Please Help: Loose part in Minolta SRT-202

[ShannonD]

Hello, all! I'm hoping you might be able to help me to diagnose what's going on with my Minolta SRT-202. I recently noticed a rectangular-ish object that seems to be floating freely on top of the focusing screen--it is visible both through the bottom of the focusing screen (at least, I think it's the focusing screen) when the lens is removed and as a silhouette through the camera viewfinder. It moves around when I change the position of the camera, consistent with gravity (reversed in the viewfinder). The problem first appeared after I turned the camera upside down (gently) to replace the battery, so I suspect something came loose. (I have no idea if it's relevant--I'm pretty new to film photography--but in certain conditions, I can also see a faint outline of the pentaprism if I look downward into the viewfinder; I'm not sure if I could do this before the mysterious object appeared.)

Does anyone have any idea what might be going on? Is it likely to affect the camera's performance, short-term and/or long-term? (I'm currently waiting on a roll of film to be developed that I finished after spotting the problem, so it's possible that the roll will answer that question)? I am not entirely averse to opening up the camera and trying to fix it myself (based on online guides to opening the camera, not on any prior experience) if it is a minor problem, but I don't want to open it up if I'm just going to have to send it for repairs anyway (and I don't want to send it away for repairs if there's no hope!).

I've attached a rather bad image of the problem (setting up for a proper macro shot is difficult at this moment in my life, but I can try to get a better photo if truly helpful). This is looking up through the focusing screen (or maybe it's the focusing screen reflected in the mirror; I don't remember).

Thank you for any assistance you may be able to offer!

 

[Kino]

It is probably just a shim come loose and is floating around.

Unless it is striking your meter needle, there should be no problems other than being irritating.

EDIT: Look through the viewfinder and see if you can see the F-Stop numbers in the window above the viewfinder. It might be part of the mirror system used to reflect these f numbers to your VF. Same thing; irritating but not a deal breaker.

The reflex viewing system is not in the optical path to the film, so it won't be superimposed on the image.

The SRT-202 is a great camera and well worth sending out to get a CLA (clean, lube and adjustment), as well as fix the VF problem.

It should shoot reliably for 20 to 30 years after being refurbished.

 

[ShannonD]

Oh, you got it with your edit, I think--I hadn't even noticed that the F-stop numbers had disappeared, but sure enough, they're nowhere to be found.

Happy to send it out for some loving care, since it sounds unlikely to result in a shipping bill with nothing to show for it, which was my main concern. I love the camera, so I'm happy to hear this (and happy that it sounds like I can keep using it, just with a bit of annoyance, until it's a little bit more financially convenient to send it out).

Thank you so much!