Ricoh XR-7 Mirror and Shutter Locked and Stuck

[Enderhuman]

Hi Everyone,

Today I got a Ricoh XR-7 with a 50mm F1.7 from my grandpa, which looks perfect on the outside. Then I bought some new batteries and put them in the XR-7, and everything seems to be fine until I pressed the shutter (set to 1/125, without film in it). Both the mirror and shutter went up and did not come down. I know someone has already posted a thread about the same problem, but none of the solutions work for me. I hope someone could help and get the Ricoh back to work.

Some say pressing the button more times in B or 1/125 and the mirror will come down, I tried pressing it many many times in all speeds and it did not work for me.

Then I opened the bottom cover, cleaned some yellow stuff, took the "wind connection level guide assy" out and put it back (correctly I believe). Also I pulled a part so that I can advance the film advance level. I tried pressing the button and nothing happened.

I believe the battery is okay since it locked after only one shot. The light meter and self timer also works.

Is there anyone who can help me with the problem? It seems to be a great camera and both me and my grandpa will be glad to see it taking photos again after more than a decade of storing in a box on the shelf. Thanks a lot!

Sincerely,

Jiamin C.

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Hi Everyone,

Today I got a Ricoh XR-7 with a 50mm F1.7 from my grandpa, which looks perfect on the outside. Then I bought some new batteries and put them in the XR-7, and everything seems to be fine until I pressed the shutter (set to 1/125, without film in it). Both the mirror and shutter went up and did not come down. I know someone has already posted a thread about the same problem, but none of the solutions work for me. I hope someone could help and get the Ricoh back to work.

Some say pressing the button more times in B or 1/125 and the mirror will come down, I tried pressing it many many times in all speeds and it did not work for me.

Then I opened the bottom cover, cleaned some yellow stuff, took the "wind connection level guide assy" out and put it back (correctly I believe). Also I pulled a part so that I can advance the film advance level. I tried pressing the button and nothing happened.

I believe the battery is okay since it locked after only one shot. The light meter and self timer also works.

Is there anyone who can help me with the problem? It seems to be a great camera and both me and my grandpa will be glad to see it taking photos again after more than a decade of storing in a box on the shelf. Thanks a lot!

Sincerely,

Jiamin C.

Jiamin

I doubt if anyone on this forum knows what an XR-7 is let alone is an expert on fixing one. But I will try and help. Years ago I had an XR2s (I still have it tucked away somewhere). It had a similar problem with the mirror - which stuck in operation. In my case what had happened was that the foam that provided the cushion to prevent the mirror slap itself to death, and also keep the noise down a bit, had deteriorated and become sticky. The mirror simply went up in my case and stuck there. Once the foam was replaced, at some horrid cost in those days, it then worked fine. Not much use as it turned out as I had bought a Canon EOS 620 shortly afterwards and hardly used the "very manual" XR2s afterwards.

Not exactly your problem but an old mechanical camera that has not been used for a good while would have lots of components with more than normal friction or stiction from lack of use and surface gumming.

I think that you will just have to persevere with your investigations - something is gummed up there somewhere. I would suggest a proper technical repair would cost more than the body is worth. From memory the XR-7 was the entry level body and maybe another one could be bought on ebay for not much money at all and might even come with another lens attached for free.

 

[Hephaestus]

You be surprised, Tom, you never know who is lurking in dark corners of dpreview forums

What you described (deteriorated, sticky mirror dumping foam) is a very common problem with old cameras, all brands. It is likely to be solution in this case as well. Below link to XR7 repair manual, you can download it as PDF. It is excellent (they do not release manuals like that any more for new models). Do not even try to ask a repair place, they will charge a lot. Be patient, try it yourself, very satisfying and relaxing activity, and not that difficult, really. try eBay for suitable foam strips (has to be closed cells). Hope this helps:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/48744161/Ricoh-XR7-Camera-Repair-Manual

...

I doubt if anyone on this forum knows what an XR-7 is let alone is an expert on fixing one...

the foam that provided the cushion to prevent the mirror slap itself to death, and also keep the noise down a bit, had deteriorated and become sticky. The mirror simply went up in my case and stuck there. Once the foam was replaced, at some horrid cost in those days, it then worked fine.

...

 

[ftwcamerafan]

Your problem may be mechanical. I have two Ricoh XR-Ps - great cameras, but they have been around for a while. I had the same problem that you described with both of them. In the XP series, the adhesive Ricoh used to affix the mirror to the metal plate underneath it has a tendency to allow the mirror to slide down on the plate (this can take years) as much as an eighth of an inch or so. This can have two consequences - the mirror may stick in the "up" position, because there is no margin left at the front of the pentaprism housing, so it sticks, and the mirror may not snap all of the way down, because it is hitting the back of the lens. If you remove the lens, the mirror will finish moving down.

To fix the first problem, VERY carefully use your fingernail, or a very small screwdriver to pry the front of the mirror loose from the base of the pentaprism. It will be easy to dislodge and will snap right down. If you hold the mirror up against the pentaprism, you can look at the reverse side of the mirror assembly and see how the mirror has slipped down. To fix both problems permanently, use a hairdryer to heat the mirror slowly and carefully. Don't heat the mirror red hot or or anything like that. The adhesive will begin to soften after only thirty seconds or so, with the hairdryer set on high heat. During the heating process, check every fifteen seconds by pushing the bottom of the mirror up towards the top of the camera gently but firmly. After the adhesive has softened, you can feel the mirror start to move against the plate when you push it up. Only touch the bottom of the mirror, and not its surface, if possible.

 

[Enderhuman]

Thank you so much for your reply! I did not expect someone to reply after 5 months! I'll try doing so, hopefully it will fix the problem.

Best Regards,
JC

 

[JNR]

Thank you so much for your reply! I did not expect someone to reply after 5 months! I'll try doing so, hopefully it will fix the problem.

Best Regards,
JC

Let us know how it works. There are a number of us with XRs - I have the Grandaddy - XR-1. By the way, none of the XR series were lower end. The XR-7 came 5 years after the original, includes aperture priority, but in most other respects was similar to the XR-1 and the full manual cameras. The cheaper Ricoh bodies were branded KR.

 

[Enderhuman]

Sorry for my late reply. I do not have it with me now, but I will give it a try this Christmas when I go home! I will tell you how it works! Thanks a lot

 

[Royal Dutch]

A blast from the past. The XR-X was the first 'modern' camera I owned. Quite a step up from my Pentax K1000.

 

[Enderhuman]

Your problem may be mechanical. I have two Ricoh XR-Ps - great cameras, but they have been around for a while. I had the same problem that you described with both of them. In the XP series, the adhesive Ricoh used to affix the mirror to the metal plate underneath it has a tendency to allow the mirror to slide down on the plate (this can take years) as much as an eighth of an inch or so. This can have two consequences - the mirror may stick in the "up" position, because there is no margin left at the front of the pentaprism housing, so it sticks, and the mirror may not snap all of the way down, because it is hitting the back of the lens. If you remove the lens, the mirror will finish moving down.

To fix the first problem, VERY carefully use your fingernail, or a very small screwdriver to pry the front of the mirror loose from the base of the pentaprism. It will be easy to dislodge and will snap right down. If you hold the mirror up against the pentaprism, you can look at the reverse side of the mirror assembly and see how the mirror has slipped down. To fix both problems permanently, use a hairdryer to heat the mirror slowly and carefully. Don't heat the mirror red hot or or anything like that. The adhesive will begin to soften after only thirty seconds or so, with the hairdryer set on high heat. During the heating process, check every fifteen seconds by pushing the bottom of the mirror up towards the top of the camera gently but firmly. After the adhesive has softened, you can feel the mirror start to move against the plate when you push it up. Only touch the bottom of the mirror, and not its surface, if possible.

I have just tried your solution, and it does not seem to be working. When I pry the mirror downward, it comes down with my finger smoothly, but there seems to be a spring that pulls it upward. As soon as I release my finger, it snaps up, back to where it was. I do not think the problem is caused by the mirror sliding down, but some other mechanical problem.

Thank you very much for your answer! If you have any other idea on how to fix my problem, please let me know!

 

[Enderhuman]

Thank you so much for your reply! I did not expect someone to reply after 5 months! I'll try doing so, hopefully it will fix the problem.

Best Regards,
JC

Let us know how it works. There are a number of us with XRs - I have the Grandaddy - XR-1. By the way, none of the XR series were lower end. The XR-7 came 5 years after the original, includes aperture priority, but in most other respects was similar to the XR-1 and the full manual cameras. The cheaper Ricoh bodies were branded KR.