วีดีโอ

Still waiting for the Part 8. Don't leave us on a cliffhanger!

My x-sync terminal is missing from my K1000. It appears the housing is threaded. Can a replacement be threaded in? Do replacements even exist? I was wanting to use an external flash, and that's when I noticed the terminal missing. Thanks!

Amazing details! Would love to see how you reapply the skin

i THOUGHT i might watch a few lil videos and take my pentax apart to clean some foam off my view finder and clean up crumbly foam around my mirror box but uhhhh. i’m way outside my depth here 😅 hats off to you incredible professionals! truly intricate work!

Hi Sam. Thanks for the great videos!! Thanks to you I managed to get a Pentax KM working. The meter that was stuck in the plus direction now works but it gives overexposed values. I compared it with a K1000 and also with readings from a phone app. Do you think we can use regular 1/4 watts resistors (instead of Pentax ones) to try to calibrate the readings like they mention in the service manual? Many thanks, again!

thanks sam! this is exactly what i needed to fix my meter!

Hi. It will be best if you can make a video servicing SMC Pentax-A 1:2 50mm. Keep up the good work. Great content btw.

Dear Sam, I have fully taken apart a Praktina FX (The first model). The timing mechanism uses a coil spring that got damaged on cleaning. I have tried 3d-printing an axis/face-plate that holds the coil so that it doesn't move in the z direction on tension. I would really like to find a replacement for it. Not having a manual or understanding it I didn't understand that the entire curtain timing mechanism stems from the curtain tension. Simply put: I done fckd up. Perhaps you could help me with this since you are, proven, a repair master. As for now I am conserving the body and mechanisms but are basically only parts. I feel sorry for this beautiful camera. Looking back on it, the only thing wrong with it was some dirt and the slackened tension on the curtain tension. Hindsight. So A: If I have been able to make myself clear about what went wrong, is this recoverable? B: What can you suggest me to do, if you pretty please? Highest regards, Mac

Great videos so detailed. Do you repair pentax cameras?

When will be the next part for calibration will be released 😅

On my K1000, I seem to have a "rubberized" shutter. In your video is looks like "cloth". The difference?

Thank you very much for the iFixit guide! Brought my parents' ZX-5n back from the dead :)

Thank you so much for this series!! I just received an MZ-50 as my first analog SLR, but both the pop-up flash and the mirror motor are broken. I knew about these problems before and didn't spend much on it, so I am not super disappointed (it was more like a gamble to see if I get a good deal) but was considering a repair myself. I work with micro electronics for a living, so I was rather optimistic, but the disassembly looks like a major PITA. I think I'll not attempt it, but use the camera as decoration instead. Bought a Minolta to use anyway. I am looking forward to more of your content, fascinating stuff!

Thank you so much for the in depth explanation in your videos, I have had my k1000 back and forth from a repairer so many times I want to give up, now I feel confident to get it fixed to a decent working standard 👍👍

I was thought the k1000 was almost purely mechanical

A fantastic series Sam, I enjoyed it very much. It delights me in a similar way to some other channels on mechanical wrist watch repair, and has that sort of Bob-Ross-of-repair-ness! The production quality was a real treat. It was very interesting to learn about how an SLR works. My personal camera repair journey has been with screw-mount Leicas and their copies/ clones / homages. It is interesting to see the similarities of the Leica focal-plane shutter to the shutter in the Pentax. I greatly look forward to future videos!

Hi Sam or rally like your videos, I recently dug up the Pentax K1000 my mom used to let me mess around with as a child, it has two stripped gears underneath the film under arm, I ordered a cosmetically bad body to strip for parts is there any advice you can give for replacement?I already removed the larger diameter gear on the shaft of the under, now I need to get at the smaller diameter gear near the shutter button

Thank you for your detailed videos. I'm very excited to see what's coming next. As an alternative to isopropanol to stop the sticking, I use disinfectant gel. It gives you more time and evaporates without leaving any residue. Wherever possible, I use seals without glue, but cut them a little thicker and stretch them out. Once they're inserted and relaxed, they'll stay in place for many years without decomposing.

Fascinating. I really hope that Pentax is designing their NEW film SLR's to NOT be like this last generation of cameras! I hope they consider a modular design with ease of service as a major goal. I think they should look at the Framework laptops for inspiration. They are designed to be serviced by regular people using modules from Framework. No wires to de-solder! All screws are the same size. All modules are interconnected with plug-in pins. I currently have a Pentax Spotmatic F, an MZ-5, Auto 110, and recently bought a MZ-S. In the 1970's through the early 2000's I had an MX, LX, ME Super, K1000. I also have a Pentax K-5. Thanks.

Looks easier than servicing my watches

Hey Sam, I'm repairing my camera. After I put the pallet rod back during operation at no point does it push the pallet off the star wheel. Could you be more specific in what exactly the top 2 hooks interface with?

Just FYI, I did over oil the pivots of the slow speed governor in this video. You really only need the tiniest amount. I would recommend looking up some watchmaking videos for better examples of how to properly oil a pivot.

Thanks for the awesome videos. I have been getting a bit into camera maintenance myself but am still doing babysteps. My background as a technical designer is helping me a lot so far to understand how the cameras work. Your video series is one of the best I have found. You go into depth and teach a high standard and focus on longevity. I see a lot of people simply pouring oil or iso into their cameras which seems like a short term solution at best. I must admit that I am really impatient to see how you calibrate the lightmeter and shutter speeds on that pentax. Do you have any books/courses/webites to recommend for learning about camera maintenance?

HELP! I TOOK APART MY CAMERA BEFORE I KNEW THE SERIES WAS INCOMPLETE! In all seriousness you're doing a fantastic job! Great videos, keep up the good work!

Excellent stuff and extremely helpful! I'm about half way through this particular video. I've thought about using an ultrasonic cleaner for the various parts in order to clean gunk and grime off 'as much as practically possible', do you think this would be overkill?

Very thorough. Excellent video thank you.

Do you do refurbs. I just bought a “Mint” Tested MZ-5. I so regret selling my ME Super 12 years ago. I shoot professionally part time, and clients are starting to ask for film images again. Luckily I kept all of my other Pentax kit because they were compatible with my K5 and K3mkII when I moved to Sony. Even though this camera is supposed to work, it will be my only film camera for a while. I have 10 different camera bodies right now, and I am running out of space. I wouldn’t want to be depending on the MZ-5 for a client, only to have one of the gears or pivot levers to give out. Additionally having the camera serviced and cleaned is probably a good idea. I also would love to add the split prism.

The mirror latch bias spring on mine is broken. Do you know what is the correct size (or the approximate gauge of wire)?

Great videos series! Would love to see a tutorial on how you would disassemble, clean, and adjust the shutter timing of the curtains if you get a chance. I have a difficult time getting the shutter speeds accurate across all speeds after fully cleaning and adjusting a camera with shutter problems.

you are the MZ/ZX guru. Thanks for your ability to resurrect these gems.

Amico, prova con il gel alcolico , disinfettante avrai più tempo per mettere i sigilli. Ciao

Cool video Sam! Is there gonna be a video on pentax mx repair?

I really love your videos and this playlist made me buy some MZ-5 and MZ 3 with the flash unit is not popping up and I was going crazy when you told dat you have this webpage with free drawings from parts and also that people can leave a comment and you will answer to help with the repair, that is really so nice and friendly. Respect ! I ordered yesterday a ESD mat like you have 😇 Grtzz Hope you will continue to make videos like this :)

Hi I had a question about the basic multimeter that you use, the "Extech EX330 Basic Multimeter" I wondered why it is so expensive, the 12 functions on it, you need all 12 for camera repair, can't you do this job with a much cheaper multimeter? or is there the specific reason why you use this expensive one? Greetings Nicky (hopefully you don't mind me asking so much)

These videos are a fascinating look at what happens inside a camera, way more interesting than the gear reviews TH-cam is usually trying to shovel into my eyes. Thanks for making them!

When install mirror box it is little bit different step from Pentax MZ-S?

This is why a CLA is worth every penny. Awesome work.

Hey, this repair was completed and i’m having an issue where the camera takes 3 pictures no matter what. Any idea what may cause this?

Has anynone ever said you sound like Matt Damon, great videos!

Thanks for this video Great explanation of how the metering system works

Hi Sam. Find your channel recently and love it. I'm just repairing my Spotmatic SP that have a light meter issue.The Needle goes up all the way and only at 1/500 or 1/1000 it downs a bit. Battery status check level functions fine and needle level off position are ok too. Also I checked resistance from the cds cells and they are reacting to light ok (8k at ev4). I think is the shutter selector, but can´t find anywhere the resistance values for this model in order to test it. Any help will be much appreciate it . Keep going with the great content.

One time I took apart a bread toaster trying to fix it. I was sure that that mis-adventure was going to be replicated in your vid.

I had just bought the pentax k1000 and badly needed a video to understand it's mechanism when i found that you have posted just that day, i love these...

That was really cool, thank you, just slammed through this series (and I don't own a Pentax SLR).

The way how you explain this is very clear. Really an amazing video

Do you have the STL files for all the repairs? I have a camera with the same issue.

wow I never realized how intricate these little cameras are. Awesome video

Hi, another message from me while watching your video, I am so very happy that I found your channel. I am really amazed at how well everything is filmed and so clear, I started my new hobby of camera repair at the beginning of this year and have purchased a huge amount of tools, materials, fluids and so on. I wish you were my neighbor haha I would absolutely love it :) Does he also do this as a hobby or more at a professional level as an income? I received a broken Pentax MZ-5n yesterday, a defective light meter. I believe this camera was sold in the US as Pentax ZM or ZX, but it is simply the same camera. I hope to be able to fix it by watching this video series of yours, So far I have only repaired older SLR film cameras, mainly the Pentax ME Super and the MX and Spotmatic. greetings from the Netherlands Nicky

Hi Sam, What a wonderful TH-cam channel you have and building, keep on posting :) I have a question for you, I really want to have the same silicon/rubber mat/plate you have. I really like the size of it and I searched online a lot to find one but I nowhere can find it. And suddenly I discover your channel and what do I see :D !! So I really hope to hear from you where I can buy / purchase one. Keep up the good work, Grtzz Nicky

Where did you get the brass gear?