USCamera Light Seal Placement Guide | Vivitar 400/SL
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You are installing a 4 piece kit for the Vivitar 400/SL cameras
This light seal kit includes,
Bottom channel seal, camera body – 1 x 1mm
Top channel seal, camera body – 1 x 1mm
bottom channel seal, back cover – 1 x 3mm
mirror cushion – 1 x 2mm
latch plate seal, back cover – 1 x 2mm

General Installation Guidelines
Tech Note. It is easier to install the back cover hinge seal and work on the back cover with it removed from the camera (but not necessary). It is difficult to remove the hinge pin, so you will need to carefully lift up the front grip side leatherette near the hinge it will expose the 3 hinge retaining screws. If the leatherette is very brittle and breaks into pieces when attempting to lift it up, it is best to leave the film back attached to the camera.
Hinge Seal, Camera body
Install this seal centering it between the top and bottom door channels.
Latch plate seal, back cover
Notice the inside lip on the door latch plate by the film cassette spring. Install by centering this seal on that lip.
Door channel seals, Camera body
Install the upper and lower camera body channel seals starting at the hinge side of the camera body, working from left to right. The upper channel has the counter actuation lever. You will need to install this seal as close to each side of the counter lever opening as possible. However, do not let the seal interfere with the counter actuation lever.
Mirror cushion
Now, with the utmost care, remove the old and install the new mirror cushion. Remember if anything touches the focusing screen, it will likely be permanently damaged.
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The most important and time-consuming work is removing the old seals. Focus on clean, clean, clean. Clean the old residue from the door channels, mirror cushion area, door hinge area and anywhere else you are replacing the seals. The finest adhesive in the world will not adhere to that sticky, gooey residue that was once a quality light seal. Proper installation will give you thousands of light tight exposures.
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As a 1979 graduate of National Camera's resident camera repair school, is where I found what I best at and wanted to do for the rest of my working career. After camera repair school, I found my gift was the ability to easily understand complex electro-mechanical photo products. I could take almost any imaging item apart, cameras, lenses, slide/movie projectors plus more, understand how the unit functioned, and repair it. Then, accurately reassemble it into a fully working unit. In 1980, I was employed in Denver as a technician for the largest Colorado camera service center performing repair and service of both in and out of warranty for over 38 brands of photographic equipment, accumulating over 5000 hours of bench time.
In 1983, I started Technik Camera as a self-employed contractor and general technician. Within a few years, I employed 4 more technicians, 2 people as support staff, and more. I accumulated another 40,000 hours of bench time as we serviced 110mm, 35mm, medium format film cameras, lenses, flash, enlargers, timers, paper processors, long roll portrait cameras, and more. The challenge of successfully taking anything photographic apart and reassembling it into an accurately working piece... and you could not tell I took it apart, was very satisfying for me. Before 1998, we attended many training seminars hosted by factory trainers from Canon, Fuji, Konica, Mamiya, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and more.
Except for a few products, I have worked on most equipment made and thoroughly enjoyed it. When digital products came to market, I didn’t find the digital service as satisfying as film equipment. So I took the time to develop a website that supported digital/film cameras, lenses, other imaging items with parts and service information. I continued to service my equipment and several customers who maintained large collections. The challenge of successfully taking anything photographic apart and reassembling it into an accurately working piece... and you could not tell I took it apart, was enough for me. I have attended many training seminars hosted by factory trainers from Canon, Fuji, Mamiya, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Ricoh. I have special tools and test jigs required for many repairs for Canon, Pentax, Rollei, Rolleiflex, and more.
I do not work on studio flash. I don't care much for Alpha, Bronica S2 S2a, some Contaflex, and Kodak leaf shutter reflex mirror cameras plus a few others. I enjoy working on almost everything related to film, though in the last few years my focus is on equipment that will not require parts I don’t have. I am adding to the product service list on the service page. I could not include everything I work on there. Sometimes customers will ask if I can fix their model and I am surprised it wasn’t listed. I was working on photo products long before websites were here and I have not needed to advertise for years. I have plenty of my cameras to maintain as well as many local camera collectors with large collections. So do not hesitate to contact me with a service question about your equipment. I am sure I can take care of any issue you may have with the maintenance or service required with your film cameras, lenses, and more. I was working on photo products long before websites were here and I have not needed to advertise for years. Kindest regards, Gray.