35SP: spot meter not working or permanetly engaged?

[charlie_brown]

Hi everyone,

To the 35SP owners out there: I received my second 35SP (I love those things) but realized that the spot meter button do nothing to the EV meter reading I see in the finder.

The meter seems to works OK, i.e. the needle moves and produces a sensible measurement when pointed to dark/lights scenes3. The only issue is that nothing changes when the spot button is pressed. I don't know if the spot metering is not working at all or if it's permanently engaged. I mention the latter because the metering looks similar when comparing to my other (fully working) 35SP with the spot button pressed. That is, it seems to meter over a small portion of the scene I see in the viewfinder changing the read accordingly you hover some dark spots in a light scene or when pointing to a point light source in a dark scene. Some ideas about this and how to check for whether is the center weighted meter or the spot meter what is currently working in my camera? Do you think this is fixable?

Cheers
CB

 

[retinax]

Find something bright surrounded by darkness or vice versa. Move to a distance that makes the small object aboard the angular size of the metering spot (perhaps about the size of the rangefinder patch?). Observe if reading changes drastically when pointing camera at it or next to it.

 

[charlie_brown]

Find something bright surrounded by darkness or vice versa. Move to a distance that makes the small object aboard the angular size of the metering spot (perhaps about the size of the rangefinder patch?). Observe if reading changes drastically when pointing camera at it or next to it.

Yes I have done that, and I think the spot meter is permanently engaged (but again, I maybe wrong). My first thought was to check whether the button is mechanically stuck but it does not seem it is.

Do you guys think this would be easily fixed by me (never opened a camera)? or should I bring it to my local camera repair guy (who taxes you with EUR 15 only to see the camera plus the repair service)

Thanks,

CB

 

[AFenvy]

My 35SP has a very recent overhaul by John Hermanson - the spot button produces only a very minor change in EV reading in most cases or frequently none at all. Be wary that the viewfinder for the meter is not flaring (it will in bright sun and cause incorrect readings). 1-2 EV is the most I have ever seen it shift the reading - 1/2 an EV is probably most common. The effect is subtle, I use it to fine tune an exposure (I frequently shoot slide film).

If you do want your camera repaired I would recommend an Olympus expert - as far as I know though the meters are not usually serviceable.

 

[charlie_brown]

[...] the spot button produces only a very minor change in EV reading in most cases or frequently none at all. Be wary that the viewfinder for the meter is not flaring (it will in bright sun and cause incorrect readings). 1-2 EV is the most I have ever seen it shift the reading - 1/2 an EV is probably most common...

That is what I see when I press the spot button in my fully working SP (Nº 1), you can see 1-2 EV variation, some times more for extreme changes, e.g. pointing with the viewfinder little path to an incandescent bulb in a dark room. But with my problematic SP (Nº 2) nothing happens when the spot button is depressed. Not response of the needle or change of the reading as seen in the viewfinder 🙁.