto** · 07-16-2018, 10:27 AM

Originally posted by jcs0001

This weekend I got in touch with Eric at PentaxRepairs and he advised that he is no longer working on LX models.
.

Did he tell you why he isn't working on the LX anymore?

**ChrisPlatt** · 07-16-2018, 11:28 AM

Originally posted by boriscleto

Did he tell you why he isn't working on the LX anymore?

Pentax LX repair is still listed as an available service on his pentaxs.com website.

I do recall hearing that the parts required to overhaul an LX body are becoming scarce.

Chris

jcs0001 · 07-16-2018, 12:45 PM

Thanks for the reply's and ideas.

1) no reason given by Eric as to why he isn't repairing the lx anymore.
2) I found an older post with a suggestion that Computech Camera Repair in Winnipeg is good. I sent them an email and received a response shortly thereafter. I've decided to send the camera in and get an estimate towards getting it fixed.

I would consider sending it south (was willing to do so if Eric could have repaired it as he has an excellent reputation) but lately I've had very bad luck with Canada customs and I'm not willing to test them out further. I could see fees, taxes and the like amounting to 1/2 (or more) the value of repairs and they are likely to delay it for a couple of months.

I will update this thread as I hear more.

Thanks again,

John.

Eyewanders · 07-17-2018, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by ChrisPlatt

Pentax LX repair is still listed as an available service on his pentaxs.com website.

I do recall hearing that the parts required to overhaul an LX body are becoming scarce.

Chris

From the conversations I had with him when he last saw mine, which is nearly 2 years back now, he told me at that point he was considering ceasing work on these, both for parts becoming scarce and due to the increasing circuit board issues he was encountering that he usually could not resolve.

**Odinz** · 07-17-2018, 02:04 PM

Eric told me the same thing a little over a year ago. Mine came up with a circuit board issue and at first he said I was out of luck as he was out of boards and unless I could find another LX with the same board (apparently there were 3 different ones) there was nothing he could do. He then emailed me back the next day and said that he found an one that he had been using for parts at it's board matched mine - phew! I still own one LX body that Eric refurbished two years ago, now that he doesn't work on them anymore hopefully mine will continue to work for many years to come.

**gofour3** · 07-17-2018, 02:22 PM

Yeah that's a shame, lots of LXs are going to end up as paper weights if no one can CLA them.

Phil.

Wheatfield · 07-17-2018, 04:39 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by jcs0001

Thanks for the reply's and ideas.

1) no reason given by Eric as to why he isn't repairing the lx anymore.
2) I found an older post with a suggestion that Computech Camera Repair in Winnipeg is good. I sent them an email and received a response shortly thereafter. I've decided to send the camera in and get an estimate towards getting it fixed.

I would consider sending it south (was willing to do so if Eric could have repaired it as he has an excellent reputation) but lately I've had very bad luck with Canada customs and I'm not willing to test them out further. I could see fees, taxes and the like amounting to 1/2 (or more) the value of repairs and they are likely to delay it for a couple of months.

I will update this thread as I hear more.

Thanks again,

John.

I've dealt with Computech many times in the past. My equipment always came back in perfect condition from there.

Eyewanders · 07-17-2018, 06:28 PM

Originally posted by Odinz

Eric told me the same thing a little over a year ago. Mine came up with a circuit board issue and at first he said I was out of luck as he was out of boards and unless I could find another LX with the same board (apparently there were 3 different ones) there was nothing he could do. He then emailed me back the next day and said that he found an one that he had been using for parts at it's board matched mine - phew! I still own one LX body that Eric refurbished two years ago, now that he doesn't work on them anymore hopefully mine will continue to work for many years to come.

Yup. You came out ahead of me. Mine still has the issue - it visited him twice, the second time for nearly 4 months. That was about 2 years ago (three?). Oddly though, it's been doing it a LOT less lately, and it does it even more infrequently (maybe once a roll if that) if I have the winder attached and use it to film advance. Not a clue what that could mean.

---------- Post added 07-17-18 at 06:30 PM ----------

Originally posted by gofour3

Yeah that's a shame, lots of LXs are going to end up as paper weights if no one can CLA them.

Indeed. I already shoot mine fairly infrequently simply because it isn't quite trustworthy. A real shame.

jcs0001 · 07-18-2018, 05:30 AM

Wheatfield - good information to have. I doubt they will need parts to repair my lx so am really hoping that they can get it back in shape again. It's a lovely camera.

John.

**Odinz** · 07-18-2018, 09:59 AM

Originally posted by chickentender

and it does it even more infrequently (maybe once a roll if that) if I have the winder attached and use it to film advance. Not a clue what that could mean.

---------- Post added 07-17-18 at 06:30 PM ----------

Mine used to have an issue where the shutter would stay open even on bright sunny days which happened most often when I had the winder or motor drive turned on. Many times the only way to get it to close would be to turn the winder or motor drive off or remove them completely. It used to happen less frequently when I just used a bare camera. It seemed to have started not long after I had the battery cells replaced in the LX power battery pack so I haven't used the motor drive since Eric replaced the board just in case.

07-16-2018, 07:02 AM	#1
jcs0001 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Okanagan Valley, B.C. Posts: 28	Pentax lx (again) I posted a couple of weeks ago about problems with the battery compartment on my newly acquired lx. It was easily solved so I put a roll of film through the camera after treating the mirror supports with a bit of graphite powder. The mirror is no longer sticky however I had suspicions that the focus was out a bit and the photos confirmed this. Distant shots and those with a small aperture are great however closeups particularly with a large aperture are out of focus. The only other thing wrong with the camera is that the shutter lock does not work. This weekend I got in touch with Eric at PentaxRepairs and he advised that he is no longer working on LX models. Being in Western Canada I am now looking for a reputable firm or individual who can do a cla on the camera. Of all my film slr's I find that this one is the nicest to use - great meter, large viewfinder area and great features. If all else fails I am considering replacing the mirror supports and by trial and error adjusting their thickness. That is a last resort however and I am not prepared to tear into the guts of it to try to fix the shutter lock. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, John.

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07-16-2018, 08:02 AM	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Try Advance Camera in Portland, Oregon (503) 292-6996 I've no idea if they can help but they do have a Pentax tech on staff who has done work for me. Advance Camera Repair

07-16-2018, 09:24 AM	#3
murrelet Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Portland, OR, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 506	I can second Advance Camera. Paul Gatineau is the Pentax specialist. The last time they did some work for me a few months ago they where a bit backlogged. Paul might be able to refer you to someone local.

07-16-2018, 09:38 AM	#4
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	There may be a repair place in the Lower Mainland that might be able to help. With any luck maybe one our Vancouver, BC film-shooting members will weigh in with suggestions. @gofour3 ??? Steve Last edited by stevebrot; 07-16-2018 at 09:46 AM.

07-16-2018, 10:06 AM	#5
pentageek Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 420	Accordingly to service manual the operation is relatively simple - as long as you have proper tools Beware of 'specialists' who try to adjust the mirror by glueing extra layer of rubber on mirror limiter - it is not going to work (verified with my LX, unfortunately).

07-16-2018, 10:27 AM	#6
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,475	Originally posted by jcs0001 This weekend I got in touch with Eric at PentaxRepairs and he advised that he is no longer working on LX models. . Did he tell you why he isn't working on the LX anymore?

07-16-2018, 11:28 AM	#7
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,694	Originally posted by boriscleto Did he tell you why he isn't working on the LX anymore? Pentax LX repair is still listed as an available service on his pentaxs.com website. I do recall hearing that the parts required to overhaul an LX body are becoming scarce. Chris

07-16-2018, 12:45 PM	#8
jcs0001 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Okanagan Valley, B.C. Posts: 28 Original Poster	Thanks for the reply's and ideas. 1) no reason given by Eric as to why he isn't repairing the lx anymore. 2) I found an older post with a suggestion that Computech Camera Repair in Winnipeg is good. I sent them an email and received a response shortly thereafter. I've decided to send the camera in and get an estimate towards getting it fixed. I would consider sending it south (was willing to do so if Eric could have repaired it as he has an excellent reputation) but lately I've had very bad luck with Canada customs and I'm not willing to test them out further. I could see fees, taxes and the like amounting to 1/2 (or more) the value of repairs and they are likely to delay it for a couple of months. I will update this thread as I hear more. Thanks again, John.

07-17-2018, 11:09 AM	#9
Eyewanders Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Land of the Salish Sea Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,343	Originally posted by ChrisPlatt Pentax LX repair is still listed as an available service on his pentaxs.com website. I do recall hearing that the parts required to overhaul an LX body are becoming scarce. Chris From the conversations I had with him when he last saw mine, which is nearly 2 years back now, he told me at that point he was considering ceasing work on these, both for parts becoming scarce and due to the increasing circuit board issues he was encountering that he usually could not resolve.

07-17-2018, 02:04 PM	#10
Odinz Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Virginia, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 259	Eric told me the same thing a little over a year ago. Mine came up with a circuit board issue and at first he said I was out of luck as he was out of boards and unless I could find another LX with the same board (apparently there were 3 different ones) there was nothing he could do. He then emailed me back the next day and said that he found an one that he had been using for parts at it's board matched mine - phew! I still own one LX body that Eric refurbished two years ago, now that he doesn't work on them anymore hopefully mine will continue to work for many years to come.

07-17-2018, 02:22 PM	#11
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,091	Yeah that's a shame, lots of LXs are going to end up as paper weights if no one can CLA them. Phil.

07-17-2018, 04:39 PM - 1 Like	#12
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by jcs0001 Thanks for the reply's and ideas. 1) no reason given by Eric as to why he isn't repairing the lx anymore. 2) I found an older post with a suggestion that Computech Camera Repair in Winnipeg is good. I sent them an email and received a response shortly thereafter. I've decided to send the camera in and get an estimate towards getting it fixed. I would consider sending it south (was willing to do so if Eric could have repaired it as he has an excellent reputation) but lately I've had very bad luck with Canada customs and I'm not willing to test them out further. I could see fees, taxes and the like amounting to 1/2 (or more) the value of repairs and they are likely to delay it for a couple of months. I will update this thread as I hear more. Thanks again, John. I've dealt with Computech many times in the past. My equipment always came back in perfect condition from there.

07-17-2018, 06:28 PM	#13
Eyewanders Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Land of the Salish Sea Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,343	Originally posted by Odinz Eric told me the same thing a little over a year ago. Mine came up with a circuit board issue and at first he said I was out of luck as he was out of boards and unless I could find another LX with the same board (apparently there were 3 different ones) there was nothing he could do. He then emailed me back the next day and said that he found an one that he had been using for parts at it's board matched mine - phew! I still own one LX body that Eric refurbished two years ago, now that he doesn't work on them anymore hopefully mine will continue to work for many years to come. Yup. You came out ahead of me. Mine still has the issue - it visited him twice, the second time for nearly 4 months. That was about 2 years ago (three?). Oddly though, it's been doing it a LOT less lately, and it does it even more infrequently (maybe once a roll if that) if I have the winder attached and use it to film advance. Not a clue what that could mean. ---------- Post added 07-17-18 at 06:30 PM ---------- Originally posted by gofour3 Yeah that's a shame, lots of LXs are going to end up as paper weights if no one can CLA them. Indeed. I already shoot mine fairly infrequently simply because it isn't quite trustworthy. A real shame.

07-18-2018, 05:30 AM	#14
jcs0001 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Okanagan Valley, B.C. Posts: 28 Original Poster	Wheatfield - good information to have. I doubt they will need parts to repair my lx so am really hoping that they can get it back in shape again. It's a lovely camera. John.

07-18-2018, 09:59 AM	#15
Odinz Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Virginia, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 259	Originally posted by chickentender and it does it even more infrequently (maybe once a roll if that) if I have the winder attached and use it to film advance. Not a clue what that could mean. ---------- Post added 07-17-18 at 06:30 PM ---------- Mine used to have an issue where the shutter would stay open even on bright sunny days which happened most often when I had the winder or motor drive turned on. Many times the only way to get it to close would be to turn the winder or motor drive off or remove them completely. It used to happen less frequently when I just used a bare camera. It seemed to have started not long after I had the battery cells replaced in the LX power battery pack so I haven't used the motor drive since Eric replaced the board just in case.