Olympus 35 EC problems

incapete

incapete

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Peter
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I've been given an old Olympus 35 EC that I'd love to have a play with, I've found replacement batteries following some advice in this thread and now I've cleaned up the contacts and installed the new batteries but the shutter still doesn't seem to be opening.

When I push the shutter release it moves smoothly and sounds as though it's operating the shutter release but I've watched carefully with the back open and can't see any shutter movement. I've done this in a variety of light so it's not just that it's too quick to see. Also, the light on top doesn't come on (I think this is supposed to indicate that it's got a correct exposure) and there's no light visible in the view-finder (but I'm not sure if there is supposed to be or not).

Before I waste a roll of film & developing costs - and more importantly my photos - is there any suggestions from people on here on what I should be doing/replacing/checking etc?

Have I just got a dud?
 
This may be of some interest from the rangefinder forum:

Ok, back to the EC. The thumb wheel operates smoothly, it rotates the sprocket inside the camera, so I was relieved. However no battery, no shutter check.

So I pessimistically followed Bill's instruction and crumpled a wad of aluminium foil into one of the bay, and stuffed 2 SR44 batteries in the other. No dice, the battery test light didn't light up when I half press the shutter. Neither does the shutter opened (it just kinda jerked a bit).:bang:

Dissapointed, but quite resigned, I reopened the battery cover thinking that I may need some more foil to create a stronger contact. Then I noticed something, the two battery bay has + and - sign at the bottom respectively, they are not equal. So, just for fun I switched the SR44 into the + bay (flipped them so the flat side touches the contact at the bottom of the bay), and the crumpled foil into the - bay.

Voila! the battery test light lit up orange immediately (solid, not flickering) when I hold the shutter release at half.

Quite elated at this point, I opened the back door and verified that the shutter indeed opens and closes properly. Pointed at darkness, the shutter opens visibly longer then when I pointed it at a light source.

Needless to say, I am happy as a clam!
Click to expand...

Does the battery check light come on? If not then it's probably a simple contact problem. If it does then it's something a bit more complex.



Steve.
 
Thanks Steve. That's familiar, I think I might have seen that while I've been searching for more details.

I'm happy that I've got the batteries the right way around - the stickers inside the battery compartment are just about visible and I can see the + and - symbols in the plastic of the compartment.

Is the battery check light the orange one on the camera top? It's not lit at all.

The battery compartment wasn't badly corroded so I had high hopes that it would work when I replaced the batteries.


So... so we think it's a battery contact problem or should I start messing around and open up the whole camera to try to trace the fault?
 
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