Praktica PLC3 not working, stuck shutter?

wyx087

wyx087

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Was helping my dad clear out their garage, found a Praktica PLC3 film camera with 3 lenses, Carl Zeiss 135/3.5, Pentacom 50/1.8 and Sigma 28-70mm. Not sure if it's worth much, but it would be fun to do some film photography.

When found it, I gave it a try by pulling the leaver and pressed the shutter release, heard it click. I then pulled the leaver again and tried again, but this time shutter release did nothing. Now leaver is a lot easier to pull as if it has already been pulled and no longer connected mechanically. Shutter button can be pressed normally.

I think it might be due to stuck shutter or something else that is stuck inside. Anyone have any ideas?



No battery, but I think that's only for metering, the actual shutter is mechanical?

Also the exposure counter reads less than 1, would that stop shutter from released? How do I reset it?
 
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first question...

is there a roll of film in the camera ?

(if the camera isn't empty then you've probably ripped the film from the sprocket holes, and also someone's opened the back and stuffed a few frames of the roll of film - if it's empty, then it's some other problem!)

You may like to check the manual for the camera - http://www.butkus.org/chinon/praktica/praktica_plc3/praktica_plc3.htm



exposure counter resets automatically to something below zero when the back of the camera opens. When you load a film and close the back, you then wind on until the counter reads 1 - this allows the exposed film leader to be wound out of the way before attempting to take a shot.
 
TheBigYin said:
first question...

is there a roll of film in the camera ?

(if the camera isn't empty then you've probably ripped the film from the sprocket holes, and also someone's opened the back and stuffed a few frames of the roll of film - if it's empty, then it's some other problem!)

You may like to check the manual for the camera - http://www.butkus.org/chinon/praktica/praktica_plc3/praktica_plc3.htm

exposure counter resets automatically to something below zero when the back of the camera opens. When you load a film and close the back, you then wind on until the counter reads 1 - this allows the exposed film leader to be wound out of the way before attempting to take a shot.
Click to expand...

No film in the camera. I tried to an expired roll but because leaver is seems to be disconnected, it didn't advance.

Thanks for the manual, it explains what all the leaver/buttons do.

So, after opening the door, it should reset the pull leaver? Manual assumes pull leaver -> shutter release for each shot.
 
From memory (and hoping that it works like my MTL3 did back - oooh - 30 years ago now....

try this...

open door >
close door and latch closed >
wind film advance lever until shutter "cocks"(may have to do it a few times after door has been opened) >
depress shutter and "take picture">
*wind film advance lever again >
depress shutter again >
repeat from *
 
Apologise for lack of focus in the middle, here is a video i did. hopefully it shows how easy the film advance leaver can be moved. that doesn't seem normal! :puke:

[YOUTUBE]ko8klikiGSQ[/YOUTUBE]

kept the sound to show there was no shutter release during the whole of that video.
 
It's not sounding as though the film transport is moving at all.

There's a little button on the base plate of the camera iirc (#32 in the third picture on the manual). that's the film-transport disengage switch - it's possible that this has got stuck... have a look at that - give it a bit of a "jiggle"

If you cock the shutter with the back open, you should see the film take up spool rotating as you pull the lever to the right.
 
TheBigYin said:
It's not sounding as though the film transport is moving at all.

There's a little button on the base plate of the camera iirc (#32 in the third picture on the manual). that's the film-transport disengage switch - it's possible that this has got stuck... have a look at that - give it a bit of a "jiggle"

If you cock the shutter with the back open, you should see the film take up spool rotating as you pull the lever to the right.
Click to expand...

Gave #32 a lot of pressing and sudden release to try to get it bounce out. The film transport still feels loose and not connected.

With it opened, the film wind wheel doesn't rotate. :(
 
ah - in this case, I'll pass it over to the rest of the people on here, who may have more recent aquaintance with the camera - as I said, I'm pretty much working on 30 year old memories of a similar camera from the same manufacturer. Sadly, I can't check with mine, it fell off a mountain in the alps and is in lots of little pieces all over a Glacier :LOL:
 
wuyanxu said:
Gave #32 a lot of pressing and sudden release to try to get it bounce out. The film transport still feels loose and not connected.

With it opened, the film wind wheel doesn't rotate. :(
Click to expand...

Hmm Looked at my MTL3 and the transport spool moves when "winding on" whether the little button at the base (for rewinding the film) is in or out. I'd guess someone has tried to squeeze one more shot out of a roll of film, and broke something with excessive force using the "wind on" lever.
 
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soooooo it's broken? :(

is it worth sending to be repaired? if it's not worth the money, then i'd attempt it myself. :D


also got given a Canon 300, but it's no fun shooting with an automatic film camera, might as well use a better digital camera.
 
wuyanxu said:
soooooo it's broken? :(

is it worth sending to be repaired? if it's not worth the money, then i'd attempt it myself. :D


also got given a Canon 300, but it's no fun shooting with an automatic film camera, might as well use a better digital camera.
Click to expand...

The lenses are worth more than the camera body so take the base plate off and poke around, maybe add very SMALL drops of thin oil in places for moving parts.
The lenses can be used on other M42 (screw) cameras or even later cameras with M42 adapters e.g Canon, Minolta
 
rightio, i'll attempt a repair at a later date, when i have an afternoon free. many many thanks Mark and Brian for helping, it gives me the confidence to take it apart, knowing it's not working. (don't want to destroy a working camera)



for the lenses (Carl Zeiss 135/3.5, Pentacom 50/1.8 and Sigma 28-70mm), i think only the Carl Zeiss might worth something? the 50 is of very simple design, and the Sigma is just like a kit lens of today's cheaper DSLRs.

considering my reach is only 105mm, i'll give the 135mm a try with an adapter. :)
 
wuyanxu said:
rightio, i'll attempt a repair at a later date, when i have an afternoon free. many many thanks Mark and Brian for helping, it gives me the confidence to take it apart, knowing it's not working. (don't want to destroy a working camera)



for the lenses (Carl Zeiss 135/3.5, Pentacom 50/1.8 and Sigma 28-70mm), i think only the Carl Zeiss might worth something? the 50 is of very simple design, and the Sigma is just like a kit lens of today's cheaper DSLRs.

considering my reach is only 105mm, i'll give the 135mm a try with an adapter. :)
Click to expand...


Has the CZJ 135mm got the letter "S" on the front, if so it's a Sonnar and sought after, the ordinary CZJ 135mm is a good lens as is the Pentacon 50mm f1.8....most old sigma screw zooms weren't very good.
 
it's this one:
f32fa636.jpg


(front element needs a bit cleaning)
 
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