Is there any way to tell? And something's dirty. Pretty urgent.

[m_achines]

I just picked up the old Praktica LB I had lying around that hasn't been used by anyone I know for God knows how long (I bought it off a friend of a friend of a.. you get it). Is there any way I can tell if everything's in working order without shooting a roll and developing it?

Also, I looked through the viewfinder and was confronted with this:

This is a picture of the Praktica viewfinder through my dslr. Those two dirty splotches are no where to be seen elsewhere... not on the mirror or the lens, front or back.. help? It actually looks little little droplets of coke that have been spilled and left to dry... in a secret place...

I need to know by Wednesday as I plan to take it along to a college outing tomorrow or Wednesday and can't risk the photos not turning out/having dirty marks on them.

 

[joxby]

well, they won't have dirty marks on them, those will probably be on the focussing screen.
There's no real way to tell whether it will shoot ok without shooting a roll, but you can make an educated guess.
If the shutter timings sound correct
If the light seals are in good condition.
If everything works as it should, there is no reason to doubt it, but you never know.

 

[m_achines]

The shutter timings sound pretty much perfect.. doing what it should. Is there anything like firing the shutter and seeing it open/close that I can look at to ensure it is working properly? I guess I will just have to risk it; I have other SLR's but really want to use this one.

How do I check the light seals?

Thanks for the reply!

 

[goldenlight]

If the pictures of the college outing are really important why risk using an unknown camera when you have a perfectly good DSLR? The only sure way of testing the Practica is to shoot a roll of film and develop it.

 

[TheBigYin]

If it's important to know if it works, shoot a c-41 film and stick it in for 1 hour process and print right now. You could have a definite answer by noon. Otherwise, use something you know works. Obvious really :shrug:

 

[m_achines]

If the pictures of the college outing are really important why risk using an unknown camera when you have a perfectly good DSLR? The only sure way of testing the Practica is to shoot a roll of film and develop it.

Because it has to be a 35mm slr.

If it's important to know if it works, shoot a c-41 film and stick it in for 1 hour process and print right now. You could have a definite answer by noon. Otherwise, use something you know works. Obvious really :shrug:

If I had the money, I would. Sadly, I have to keep what money I have for the developing of the photos from the outing. I guess I should just use my minolta slr; I know that works. I'm just desperate to use the Praktica because I love the results. I suppose it can wait till I have a bit more money to test it first, though.

Thanks.

 

[Quantum Sprite]

Hi m achines,

You should be able to keep the film back open when you press the shutter and see the blades whizz across, if you do it for the fastest and slowest settings you'll see the difference in speed, so you'll know if the speed selector works. (you might be able to tell the intermediate settings as well).

You can see if the aperture blades work by looking in the front of the lens at each aperture setting and watch them close when you press the shutter.

If it takes a battery CHANGE IT! (and check the contacts are ok).

you can see if the meter works easily enough, and that's about it really.

good luck

QS