Aperture Priority on my R2A = Headache

[jespin00]

So i'm one of many lucky camera owners to have the privilege of owning a Voigtlander R2A. I recieved it secondhand, mint condition with a very charming 50 1.5 Nokton Lens to partner with it.
All of this for a price people on this forum would resent me for...
Nevertheless, I was excited to use it out on the lively streets of the downtown core where i reside, Vancouver.

So out I went.... (to test the unique aperture priority on this camera). I set the dial on [A] and started clicking. I was extremely surprised at how easy it was to use! Set the aperture and shoot. However, there were times where it did not go the way I pictured in my head, let alone, expected.

So i would aim to take a shot, set the aperture and shoot.
After taking the shot I would reflexivly wind the roll for the next shot.
It wouldnt let me sometimes because the shutter would still be open, overexposing my shot. After a couple of seconds, the shutter would close.

How could that be? Is it taking a weird light reading? Or should I take it in for repairs?

Thanks.

 

[oscroft]

It wouldnt let me sometimes because the shutter would still be open, overexposing my shot.

You didn't have the lens cap on, did you? That'll cause the shutter to stay open for a few seconds. When you shoot you should really check the shutter speed displayed in the viewfinder.

 

[OurManInTangier]

I've never heard of this happening before. Though following Alan's advice and doing the basic check for the lens cap is always worth it, all too often I'll find a lens cap sitting on the lens I'm about to use on my work cameras...I tell myself its because I'm changing lenses alot and I'm sticking with that excuse🙄

My R2a will sometimes require me to turn it off to complete the shutter release process, strangely it doesn't effect the exposure or timing so it must be something catching and stopping it from completing the very end of the process....a foible of my camera that I've worked around but it should go in for a check up - did your camera have a recent CLA before you got it, if not it may be worth the expense...especially if you got it for such a good deal.

 

[morgan]

You didn't have the lens cap on, did you? That'll cause the shutter to stay open for a few seconds. When you shoot you should really check the shutter speed displayed in the viewfinder.

That was the first thing I thought of as well. But who knows. On a few rare occasions (like maybe two or three times in the last year) I've had to turn my R2A off and back on, but the shutter wasn't open, it just was kind of hanging. It is good advice to check the shutter speed to make sure it looks right before you click.

 

[jespin00]

Oh I wish i was that absent minded to leave the cap on, but today as i was taking shots it was working fine for the first roll. Than low and behold, it began to do the same thing... the shutter wide open.. burning the film with unnecessary light.
I guess i'm going to have to take it in for repairs... Ah well..

 

[Hates_]

Do you have fresh batteries in the camera? They don't last that long. I'd change the batteries and with no film in the camera do some test shots and compare the readings against a handheld meter.

 

[funkaoshi]

My guess is your batteries are dying, and it is metering the scene wrong.

 

[David R Munson]

Definitely try it with new batteries before you take it in for repair. Low batteries can do all manner of weird things to cameras.

 

[jespin00]

Fresh batteries, no lens cap on it. (pretty much the ideal shooting condition)
It's strange to think that it would happen to my camera, since i havent heard of that happening to anyone else on this forum. But i will take it in, and i'll keep everyone updated.
Thanks for the input ya'll.