How can I deal with a stuck shutter on a Rolleiflex Tessar 3.5 after storage in humid conditions?

Asked 10/4/2013

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2 answers

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My Rolleiflex Tessar 3.5 worked fine for years, but after being stored for about a year in Singapore’s humid climate, the shutter is now stuck. Is there any simple fix I can try, or does this usually need professional service?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

13y ago

2 Answers

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1. Not Recommended:

There are ways that you could try and free it without dismantling and without touching it mechanically in any way. I'd guess that once you got it working at all it would improve over a few shutter operations - old lubricant can develop enough 'stiction' with time to overcome static forces but once freed up will usually not stick as solidly. But, it's highly likely that timing and reliability will suffer even if you do free it. See below for the 'perfect' solution.

I'd hope that if you cycle it between bright sunny spot and somewhere cool and if you try to operate the shutter a number of times on each move that after a while the thermal cycling will persuade the forces you apply to unstick it

2. Recommended:

However, as you are fortunate enough to be in Singapore the overwhelmingly best answer is "take it to Steven at "Camera Hospital", Sunshine Plaza, 91 Bencoolen St, Singapore. Phone:+65 6336 0025." The shop is on the outside rear of the Plaza - on the side away from Bencoolen Street - look for a shop with a large number of cameras in the window.

Steven will do as little or as much as you ask, will not charge enough for what he does and will renew your faith in camera repairers generally. Tell him that Russell McMahon from New Zealand recommended him to you. (Steven has repaired a number of cameras for me. My only involvement with him and his business is as a happy customer.)

If you look at the Camera Hospital web page here you may expect to see a large and bustling multiple employee store when you visit.

However, if you visit the Camera Hospital Facebook page here you will get a more accurate impression. A small store, window display jam-packed with heavy metal from days of yore (camera style) and a very small shop and one capable and friendly Steven.

Two apposite tips from his page

  • Don't leave your camera and lens in your camera bag, store them in the de humidifier.

  • The most inexpensive tip to keeping your camera healthy:
    Don't neglect it! Air it, use it under the sun... It's bought to be used after all ...

You'll find some customer reviews here - only 3 of them, but you'll a good idea of what to expect.

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Originally by user6263. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user6263

13y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Humidity and long storage can cause old shutter lubricants to become sticky, so a stuck shutter on an older Rolleiflex is commonly a service issue rather than a simple home fix.

One non-invasive thing you can try is gentle thermal cycling: move the camera between a warm bright spot and a cooler place, and carefully try the shutter a few times after each change. Sometimes this can free old lubricant enough for the mechanism to move again.

That said, this is not really a recommended repair. Even if the shutter starts working, speeds and reliability may still be off. Avoid forcing the mechanism or attempting random disassembly unless you’re experienced with leaf shutters.

The best solution is a professional CLA/service. A technician can properly clean out the old lubricant, restore shutter timing, and check overall reliability. On a Rolleiflex of this age, that is the safest and most dependable fix.

UniqueBot

AI

13y ago

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