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05-31-2011, 02:23 AM   #76
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My ZX-5n mirror also stuck

It looks like very common problem of these cameras.

05-31-2011, 04:19 PM   #77
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These will occur in these cameras ZX and MZ series.
As I recall forums members have already said that it is not a matter of if it will fail, because it will, but a matter of when.
This also the reason behind why these camera model series don't get a very high resale value.
06-01-2011, 06:44 AM   #78
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QuoteOriginally posted by GerryL Quote
Have you read Violini's review on the Camera Review section?
He also has a summary there of what to do.
Did you take photos of your every step?
Every thing you took apart and where all the wires are soldered or connected to.
Take a photo of every step and everything.

You have to take the 3 screws out. Beware of the rubber cover of the switch just to the right of the screw at the corner left of the LCD 'coz it tends to fall off.
The 2 pillars you have to unsolder and detach from the board (this is easy).
The 4 pillars are the ones that are hard to unsolder 'coz if you heat them up too much, it will detach at the bottom which is not what you would want 'coz it will be hard to resolder once detached at the bottom. Use a solder sucker. Detach only at the top so you can lift up the flex board.
The battery contact, you can just lift up and out since it is just clipped to the battery housing. There should be a screw underneath if you haven't yet taken it off from the first procedure of taking out all of the screws.
TAKE PHOTOS!
I might also need a photo from you since I have to make sure where all the wires go. I have detached some of them and need some photos to proceed again.
I have taken this photo of the top, take a photo of the front too since I haven't seen anybody take a photo of the front without the cover so that you can see where all the wires go or where they are connected.
Hi,

thanks for your reply, I haven't noticed the 2 bottom pillars (near the exposure lock button). I'll take a look at the review section, as well.

I took pictures of every step so far. I'm an electronics engineer and I do have a lot of experience in soldering/desoldering and device assembly/disassembly - yet I think this is one of the most complex designs I have ever seen, from the mechanical standpoint (can't argue with the fact that they squeezed a lot in a very small confined space).

It looks to me that the rest of the process should be fairly the same as with the MZ-50.
06-01-2011, 04:07 PM   #79
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That's what I said too when I tackled this project since I used to fix 2 way radios.
The first time I did it was fairly easy but when I found out that the Panorama feature got stuck, I became careless and as I opened it up again and closed it, I became too confident that I wasn't taking any photos since I thought that all the photos provided would be enough.
In the end, the photos weren't enough and I am now missing solder points.
For one thing, we take for granted the the (short) black grounding wire for the mount. Since, it was fairly easy to solder and unsolder, I didn't bother to look or take a photo were it is really connected on the flex or camera. After a couple of opens and closing of the camera and solder and unsolder, the grounding on my MZ-5n mount detached.
When I realized it, it was too late and now I'm not actually sure where it it supposed to be soldered.
There is another wire (long black one, negative) that is connected on top of the battery contact that snakes underneath the LCD panel but actually goes to the bottom of the camera (?)..I'm not really sure (if really attached at the bottom) but it got detached on mine too since I was turning it over and over.
Can you please take a photo as to where this is connected to, including the ground to the lens mount.

Attached Images
 
11-04-2011, 08:51 PM - 1 Like   #80
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QuoteOriginally posted by CRM-114 Quote
I have once before replaced the whole motor in an MZ5n, and frankly, this was 'intense'. I figured there must be a simpler was. (No slur on the previous guides reproduced here, after all, that's what gave me the impetus to trial this - and it is the 'proper way to do this job).

I also took note of the comments on the cost effectiveness of repairing MZ50 and lesser MZ bodies against the cost of new motors - hence the sourcing of the pinion on its own.

What is to follow is a quick and dirty way of fixing this gear failure.

Technicians and sensitive souls avert your eyes....
Replying to a fairly old post, but I wanted to say yes, this IS possible after all - I couldn't manage it on the first try (so did that 'intense' teardown instead) but tried again on another camera and was able to do it without desoldering anything or removing any circuit boards. My obstruction had been the gray gear, not the green one. But I finally realized it was possible to use the motor shaft as a tool to hold the gear after I'd gone as far as I could with the tweezers.

Once the gear was just close to where it belonged, but not quite centered on the shaft, I allowed the gearbox to close a little tighter so the motor shaft would clamp the gear against the opposite wall, so to speak, and then I could remove the tweezers without dropping the gear. Next I used a small screwdriver to poke and prod the gear until it popped onto the end of the shaft, which took a little while, because of the need to mesh with another gear; tightened the gearbox screws to force it more securely on, loosened the screws again to allow room for a screwdriver to pry the gear the rest of the way to its proper spot on the shaft, and finally re-tightened the screws and finished reassembly. I was cringing all the way through, but by gar, it worked, and the camera (a ZX-10, for the record) is fixed. It's a much quicker repair than the long version, and the same result.

Last edited by Sluggo; 11-04-2011 at 09:07 PM.
11-21-2012, 09:59 AM   #81
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Hello everyone I'm a recent convert to Pentax having being given a dead MZ-7 'to play with'. Through your forum I learned about the mirror motor, the splitting gear, and how to replace it. I opted for Bob Bimon and violini's approach of replacement of the whole motor rather than just the nylon gear.

It took me a about a week's worth of snatched hours as I'm not a dab hand with electronics. I took photographs at every stage until the battery died and stuck screws and fixings on a sheet of annotated A4. First go left me with a camera even less functional then I started with. In a second look under the skin (thinking a solder joint had failed) I found a loose screw from the sub-frame cleat next to the panorama lever. Surely this wasn't important?

Screw duly fixed I put the camera on top of the VHS as an ornament thinking this will never fire. Then I thought - one more try. Miracle of miracles it worked! In conclusion thank you Bob Bimon, violini and Pentax forum contributors.
03-18-2013, 10:01 AM   #82
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QuoteOriginally posted by Bob Bimon Quote
Thanks Sluggo, you're welcome !

For anybody that would need to repair his MZ-5x or ZX-5x, here you have the procedure I wrote for CGJung and Sluggo.

Good luck, and enjoy !

I know this thread is old, but I am about to buy a used MZ-3 (with its mirror locked up) for cheap and wanted to know if this guide applies to this camera and if the motor is the same! I have a MZ-50 which I would be willing to sacrifice....

03-18-2013, 10:03 AM   #83
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QuoteOriginally posted by wlachan Quote
The plastic gear on the mirror motor has cracked. To replace that motor, the whole camera has to be disassembled. Assuming you are skillful to disassemble and assemble everything, soldering the flash circuit will be the most risky as a careless short can kill the camera beyond repair. I have the parts manual for the MZ-5, if you are interested, just email me. Good luck.

Old & new mirror motor

Wlachan, I would really appreciate the service manual for this camera! thanks in advance, francisco
03-18-2013, 01:32 PM   #84
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QuoteOriginally posted by carrrlangas Quote
I know this thread is old, but I am about to buy a used MZ-3 (with its mirror locked up) for cheap and wanted to know if this guide applies to this camera and if the motor is the same! I have a MZ-50 which I would be willing to sacrifice....
Same, but your MZ-50 might have the plastic gear too. If so, better get the brass one from Pentax.
03-18-2013, 01:41 PM   #85
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QuoteOriginally posted by carrrlangas Quote
Wlachan, I would really appreciate the service manual for this camera! thanks in advance, francisco
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-film-slr-discussion/39450-mz5n-mir...tml#post948056
05-02-2014, 07:08 AM   #86
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Hi all,

The spare mirror motor is no longer available at usacameras. Does anybody know where I could find one ? Or could you tell me the reference of that part so that I could look for an alternative ?

I have a failed mz-5n.

Thanks in advance.

Have a good day.
05-02-2014, 09:00 AM   #87
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I tried to look for some on the web but can't seem to find anymore.
Sorry can't help but there might still be some members here that might have stashed some spares.
05-04-2014, 03:48 PM   #88
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Thanks for your response. I will keep searching a bit.
07-24-2015, 01:03 PM   #89
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carrrlangas, the gear-only method works fine on MZ-3 cameras, I had to do it on mine. It takes some dexterity, but it seems a much less risky approach than soldering to the flex-print.
12-29-2015, 10:41 PM   #90
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Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I was wondering if it is possible to just replace the ZX-7 nylon gear with a brass pinion gear without desoldering the boards? The replacement motor seems hard to find now, and I am not confident of my soldering skills.

i think CRM-114 did mention loosing of the gearbox, prying it open and slipping in the brass pinion. But he did this on a MZ-5 iirc. Has anyone tried on a ZX-7? Btw, is this just a press fit or is there a groove on the motor shaft that needs to be aligned with?

Thanks in advance for your advice.
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