Hello,
Last few weeks have been really hectic. Dealing with a lot of personal stuff including my father's health which is deteriorating. I haven't been very active with any of the hobbies but at least working on something, even if only a few minutes a week, helps me recharge.
By now you know I like to tinker with old cameras. The Pentax MX is considered by many the ultimate mechanical SLR along with the LX. It is still very popular.
I got a non-working MX on eBay. Not sure if I can get it back to work but it will be a learning experience as I've never worked on anything newer than K1000.
While "mechanical" it is far more complex than earlier models. And scarily so.
This is what I got:
Mirror stuck in the up position
buckled curtains. That looks serious...
Started disassembly without any clue of what to look for
While working to remove the mirror box, something went "Clack" and the curtain closed. "Huh? What the...?"
My instinct told me to put everything back together. So I did and in the process, I resoldered the wires to the aperture coupler metering circuit.
These will not win any solder joint beauty contest, but the meter now works!
Putting everything together, the camera "worked" at 1/60s. But at other speeds it randomly got stuck. But something was not right. Can't explain it but it sounded "weird". That was when I noticed upon close inspection the curtains are not in the right place!
This camera has been tampered with and assembled wrong! (
That's
MY job!)
However, since the curtains are the most inner parts, everything needs to be taken apart.
Here is where we are now after desoldering some wires to allow the mirror box out of the way:
To boldly go where I've never been before!
This is a very long term project. I honestly don't have much hope this may ever be a functional camera again, but I'm just having fun.
Thanks,