Topic: My Polaroid 195 is stuck shut...

[4square]

I was out today using my new Polaroid 195 for only the second time. Everything was going great until I was about to take my 14th shot and the camera wouldn't extend into its open position! The black plastic cap the normally slips under the lever marked with a '1' seems to have come away from the metal bar on which is sits so it will no longer fit beneath lever 1 when it is lifted. I have attabed a picture which hopefully will illustrate what I mean.

I know that is a massive long shot, but before I take my new baby on an expensive trip to a camera repair shop, I just thought it was worth asking here if anyone else had had a similar experience and might be able to suggest a solution...

[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

[moominsean]

Not quite sure exactly what the issue is. Pictures from other angles? Are you saying it has come apart at the joint?

[4square]

can it be screwed or pushed back in with pliers?

I think that is exactly what needs to happen. I think it needs to be screwed as it seems to have somehow risen up a threaded post. The question is how? I don't have pliers anywhere near enough narrow enough. Which is why I think I will have to go to a repair shop... I was just hoping there might be some way to avoid that as I don't want to get charged a vast some of money just to screw something down a post! And I also don't want to have to do that multiple times if this is going to happen again! Hopefully I will find a decent repair shop who can maybe tell me what kind of pliers I needs to buy...

Not quite sure exactly what the issue is. Pictures from other angles? Are you saying it has come apart at the joint?

Just to help moominsean understand the problem... Here is a shot of my camera open that I took before this problem occurred:



You see the black plastic cap that fits under the number 1 lever to lock the camera in the shut position? Well it seems to have risen up the post that attaches it to the bar below. There is now a 1-2mm gap between the plastic cap and the bar below that I don't think was there before (but I can't be 100% sure). Of course this somehow happened after I closed the camera. So now when I raise lever 1 this plastic cap no longer fits underneath said lever so it is stuck in place.

I guess I was hoping that someone who had experienced exactly this problem could tell me what they did to resolved it. Like I said, I was aware this was a massive long-shot!

I was having such fun using this camera, so it's just a bit upsetting that this happened so soon after I got it :-(

[Heather]

Isn't that why you're suppose to press down on that one metal bar? I have a 103 but it's a similar design and that plastic cap is suppose to secure it but you press down to get it to come out again.

[moominsean]

there is a pin the connects the pieces...but that is probably okay as it appears on the bottom. you should be able to tap the plastic cover back down (lightly).

but if you can't get it out...you should be able to push down fairly hard. the entire front end is relatively flexible.

[4square]

Just thought I'd post a quick update for those that were kind enough to post ideas.  I took my camera to a local repair shop today (it's a small outfit that only opens Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, so today was my first opportunity!) and they very quickly put my camera to rights.

As I thought, and as some others had suggested, the black plastic cap had risen up its threaded post somewhat so all it needed was a tool that was fine enough to reach said black cap and grip it so it could be carefully screwed back down again. And the repairer then secured it in place so it wouldn't ride up again.

I am so glad to have my 195 back in full working order! Phew!

[sapata]

That's cool !