Mamiya 7II: Broken Self Timer Button and Loose Keeper
Originally posted on Instagram. Notes from the repair bench, kept here as a searchable archive. View the original on Instagram
This Mamiya 7II has an issue that I see quite often: a broken self timer button. While this might not seem like a big problem if you don’t use the self timer feature, the real issue is that the keeper of the lever breaks off and falls into the camera where it may cause some mischief immediately or (usually) some time in the future.
Photo one shows how the camera typically presents with a broken self timer button- just a hole with a missing button. But, the keeper will be broken off and hiding in the camera ready to get stuck in a winding gear since these gears are right below where the button is located. This particular camera was lucky as it showed up with the keeper pressed against the top cover (visible in photo two) by the spring tension of the self timer switch. The self timer switch is shown in the third photo. When the top cover was removed, the keeper fell into the cover and was easily recovered as shown in photo four.
Photo five shows all the parts of the self timer button assembly: the button (shaft not visible), spring and keeper.
So, if your button is missing, prepare for the camera to possibly lock up when winding at some point. Maybe the keeper will stay in place in a corner of the body and do no damage, maybe not, but one thing for sure is that it will not fall out of the camera on its own and will be captive inside the body.
