Appreciation post: Finally fixed the jammed advance lever on my old Canonet after 3 attempts with a pair of tweezers at my kitchen table last night

I was about to give up when I noticed a tiny spring had popped out of its groove near the shutter mechanism, so I nudged it back with a toothpick and now the whole camera winds smooth again - anyone else had a similar save with a stubborn rangefinder?

3 comments

3 Comments

adams.vera27d ago

Not my story but a buddy of mine had a messed up Yashica Electro 35 that wouldn't wind at all. He spent like two hours taking it apart on his dining table, found a loose screw that was blocking the gear, and used a tiny magnet from an old speaker to fish it out. Put everything back together and it worked fine for years after that. He still brags about it every time we shoot together. Makes me think half the battle with these old cameras is just having steady hands and not rushing it. Good save on that Canonet.

evan_jenkins14d ago

Respectfully, I think patience matters more than steady hands in my experience.

charles67827d ago

Used a toothpick too on my Retina, those tiny springs are a pain but so satisfying when they click back.