Yashica-A 1st time user. needs help

[garysk8er]

I've got a full working yashica-A from a flea market. The problem is, my shutter button doesn't comes smooth in a sense that everytime i click my shutter, it sorta get stuck a lil and pops out "SLOWLY" back to its original position. Just wondering if there's anything I can do or would oiling help or spoil the camera. I tried camera hospital but $130 for CLA seems a lil pricey for me. Any alternatives? It would be great if I can get a lens cover for this old thing too.

Thanks all.

 

[Nikkornos]

Hi there, this is a common problem for old TLR sat for a long long long time and without much use. The lubrication got gunk up.
Are you talking about the shuttle? At what speed? Or you talking about the shuttle release? Its not a difficult thing to do.

Without talking camera apart, you can repeatedly wind the shuttle (set at 1s_, fire off, and then rewind carefully, doing it at least a dozen time.
Do not change shuttle speed after you wind on the shuttle.

I do that to all my dozens of TLR from time to time to keep them alive. This includes Yashica 635, C, Rolleicord, Rolleiflex and the Seagulls.

If it get really stuck, you can remove the front lens (you need to refer to the repair manual). The shuttle sits right between the front element and the back element. An easy cure is to drop a drop of lighter fluid to free up the shuttle.

This CLA charges used to be S$80. Looks like it went up to S$130 because of the every escalating prices of everything in this tiny island. If the CLA includes cleaning up the lens, the view finder etc, why not go for it. Playing with camera is an expensive hobby. S$130 is nothing in the long run.

 

[pinholecam]

The oil may have separated from the grease, leaving the gummy part of the grease to impede smooth movement of the shutter.
Exercise the mechanisms by winding the film advance and fire off the shutter. Like Nikkornos said, you need to do that many times in the hope that it smooth things up.

You may need to check the taking lens for oil as well. It seems very common on the Yashica TLRs, esp so when your camera has oil/grease separation.
To check this, open the back, set the camera to 'B' and hold down the shutter release button while looking at the lens from behind.
If that is the case, you have to take off the lenses (special tool needed (avaliable on ebay FWIK) or you can craft one out of aluminum and a file) and clean off the oil. Its not as difficult as it sounds once you have a tool to take the lenses.

If you don't have and can't make the tool then the only choice is the CLA. Its not too bad all things considered if you got the camera cheap. At least for $120 you will be sure its a nice working camera for many years to come.