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Waynemel
Tinkerer
Username: Waynemel
Post Number: 33
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 01:14 pm: | 
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The meter on my ST701 spikes to the top of the scale under all lighting situations. I have tried changing shutter speeds, aperture and ISO. I have tried adjusting the potentiometer as well.
Does anyone know what might cause the spiking? |
Daniirwan
Tinkerer
Username: Daniirwan
Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 08:06 am: |
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I have the same camera & the same problem. My main suspicion is that I'm using the wrong type of batteries. You do know that the ST701 originally requires MR400 mercury batteries right? Well, as far as I know, there's no silver oxide or zinc air replacement for the MR400 EXCEPT the Weincell, which I haven't bought yet. So I don't know if they'll work or not. I tested my ST701 with Maxell SR936SW batteries (silver oxide, used it in my Spotmatic SP500 with no problem, and the SP500 requires the same MR400 batteries originally,so I thought they'll work, but guess what..I was wrong)..and the meter on my ST701 just spiked all the way to overexposure on just sits halfway down the middle mark..in all lighting conditions. What battery did you use to test yours? I guess we'll never know for sure until we get the Weincell. |
Waynemel
Tinkerer
Username: Waynemel
Post Number: 34
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 11:32 am: |
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I used 1.4v zinc air batteries. I find it hard to believe that a voltage difference of only .1v (2.8v vs 2.7v) would make the meter act so dramatically. Since I tried adjusting the pot to compensate for the voltage difference and this had no effect, I suspect something else is going on. I have Weincells, but only in the larger size. Maybe I can rig up some sort of test unit to see if 1.35v batteries would work. |
Daniirwan
Tinkerer
Username: Daniirwan
Post Number: 5
Registered: 10-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 12:09 am: |
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Great. I've also heard that the 1.4v zinc air batteries (size 675) would work, but I've never tried it, since it requires spacers/jims on the battery ends' to make contact. Perhaps the meter wiring is corroded? That could be one possibility. Let me know how it works out..eager to use the built-in meter on my ST701 too. |
Daniirwan
Tinkerer
Username: Daniirwan
Post Number: 8
Registered: 10-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 12:20 am: |
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Google up and found these interesting resources for u:
http://reviews.ebay.com/Fujica-ST701-Tip_W0QQugidZ10000000006252607?ssPageName=B UYGD:CAT:-1:LISTINGS:5
http://www.pentax-manuals.com/fujica/top1/st701_battery_fix.htm
Kim's page (the 2nd one) is especially good, it tells you how to recalibrate the ST701's meter to accept modern batteries. But I haven't done it yet..even my local repairman hesitates to do the job! If you're brave enough to do it, do tell me how it pans out. |
Daniirwan
Tinkerer
Username: Daniirwan
Post Number: 10
Registered: 10-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 12:29 am: |
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Also another good resource regarding mercury batts and their solutions:
http://www.ihagee.org/batt-adapt-us.pdf
Hope it helps. |
Waynemel
Tinkerer
Username: Waynemel
Post Number: 40
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 11:43 am: |
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Just as a follow-up:
I rigged up a couple of 1.35v mercury batteries to test the meter. It still spikes. Obviously this is not a battery issue, but a problem somewhere in the electronics. |
