SPOTMATIC SP

BRASS COLLAR (ONLY A FRACTION

Scenarr.o.. Desperate customer in a hurry.

YOUR Camera.. Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SP.

Fau/f.. Works properly until the meter is
THICKER THAN THE SLS)

I- -,

IDEAS switched on. Mirror only works when

release is pressed. Shutter doesn't do
anything.
I
ISWITCHLEVEFt SH
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ARE I noticed that the exterior meter switch

control did not fully disengage until a
second advance/release cycle. This

WORTH meant that the Diaphragm Control Bar

was fully forward and the Lens would be
stopped-down. The connection between
Cut a collar for the Switch Lever Shaft
from thin-walled brass tubing.
the Exterior Slide and the Diaphragm
Control mechanism would be worn. Drill and tap a hole in the top of the
Switch Lever Shaft. Not a giant hole, you
Remove self-timer lever screw with
don't want to weaken the shaft, so don't
Multiwrench. Pry off lever.
drill all the way through.
Remove leatherette from the front of the
Reassemble all the little goodies, and
camera...both sides.
shove the collar over the Switch Lever
Undo the five screws holding the Front Shaft.
Standard.
Screw the broadhead screw into the hole
Pemove the Front Standard .... Watch out you drilled and that should hold the col-
for shims. lar. If you don't have a screw with a large
Turn the Front Standard over .... Watch enough head, stick a washer under the
out for half-stuck shims. Take special Screw.
note of the Switch Lever Shaft. This little Reassemble the rest of the camera and
The Camera Craftsman is goodie pushes the switch on for the you should have a Spotmatic working
always on the lookout for good meter, engages the Diaphragm Control normally.
tips for the `Data Exchange' - mechanism and locks on. This shaft is ac-
and you are the most valuable tually a screw holding the Exterior slide That's the way we did it and got the
source. and this is the teller you work on. guy off to his Holidays happy. That was a
Like most good technicians, I'm Release the tension of the torsion couple of months ago and he says it is still
sure there are many times that spring .... there's only one, so you can't working well so we must have done
you have: miss it. It returns the Exterior Slide to something right.
• developed a technique to Off.,,
make your work easier, Because the tubing we had in stock
Undo the Switch Lever Shaft. The Ex-
faster or more accurate. was brass we made it so the collar could
terior slide should now be on the floor.
• discovered the key to rotate around the Switch Lever Shaft to
Not really, but be careful.
distribute wear. Don't make it wobble,
repairing a mechanism
Remove the plate assembly from the though. We finished the job in about an
you haven't seen
discussed in print before. Switch Lever Shaft by sliding the plate hour, maybe less.

• disassembled an unusual toward the SLS to slide the shaft to the

enlarged end of the plate assembly and Ken Dorsman
piece of equipment. NSW, Australia
lift it off the SLS.
• invented a new way to
solve a recurring
PFtACKTICA SUPEFt TL
problem.
Camera.. Praktica Super TL. SOLDEFt POINTS
Jot it down and send it in. By Fau/i.. Meter not working.
sharing your ideas through the
`Data Exchange' you are con- :obp°NES±T€ID By }

tributing to the advancement of

I traced the fault to the switch-poor BAFt) --
- ®,,,®,,

contact when the meter switch / stop

your profession. And the `Data
Exchange' will pay up to $50.00 down button was depressed. I resoldered
I
E>ee37j>j
---1111111
r,,|J
(minimum of $5.00) if your idea the leads and got it to work, but the fault
is chosen for publication. still occurred intermittently. I noticed the §S:uANPTTJfcsTEDLY) \ slkE SCREW
switch was attached to the floor of the POLYFOAM CAMERAWALL
Don't worry about putting your BY K.D.
ideas in proper written format mirror housing by one screw. When the
or perfecting your drawings; our switch was activated, the closing contact
publications staff will take care actually forced the static contact away Looking inside the lens mount hole on the
of that. Just send your ideas in from itself with the single screw point act- floor:
to: ing as a pivot. Tightening the screw made
Data Exchange it function correctly. To insure that it con- Hope this helps someone.
The Camera Craftsman
tinued to do so, I inserted a piece of black
2000 West Union Ave.
Englewood, CO 80110 poly foam between the static contact and Ken Dorsman
the wall of the mirror floor. Eglinton, NSW, Australia

30 The Camera Craftsman