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Astroturtle
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Username: Astroturtle

Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2010

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Posted on Monday, November 15, 2010 - 11:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi everyone! I just got a Yashica Electro 35 GSN last Friday and spent much of the weekend tinkering with it to get it going but I'm coming up blank...

I got a brand-new 4LR44 in the camera and the battery test works fine (nice bright light too!) but for some reason the Over/Under lights light up only very sporadically. When the lights do come on with a half-press of the shutter (this has happened all of 5 times so far) the shutter seems to work normally but the semi-working state doesn't hang around for long. When the over/under lights don't come on, the shutter seems to default to 1/500sec despite the battery check being fine.

I'm ok with a multimeter so I pulled the top and bottom off of the camera and everything seems to be good as far as I can tell from what resources I can find online. I did check that the CDS cell is working. The resistance goes up and down if I point it towards or away from the light.

I was hoping someone had any suggestions about what bits to poke and prod next.

Thanks in advance!
astroturtle
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Waynemel
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Username: Waynemel

Post Number: 178
Registered: 08-2009

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Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 - 05:48 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Check the pad of death. If it has deteriorated, it can cause a multitude of problems.
Do a search on "pad of death" and you should come up with directions to check and replace it.
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Monopix
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Username: Monopix

Post Number: 168
Registered: 11-2008

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Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 - 06:20 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Do you understand what the under/over lights are supposed to do? Sorry if that sounds patronising (it's not supposed to) but the lights don't always come on and it sounds as if the camera is probably working as it should. Maybe I'm not understanding the question. Can you elaborate.
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Astroturtle
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Username: Astroturtle

Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2010

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Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 - 12:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks for the replies...

Waynemel: The pad sounds fine. There is a Nice reassuring *clunk* when the advance lever is pulled as shown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7ZmzL3ojZc

Monopix: Haha... No worries, I get where you're coming from. :-) Yes, when the camera does work, and I cover the CdS window the under light goes on and when I uncover and point it at a bright light the over light goes on.
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Monopix
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Username: Monopix

Post Number: 169
Registered: 11-2008

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Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - 02:03 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

It's clearly an intermittant fault so might either be a broken (corroded maybe) wire or could be dirty switch contacts. If it's dirty contacts then exercising the camera may get it working more consistantly. Electros are know for coroded wires so I would suspect that.
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Astroturtle
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Username: Astroturtle

Post Number: 3
Registered: 11-2010

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Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - 11:10 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks for the tips Monopix. Once I get in the lens I'll definitely check the wiring in there. I'm having a heck of a time getting the lens-ring off this thing though. I tried the method the Yashica Guy suggests on his page but try as I might the ring won't budge. I'm going to hit up a local camera store at lunch to see if I can pick up a lens tool. Other than that obvious gem, ;) any tips on pulling that sucker off?
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Monopix
Tinkerer
Username: Monopix

Post Number: 170
Registered: 11-2008

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Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - 03:24 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I've never had problems removing them but I think others here have so maybe someone else can help on that one.

If there's corroded wires they're unlikely to be in the lens but no harm checking. I was thinking the battery switch, which is in the lens, could be one possible cause of your problems so definitely check that.

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