Re: Evaluating Spuds

[Tom Deering <tdeering@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Regarding the internal reflections: I want to have some
>before and after shots to show the difference in the
>pictures from adding the flocking paper.  What kind of
>shot would make a good sample shot?  And what should I
>expect to see in the "before" photo that is evidence of
>the problem?

This is what I did.  Perform your fix on only one side.  Mount the empty
camera on a tripod outdoors, and attach a locking cable release.  Open up
the back door, and lock the shutter open.  Swivel the camera around until
you can see the light from the sun brightly glinting off the inside bottom
of the camera.  It's astonishing.  Load up some film and take a shot or
two.  When you get the film back, you will see a white cloudy glare on one
half.  Hopefully, the side you fixed won't have this.

Seems to me a stereo camera is perfect for this type of before and after
shot, since it takes two pictures at once.  :^)

>Regarding the self-timer: Do these things ever work?  ;-)
>When I borrowed Sam's Spud the self-timer didn't work,
>Brenda says hers doesn't, and now mine doesn't seem to
>work either.  Is there any trick to using it?  I just
>cocked the shutter and engaged the self-timer.  It winds
>down but doesn't trip the shutter--as though it doesn't
>have enough "strength" to overcome the resistance of the
>shutter mechanism.

My timer works, knock on wood.  When I hacked up my Lubitels, I took out
the timer.  (Exactly the same mechanism.)  That means I have two laying
around for the asking if yours is *broken*.

But yours is probably not broken, it's probably gunked up.  It's a simple
clockwork vibrator, so if it get's any junk inside, it won't vibrate.

Me, I would try cleaning it with naptha. If you have the skills, you might
try this.  When I bought mine, my first job was to disassemble the whole
thing, cleaning the machanism and lenses.  Don't assume it's beyond you, I
never saw the inside of a camera before last summer.

Tom