Yashica electro 35 repairs

sirch

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I picked up a cheap Yashica and although I haven't had a film in it, electrically it almost works, as in the lights come on but it never shows over exposed even wide open with high ISO. Am I missing something or does it need fixing? I think it probably also needs new light seals so can anyone recommend a repair company?
 
I am not aware of any company, shop or person repairing the Electro 35 cameras, so I recommend to take a look on this:

http://www.yashica-guy.com/document/repair.html

The contacts used to activate the meter depend on the shooter trigger's mechanism and will be affected for the "Pad of Death", so you have to check if your camera suffers from that common issue:

http://www.yashica-guy.com/document/repair.html#nine

As shown in the last picture:

switchpadcomb.jpg


If you are a very patient person, then maybe you will be able to remove the old pad and replace it for a new one without fully opening the front of the camera, accessing from the top as shown in the following picture:



If not, then you will have to fully open it, but the good thing is that it is possible to do it without cutting any cables, as shown here:



I am not a "handy man" and I was able to repair it on my own Electro 35G, if I can do it, anybody can, just follow the instruction from the Yashica Guy.

I hope this helps.
 
Thanks all, particularly @ariel7515 for taking the time to post the links and instructions, I might have a play myself first.
 
Another vote for Newton Ellis & Co from me. Took a fifty year old Ferrania falco S folder there, serviced it no problem.
 
Just a quick one....you say it only shows slow exposure lamp - but does the shutter speed change at all? Have you tried shining a torch at the light meter to see if the shutter speed changes?

If the shutter stays open indefinitely in auto mode then it is likely to be a failure of one of the transistors in the metering circuit. I had the same fault with my GSN, but the transistors are integrated into an IC in that model, which is no longer available, so I had to use a donor to repair it.
 
Just a quick one....you say it only shows slow exposure lamp - but does the shutter speed change at all? Have you tried shining a torch at the light meter to see if the shutter speed changes?

If the shutter stays open indefinitely in auto mode then it is likely to be a failure of one of the transistors in the metering circuit. I had the same fault with my GSN, but the transistors are integrated into an IC in that model, which is no longer available, so I had to use a donor to repair it.
Thanks, having had a fiddle around it seems to be a contact in the B/Auto/Flash selector ring on the front of the lens. If I jog that around a few times it works for a while and then stops. I notice this because I put it in B and the shutter wasn't staying open but after a few turns of the ring it worked for a while.
 
Thanks, having had a fiddle around it seems to be a contact in the B/Auto/Flash selector ring on the front of the lens. If I jog that around a few times it works for a while and then stops. I notice this because I put it in B and the shutter wasn't staying open but after a few turns of the ring it worked for a while.

Does the selector ring feel loose?

If you fancy having a look yourself it is not too difficult to remove the selector ring.

First you need to unscrew the front element retaining ring - either use some sort of good fitting snipe end plier or circlip plier, or better/safer still, if you have a rubber item that fits the ring well, apply pressure and turn using the friction of the rubber - it's easy to slip on this ring!!! In fact, looking at the tiny slots again just now, I would suggest some sort of rubber disc to remove it - I can't remember what I used with mine, but it couldn't have been any sort of plier as I don't have any that small!!

After that, there is another retaining ring to remove in a similar fashion, then you will see three small cross point screws, remove these and remove the front element part of the lens. Watch out for a small ball bearing, this needs to locate in a small hole in back of this piece - it's what keeps the selector ring clicked into each of the 3 positions.

Now the selector ring itself should be loose, rotate it back and forth gently whilst wriggling it to remove. Be very gentle, there are the small contact springs preventing you from removing it straight off - just lift it a little and wiggle/edge it out to ease the springs out.

Now you should see the contacts on the front of the lens - clean these up and check that the solder connections onto the ring are good - also clean the sprung contacts on the selector ring.

HTH :)
 
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Thanks @Hallsy , if anything it feels a bit stiff, I'll may be pluck up the courage to have a go (y)
 
Thanks for all the help, got it to a point where it felt like it was working reliably so I shot a roll of film last Saturday and I have put the results >>>> here <<<<
 
Thanks for all the help, got it to a point where it felt like it was working reliably so I shot a roll of film last Saturday and I have put the results >>>> here <<<<
Nowt wrong with them pics!
 
As a point of interest, which Yashi 35 is it?
 
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