Shutter curtain timing issue that's driving me nuts

I mean, on this old rangefinder, the second curtain is lagging behind the first. Idk if it's a tension spring problem or the curtains themselves. Maybe it's just me, but adjusting the gears hasn't helped. Any simple fixes I might be missing?

4 comments

4 Comments

avery_shah1mo ago

Shutter curtains on old rangefinders can be such a pain. I mean, I've had similar lagging issues with my own gear, and it's always a headache. Maybe it's just me, but those tension springs seem to wear out over time. Adjusting gears sometimes feels like guessing, especially without the right tools. Hope you find a simple fix, but idk, these things can be tricky. Solidarity from another vintage camera struggler.

phoenix_martin401mo ago

Did you check if the curtain material is sticking to itself? I mean, I had that happen on my Leica and a light rub with isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip helped, since sometimes the old lubricant gets gummy and causes lag. Idk, it might be worth a shot before taking apart the gears.

henry_fox1mo ago

About the curtain sticking, my friend cleaned his with alcohol and it sped right up.

casey81829d ago

Feel that pain so much, my old Canonet had the same sticky curtain thing last year. Tried the alcohol trick like phoenix_martin40 said and it worked for a bit, but the lag came back. Ended up being a spring like avery_shah mentioned, totally worn out. Those old parts just give up eventually. It's a real project to get inside and fix it right, needs a lot of patience. Hope the simple clean does the job for you though.