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C. Adler
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 10:18 am: | 
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I purchased a used Pentax Spotmatic F and I can't open the battery door to replace the battery. The manual says to use a coin but the indentation in the door isn't deep enough to get any leverage. Have tried screwdrivers, knives, etc., but no luck. Any suggestions? |
rick oleson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 03:09 pm: |
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This is a very common problem with spotmatics. you might be able to loosen the glue that's holding it by removing the baseplate from the camera (the battery box comes with it) and applying a mild acid like vinegar or maybe stop bath to the crack around the cover, in the hope of it dissolving some of the green crud. no guarantees though. you can try to drill a couple of spanner holes in the cover (you'll go into the battery, use the customary precautions) and unscrew it with a pin spanner, but i've seen some of these rip the battery box off the baseplate before the crud would let go. if you get it off and the baseplate is still intact, you can get replacement covers for about $15 last i checked.
: ) = |
Terry Scott
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 05:20 pm: |
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Get hold of a British 20p (twenty penny) piece coin. That'll open the battery cover of many cameras.
The 20p piece is about eight-tenths of an inch in diameter. Its side edge has seven faces, any one of which will do the job.
(The British 50p piece, bigger, is also good for opening Nissan car battery cells!)
Where to get one? Well, usually, Banks don't keep foreign coins, only notes - but, maybe you'll find a Bank that makes an exception or meet someone back from holiday in Britain. |
PO
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 05:45 am: |
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I have a tool for it.
Looks like 3 ??? ( don't know the word in English for it, a little circular plate with a hole in the middle for a screw, help me out here  ) overlapping each other.
But that probably won't help. Had to do some serious hammering on mine before it let go. |
Paul Shinkawa
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 07, 2005 - 02:37 pm: |
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A "washer" perhaps?
Some padlock keys like Master Locks have a round head that is thicker than a US Quarter. The key is long enough that it can be gripped with a pair of locking pliers for leverage.
-Paul |
