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[OM] Re: Jammed OM-2s

Subject: [OM] Re: Jammed OM-2s
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:59:22 -0800
Darin wrote:
> Hello list,
>
> Here's what happened.
> I took the camera with me on a hike yeaterday, I have a motordrive on this 
> camera, so the film was already advanced, when I tried to take a photo the 
> shutter did not release, and the motordrive attempted to advance the film, 
> but could not. The film advance lever does not move. I pressed the rewind 
> release button and carefully rewound the film, so as not to pull the film 
> completely back into its canister, then opened the camera back. Everything 
> appeared to be ok, so I removed the lens and the mirror is now in the up 
> position (it must have gone up when I opened the back to remove the film, 
> because it was down before that). When I move the mode selector lever to 
> battery check, with a lens or body cap in place there is no audible or visual 
> signal. Without a lens or body cap, both are constant for a second or two, 
> then they pulse. I replaced the batteries, but nothing changed. Also, the 
> viewfinder light is not working, and turning the shutter speed ring to the 
> red 60 has no effe
 ct
>  . This camera was 100% functional the last time I used it, just three days 
> ago.
>
> A couple questions.
> I seem to remember reading something here on the list about a way to reset 
> the OM-2s. If this is possible, how is it done and do you think it would work 
> in this situation? 
>
> >From the lens side the shutter curtain is black and grey checked, is this 
> >what it should look like when it is cocked?
>
> Should the battery check signal be continuos if the batteries are good, or is 
> the pulsing signal normal?
>   
The battery check light and signal are worth little other than to check 
if there are batteries in the camera. The problem is that it doesn't put 
a load on the batteries. By far the most common cause of this problem is 
low batteries. As they age and lose the ability to deliver the required 
amperage without losing voltage, the camera senses when the exposure 
cycle starts that the voltage is too low to assure an accurate exposure 
- and intentionally locks up, the REAL battery test.

This is an especially bad problem with any battery other than silver 
oxide ans still a problem with EPX76 batteries, which have a very long, 
gradual voltage curve with use.

To reset, looking at the camera from the front, on the lower right side 
of the lens mount, there is a tiny button. Push that in and rotate the 
shutter speed ring to the red 60 or B setting. That should drop the 
mirror down and reset. It may well work again until the battery gets 
tired again, then lock up again.

As I said, this is a very common problem, but if a reset and healthy, 
new batteries don't fix it, you could have somethign more serious.

Moose

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