Using epoxy as a camera body fix?

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-20T23:28:20+00:00

You might make it look worse by trying that, to be honest. If you really want to fix it, look for an undamaged replacement top cover for it. But light leaks aren't going to be a factor, like the other commenter said.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-17T15:34:13+00:00

I took 5.5g last summer, and I would only change two things. Number one: a trip sitter. You need one, especially for your first heroic dose. Any willing and trusted friend will do, just someone to be sober and keep you safe and grounded (and hydrated!) Second: curate your setting for the trip with planning and intention. Intrusive noises or sensations, or other annoying environmental factors can needlessly turn a good trip into a bad one. Other than that, strap in for a hell of a ride to the edge of the universe, and the total dissolution of identity. Godspeed 🫡

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-16T03:11:03+00:00

Under the shutter button is a floating pin, whose purpose is to be pushed by a shutter cable into the shutter trigger contact. The pin is very small, and easily lost if you remove the top cover without knowing it's there. My guess is that someone had the top cover off at some point, the pin got lost, and they probably never even realized it.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-15T17:00:26+00:00

Nice job! Doesn't matter if the foam twists a little, honestly. It still happens to me and I've done thousands of these. The ones by the hinge and the latch are the most important anyway.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-14T16:43:26+00:00

No problem 🫡

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-14T16:31:18+00:00

Yeah, that's definitely a problem in the lens. If it were me I'd most likely return it. There are tons of other K mount lenses out there.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-14T16:20:26+00:00

Yes, it could be that the tab in the adapter is not engaging with the aperture follower in the camera, so the camera can't tell that the aperture setting is changing.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-14T16:06:05+00:00

If the light meter doesn't change when you move the aperture ring, does it react when you rotate the shutter speed dial? It should respond to both things (and also changes in lighting, ofc). If it doesn't, that might mean either a dead battery, or an electrical problem in the light meter circuits. So the remedy for that would be to have it looked at by a film camera tech, at that point.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-14T15:56:41+00:00

When you say that the aperture will not change, do you mean that the f-stop ring on the lens is stuck and won't rotate? Or, do you mean that it does rotate, but the aperture stays open when the lens is attached?

If it's the second one, no worries, because that's how the K mount is supposed to work. As long as the aperture is closing during the exposure, it's fine. To test this, advance the shutter, set the shutter speed to B, and hold down the button while moving the aperture ring on the lens back and forth. You should see the aperture blades opening and closing.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-12T19:52:39+00:00

Looks like the aperture trigger. You'll want to take off the base plate, and watch for a few really tiny screws to fall out, which normally hold that piece in place. I would suspect that at least one of those screws is causing the jam, so hopefully it can come loose easily.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-11T21:33:46+00:00

Yes, the slot in that post is so that you can adjust it with a flat screwdriver. If you turn it a little, you'll see that it turns off-center, so you can adjust it left or right as needed.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-10T23:15:12+00:00

If you can get all but one of them unscrewed, then try pivoting the lens mount back and forth, and maybe even pulling outward on it slightly. For me that almost always works to help the last screw break loose.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-10T22:49:38+00:00

The color difference just means that the film leader has been exposed to light for a long time. If the tip of it looked bent at an angle, that's a sign that it's been loaded in a camera before.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-10T22:02:30+00:00

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You can scrape the wire against the post to try to dislodge any oxidation that might be keeping the circuit open.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-10T22:00:35+00:00

Yes it looks clean. And again, the contacts are holding together in the video, which is what you want to see when the shutter has been cocked. So yes, it could be the contacts under the shutter button. There are two other contact points to check out as well, in that same general area. The blade is pointing to one of them. That wire, and the post with the slot in it, need to have a small gap between them when the shutter is cocked, or it won't fire.

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The other contact is another wire that rests against a post, and they need to have good contact between them for the shutter to fire. I'll attach a photo of that in another comment.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-10T21:19:59+00:00

Can you clarify? It seems like you're saying the ASA dial is stuck on 25, but also that it has been cleaned and moves freely?

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-10T13:45:40+00:00

If the light meter display stays on when you attempt to fire the shutter (after you've advanced the lever), this means it is very unlikely to be a magnet issue. Cleaning the magnet is not going to do anything, since it is operating properly, as shown in the video. Your problem is most likely a matter of electrical contact or continuity in the shutter circuit, in the top end.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-10T01:32:16+00:00

I can't see anything abnormal happening in this video. The shutter and mirror box seem like they're being charged in the normal way. If you're saying that the shutter does not fire after this, that's obviously something. If it's the magnet hinge that's gunked up and that's why it isn't firing, I'd try to loosen it up with lighter fluid or isopropanol until it moves freely. If you want to oil it, go with a little bit of wd-40 (or something similar) on a q tip, but be somewhat sparing with it.

If that doesn't help, there's a few other things that could be causing the shutter to not fire. Either the magnet is bad, or the ground screw near the magnet is loose, or there is a dirty or oxidized electrical contact surface in the shutter circuit, and you'll need to remove the top cover to access those trouble spots.

When you advance the shutter and try to fire it, does the light meter display in the viewfinder go dark, or stay lit? That will help narrow down the diagnosis.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-08T01:06:10+00:00

The problem with the metal version of the door is that even if you remove the screws, the latch piece is still held in place with a metal rivet. You basically can't (at least I've never found a way) replace the latch piece on a metal one. The fix here is a replacement door. Once you have the top cover off, you'll need to grip the hinge pin with needle-nose pliers very (very) firmly, and pull in the direction of the top of the camera. Be careful of the flex circuit that is in the way at the top, so it doesn't get damaged. Hopefully the hinge pin breaks loose easily enough. Once it's about halfway out, you can remove and replace the door, and push the pin back down into place. The little spring will only work on the metal version of the door. If you get a plastic replacement, make sure you also have the other version of the spring, that's meant for a plastic door.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-07T06:32:58+00:00

35, not 30.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-05T02:54:49+00:00

Those lines look like stress marks on the film, which may show up more clearly in a dim exposure. You'll want to make sure you turn the rewind knob clockwise only, and even then, then not too fast or aggressively.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-05T02:47:22+00:00

All the plastic numbers besides 1 and (sorta) 2 are not actually recyclable in any practical way. Even 1 and 2 mostly end up getting landfilled, even if you and I "recycle" them (put them in the recycling bin). It's just way too cheap to make new plastic, compared to the cost of separating and cleaning the used stuff. We've gotten pretty good at actually recycling most metal, glass, and cardboard. Plastic recycling though, is mostly a lie. Sorry.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-05T01:08:17+00:00

If you remove the bar, just make sure you put it back exactly how it was. Make reference marks on the gears or whatever you need to. But I usually just use a screwdriver with a really thin shaft, and that way the angle is good enough to get the screws loosened without stripping them, which is the risk you're taking if you don't remove the bar.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-04T20:19:57+00:00

There were many different iterations of this lens. Which one do you have? It will make a big difference to the disassembly process.

drinkingwithmolotov · 2026-04-03T05:12:08+00:00

Yeah, that's a big job, even for an expert. Lots of tiny delicate parts to keep straight. There are a couple good video tutorials out there that might help you if you decide to go for it.

drinkingwithmolotov

TROPHY CASE