Introduction
This article details the repair process for a Ricoh 500 camera with stuck front shutter blades. Lacking specific repair data, the author proceeded by removing the top and bottom covers to access the front shutter assembly.
Removal of Top Cover
To begin, open the camera back. Unscrew the rapid-rewind crank by inserting a screwdriver between the splines of the rewind shaft. Check for any washers underneath the handle. Next, unscrew the rewind spindle well using a spanner wrench. Remove the screw at the right end and the two screws at the rear of the accessory shoe. The forward screw secures the accessory shoe components, so it is not necessary to remove it entirely. During reassembly, remember to replace the two small pyramids located at the back of the U-shaped spring plate; these protrude through holes in the shoe to provide holding pressure for the flash gun shoe.
Diagram Description (Page 1):
- Top Camera View: Illustrates the top of the Ricoh 500, labeling key components such as the SHUTTER RELEASE BUTTON, CAMERA TOP COVER, VIEW-RF EYEPIECE, ACCESSORY SHOE UNITS, and parts of the rewind mechanism including the REWIND SPINDLE SPACER, REWIND SPINDLE WELL, and RAPID REWIND CRANK.
- Bottom Camera View: Shows the camera's underside, pointing out the INFINITY ADJUSTMENT SCREW, HORIZONTAL RF ADJUSTMENT SCREW, REWIND RELEASE BUTTON, CORDLESS FLASH CONTACT, and FLASH CONTACT WIRING.
- Photo 2: A close-up of the camera's bottom and rear, detailing flash contact points and other rear components.
Disassembly of Front Shutter
Set the front shutter to X-B and f/2.8 for reference during reassembly. Loosen the lock screw of the spanner flange around the lens and remove the flange. Lift off the MXV synchro setting and self-timer ring, noting the cutout on its underside that seats over the lug of the shutter coupling ring. Lift off the MXV collar, observing the extension underneath and the yoke visible within the shutter it sleeves into. Look for any spacer rings within this collar. Lift off the MXV coupling ring. Unscrew the front lens mount. Loosen the locking screw on the shutter cover plate, then unscrew the serrated locking flange. Lift off the shutter-speed setting ring and the shutter-speed cam plate from the underside. For shutter testing, the cam plate can be replaced and held down by threading on the serrated flange, inverted so its shoulder faces up.
Diagram Description (Page 2):
- Photo 3: Displays the camera body's upper mechanism and the underside of the top cover, showing circuitry from the PC contact to the accessory shoe. It highlights the BACK COVER LOCKING DISC, TRIGGERMATIC ACTION LEVER MECHANISM, and TRIGGERMATIC ACTION LEVER COVER PLATE, with a note to loosen a specific locking screw first.
- Photo 4 (Shutter Mechanism): A detailed view of the shutter mechanism, showing the COCKING LEVER, SHUTTER SPEEDS CONTROL PIN, SHUTTER SPEEDS GEAR, and TRIPPING LEVER.
- Photo 4 (Shutter Detail): Another view of the shutter assembly, detailing the BODY TO SHUTTER ALIGNING HOLE, RACK, SPACER BETWEEN SHUTTER AND CAMERA BODY, INDENT FOR ALIGNING PIN, and REAR SHUTTER LOCKING FLANGE.
- Photo 5: A close-up of the shutter mechanism, likely illustrating the interaction of the cocking and trip levers.
- Photo 6: Focuses on the f/stop control ring and surrounding parts, indicating where to remove screws to lift the ring and showing the alignment hole for the body to shutter pin.
Removal of Front Shutter
With the camera back removed, unscrew the lens flange, checking for spacers underneath. Remove the shutter by rotating it counter-clockwise to clear the lever, then swing it away from the camera body. Check for any spacers between the shutter and the camera body. Note the alignment pin on the shutter and its corresponding hole on the shutter support housing. Remove the three screws, then lift off the f/stop control ring. Note the hole on this ring that seats over the pin of the shutter-mechanism plate underneath. Feed the collar along the flash sync leads until it is out of the way.
Further Disassembly and Cleaning
Note the spacer ring between the shutter and the camera body, which has two cutouts to clear the aligning pin. Lift off the MXV ring; a slight drag may be felt as the MXV spring within the shutter housing rides on the control-ring lug, which, along with the spring, holds the sync setting for M, X, or V. Remove the three screws holding the f/stop collar and remove the collar. With the front of the shutter disassembled down to the speed-control cam plate and serrated flange, unsolder the red flash lead from the top contact and the black flash lead from the bottom contact. With the shutter separated from the camera, remove the rear lens mount by first removing the rear lens element from the barrel. Clamp a piece of hacksaw blade (straight edge up) into a vise, place the slots of the lens barrel onto the blade, and exert firm pressure to loosen the barrel from the shutter housing. Immerse the shutter in cleaning solution until it is covered. Charge or trip the shutter by hand to clean oil and grease deposits from the blades. If further disassembly is needed, remove three screws on the rear of the shutter to free the mechanism from the housing. Note any springs that ride against the housing for reassembly.
Diagram Description (Page 3):
- Photo 7: Shows the front shutter assembly with the MXV ring, highlighting the MXV SPRING, IRIS CONTROL PIN, ALIGNMENT HOLE TO SHUTTER MECHANISM PIN, MXV SHUTTER CONTROL RING, and indicating where to UNSOLDER FLASH LEADS (red at top, black at bottom).
- Photo 8: Details the f/stop collar and related parts, showing the BLACK f/STOP COLLAR, f/STOP CONTROL PIN, and ALIGNMENT HOLE FOR PIN.
- Photo 9: A composite image showing the front of the shutter disassembled and reassembled, with the shutter speed cam plate and locking flange in place.
- Photo 10: Illustrates the reassembly sequence of rear shutter components, showing the f/STOP CONTROL RING, BLACK f/STOP COLLAR, and labeled rings (RING 1, RING 2, RING 3). It also indicates to SET FOCUS TO THREE FEET and remove specific screws.
Removal of Focusing Mount
Photo 10 shows the order for disassembling the focusing mount from the rear of the shutter. Set the focus to three feet. Remove the two chrome screws visible through cutouts and one brass countersunk screw. Rotate the mount slightly counter-clockwise to clear the shutter tip lever end.
Reassembly
Replace the focusing mount assembly, ensuring the hollowed-out areas on the body and lens/shutter opening provide clearance for screws in the focusing-guide slots. Slip the flash leads through the top slot of the camera body where the body charging lever projects. Set the f/stop control ring in place over the focusing mount. Sleeve the flash lead through the arc at the left and the trip lever and charging body lever through the top arc. Solder flash leads: red to top, black to bottom. Place the f/stop indicator ring over the shutter assembly and flash wires onto the f/stop control ring. Replace the three countersunk screws at the rear of the shutter. Turn the shutter over so the front faces up, and replace the MXV control ring. The extension with the hole in it sleeves past the spring seen in the cutout to the left of the iris control pin. Push the end of the beveled lever in the next cutout aside so the extension of the MXV lever sleeves into the right of the lever. Check to ensure the ring operates smoothly to its stops. Slide the f/control ring over the flash sync wires and the rear of the shutter. Align the hole in the collar to the iris control pin, and replace the three edge screws. Clean the optics and replace the rear lens. Mount the shutter assembly on the body so that the body charging and tripping levers slip through their respective cutouts. Replace any spacers. Insert the hole on the shutter rear over the pin of the focusing mount. Hold the shutter in place; turn the camera over, and drop in any spacer removed during disassembly. Replace the lens flange and tighten. Trip and charge the shutter. If it checks out, continue with reassembly. Replace the shutter-speed setting ring, ensuring its extension sleeves down next to the rack visible in the lower right housing cutout. Align the ring's cutout with the projection of the speed-setting plate. Rotate both units to verify proper alignment of all levers and pins on their cam surfaces. Replace the decorator flange with the indicator arrow; its small cutout couples to a lever at approximately 2 o'clock. Replace the serrated locking flange of the shutter with the shoulder down. Replace the flange locking screw after applying proper working pressure. Replace the MXV coupling ring, fitting the yoke and the inner mechanism together. Clean the optics and the front lens unit and replace it. Replace the MXV ring with the window cutout sleeving its extension into the yoke of the shutter mechanism. Replace the MXV setting collar with its letter showing through the window cutout. Replace the lens identification ring and tighten securely. Screw down the locking screw.
Diagram Description (Page 4):
- Note Coupling Point to Shutter: An arrow indicates a specific coupling point on the shutter assembly.
- Photo 7 (Reference): Mentioned again for alignment details.
- Photo 10 (Reference): Mentioned again for reassembly steps.
