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My backpacking fix for a jammed shutter in the mountains
I was on a hiking trip last week when a friend's camera shutter jammed. I had my basic toolkit with me, so I gave it a try. After some careful cleaning, the shutter started working again. They were so grateful, and I felt pretty good about solving it outdoors. It's cool how our skills can come in handy anywhere.
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the_paul1mo ago
You're right to ask where to start. I usually look for visible grit on the shutter blades first, since dust or a tiny sand grain is a common culprit out there. A careful wipe with a microfiber cloth can often get things moving for a quick field fix.
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Actually, I see it different from the_paul's tip about grit on the blades. Wiping them first can shove dirt into the camera's guts. That could ruin the shutter or scratch it up bad. I go for soft taps or a blower to get stuff out without touching. Only if that fails do I look at cleaning the blades. This way has worked better for me out in the wild, lmao.
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jadew631mo ago
Wow! What did you actually clean on the shutter, and how did you know where to start?
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