In need of some detailed photos of the aperture control ring on an A77ii

Hi all -

As some others have also reported, my a77ii goes into camera error as soon as I add any kind of lens, unless it's a manual one with no in-camera aperture control. Based on what I've read, the aperture control adjustment rings could be the issue. I've repositioned it many, many times (on top of the roller bushings, in the bushings, etc.) but continue to get the same error, as soon as I mount a lease. The controller ring does move - if I manually push it into the bottom position with the camera off, it will quickly move back into the top position, as soon as I turn the camera back on.

So before I decide on whether or not to spend big bucks to mail the body in, or jump ship on a-mount, could someone please share some detailed pics of how a healthy aperture control ring should sit within the housing? Particularly focusing on all the interaction with the plastic and metal bushings/rollers.

TIA!!

- olaf

The procedure to charge the aperture mechanism and phase of the iris ring and aperture sensor isn't super complicated, I can provide the service manual for this.
The problem is, if you get an error as soon as you mount a lens: it might mean the motor controlling the aperture ring is dying, or the sensor is dead.
Misalignement of the phase doesn't trigger an error: it just make photos over or under exposed.
Also, feedling with that mechanism (putting at AP ring wrong) might have put more strain on the fragile plastic gears, especially the sesnor gear (after the troque limiter), which could havbe put more strain on the motor.
You will likely not find a motor or sensor to replace yours as spare parts. You could get those parts from a broken A77ii, but replacing them is REALLY a pain in the ass. Would be a little easier (somehow...) to replace the whole mirror box.
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Edit: It may also be an error that is totally unrelated to the aperture system...
Could be a communication problem lens <-> body, contacts in the body, some flexible board that was disconnected, or cut, one of the 7 fuses could have popped for some reason, triggering an error when a lens is mounted.
Really could be a lot of things, and almost none of them can be diagnosed without the sony software that is 100% not available.
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Edit 2: Question: the error is NOT triggered when mounting a manual lens: does that lens have electric communication with the body? does it have a aperture lever?

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It's just some glass, some silicon and magnesium. It isn't a religion.

Olaf Richter said:

... I've repositioned it many, many times (on top of the roller bushings, in the bushings, etc.) but continue to get the same error, as soon as I mount a lease.

Click to expand...

In my A77 (not A77II) the ring rides in such a way that the four rollers (three plastic, one metal) look like little hats, with the brims showing above the ring. I assume your camera would be the same or similar.

As suggested above, the actual problem could well be something unrelated to the ring.

Joseph Balson said:

Edit 2: Question: the error is NOT triggered when mounting a manual lens: does that lens have electric communication with the body? does it have a aperture lever?

Click to expand...

Thanks so much for the thorough reply. The manual lens that DOES NOT trigger the camera error has no electronic communication or aperture lever.

My next step is probably to do a factory reset, and see if that yields anything, unless you have any other suggestions. Thanks!

- olaf

sybersitizen said:

In my A77 (not A77II) the ring rides in such a way that the four rollers (three plastic, one metal) look like little hats, with the brims showing above the ring. I assume your camera would be the same or similar.

As suggested above, the actual problem could well be something unrelated to the ring.

Click to expand...

Thank you. That is how the ring currently sits. Below the brims on all 4. No dice. Factory reset next.

- Olaf

I don't think "factory reset" will do anything. It's just overwriting the eprom with factory settings.

your camera has some hardware issue. I guess you allready cleaned the lens contacts.

It's almost impossible to dignose what is wrong without sony software.
If you can't find online the two available servcie manuals, give me an email so I can send you a copy.

then all you can do is the basics: disassemble the back:
- check that all the flexible boards are properly set, a chock can move them or even damage the tracks.
- visually inspect the mainboard for burnt component, water damage, corrosion. Beware of the hi voltage in the flash capacitor... it hurts. the servcie manual shows how to properly discharge that capacitor.
- check the 7 fuses.

If you're lucky, it will just be on of the flexible board that disconnected. Or if it's broken it would be possible to buy a spare one on ebay.
In that case, you'll just have to follow the instructions to set the aperture mechanism properly.

If the flexibles boards are ok and the fuses are ok: you're f.ed up. Nothing you can do to fix your camera.