Unpopular opinion: Fixing a shutter is easier than fixing a light seal on a 1970s SLR

I was at a camera swap meet in Chicago last spring, and a guy next to me was complaining about a sticky shutter on a Pentax Spotmatic. I told him I had the same issue and spent 3 hours cleaning it. Meanwhile, I had a Nikon F2 with a foam light seal that was turning into goo, and that took me 4 tries and $20 in parts to get right. Which do you think is harder to fix for a beginner: a mechanical shutter problem or a light seal replacement? I'm leaning toward seals because you have to get the foam thickness just right or it messes up the mirror. Anyone else find shutters less scary than they look?

3 comments

3 Comments

jason_robinson2mo ago

Yeah, actually the mirror's on the other side so the foam goo doesn't really touch it.

joseph_hart1mo ago

Huh, is that really that big of a deal? I've seen people just wipe that stuff off with a rag and a little bit of alcohol and call it a day. Seems like a lot of fuss over some foam that's on the other side of the glass anyway.

derek_dixon782mo ago

You've been through the wringer with those seals, huh? I feel your pain, that sticky foam goo is a nightmare to get off without scratching the mirror.