Mamiya 6: Dead Meter and Shutter from Soldered Main Switch
Originally posted on Instagram. Notes from the repair bench, kept here as a searchable archive. View the original on Instagram
This Mamiya 6 arrived with the meter and shutter inoperative. On removing the top cover I could see that the main switch flexible contact arm was a bit short and if you look closely at it, you can see solder residue. My guess is that sometime in the past, the switch arm broke and not having a replacement, the tip was soldered in place. Maybe it worked like this for a while? My client purchased the camera used so no way to know how long it had been operating with the repaired switch.
If you look at photo two, you can see how the replacement switch looks with the flexible contact extending over the button contact. This switch is two stages- first stage is lightly pressing the release and the meter will illuminate when the flexible arm makes contact with the contact button.. Further pressing of the release pushes the flexible arm into the contact button deeper to release the shutter.
Also, note how close the black wire in photo one has been placed next to one of the wind gears. Not good, would likely cause a future problem.
