| Author |
Message |
    
Henri
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 11, 2004 - 04:54 am: | 
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Hello,
I've read from many resources that a dirty or worn out resistive strip is most likely to cause this common problem.
Strangely, my problem doesn't seem to be associated with the resistive strip. I'm assured that both the strip and the contact arm that presses against it are functioning and not causing the problem. I have opened the camera and tested this myself.
The problem: Sometimes, when I press the shutter release half-way down, the needle goes up and does not return, even if I take my finger off the shutter release and then press it again. Only after a couple of shots will the needle resume normal operation. Strange. Also, after opening the back cover, thus resetting the frame counter to "S", the needle won't begin to operate until frame number 3. What could be causing this?
Any help will be very much appreciated.
Henri |
Jon Goodman
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 11, 2004 - 09:21 am: |
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It is normal for the camera not to operate electronically until the frame counter reaches number 1. Yours may be out of adjustment. You will see switch contacts over near the counter wheel...at the front side. My experience has been that these cameras principally suffer from loss of electrical contact. It may be at the battery canister, or it may be elsewhere in the circuit. I just repaired one which had 5 breaks in the internal ribbon connector. Somebody had evidently tried to repair it before I did. Good luck. I have not encountered a "sticky" needle, however.
Jon |
Jackson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 11, 2004 - 12:35 pm: |
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In my EM, the backlight button was intermittant from long disuse. I sprayed a very small amount of contact cleaner/lubricant in from the front of the button, and the problem disappeared.
Usually, I don't spray anything other than air into a camera. In this case, I considered the backlight function so useful (and the camera rather unremarkable without it), I was willing to take the risk. I'm not saying you should spray anything into your EM, but switch problems are often the result of oxidation, not physical deformation. Whether you spray it or apply it with a toothpick, good quality contact cleaner seems to be essential for working on these old cameras. For battery compartments, I apply a light bodied white grease. It not only prevents oxidation, but helps ward off the effects of corrosion in the event the batteries leak a little. |
Henri
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 04:08 am: |
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Jon, Jackson,
Thank you. I was able to cure the frame counter problem by cleaning and adjusting the contacts. The other problem persists.
Henri |
Jackson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 11:58 am: |
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Henri,
My suggestion is to eliminate as many possibilities as you can. Take the lens off the camera, close the back, then wind and advance to frame #1 or above.
The next time you press the shutter release and the meter jumps to the top, rotate the ASA selector ring and see if the needle drops back down. Also move the AI (aperture detector) tab on the front of the body. If this doesn't provide any clues, turn the B-M90-Auto ring back and forth a few times. Also, will the battery test light come on while the meter is inoperative?
If none of this does any good, the problem may indeed be a printed circuit trace or other internal wiring problem. |
Henri
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2004 - 08:04 am: |
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Hello,
Unfortunately none of that does any good. I think I will not disassemble the camera any more at the moment, so as to not break it altogether...
And the problem isn't really that harmful, since it only occurs when I hold the shutter release half-way down for a moment. A single tap on the button doesn't seem to imply the problem.
I just loaded the camera with a cheap film to see whether it gives correct exposures. Let's hope for the best.
Thanks,
Henri |
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