My Contax RTS II Quartz all jammed up now !!

[pentaxpete]

I was checking the seating of the focus screen as I have had 'back Focus' problems, and got it back all OK then tried firing shutter using the 'manual' 1.60th with the lever with the mirror up then suddenly it all jammed up -- mirror stays UP, shutter will not fire, camera is wound on , delayed action does not work -- battery OK -- took it out and put it back -- any IDEAS what has happened please ?

 

[Canon Bob]

If you're in 'manual' then the battery is not required so you can eliminate that part. What happens when you press the DoF preview button?

Edit......forgive a suggestion of the obvious but you haven't selected mirror lock-up by accident?

Bob

 

[HoppyUK]

No idea really, though it would seem most likely related to removing the focusing screen. Did you nudge the mirror, so that's maybe a fraction out and catching? Just thinking about that, if the mirror was out of alignment in the first place then that could also cause the focusing error. And bearing in mind the age of the camera, 40-ish years, is there a sponge buffer that the mirror bumps against in the up position? They usually perish over time, meaning that the mirror doesn't hit properly and that might jam it. Is there a fully mechanical emergency shutter speed? I don't recall. Maybe try that.

 

[pentaxpete]

I replaced the mirror bumper foam with the other seals -- I was using the 'mechanical speed' of 1/60th with the mirror locked up -- WELL -- GOOD NEWS -- I thought i would have 'one Last Play' as I was sitting down with my morning coffee so i got camera from darkroom and took off lens and gently prised mirror down and moved the aperture activating lever when suddenly it 'sprang into life' -- mirror came down,shutter could be fired again and it all unlocked -- so it is working again --- !!!

 

[HoppyUK]

 

[Mark twiglet]

Cor not heard that name in a long time! My step dad had contax/yashica! He had an RTS and a 139 was it called?
My first camera was a yashica MG-1