Canon T90 stuck in AE lock?

[Archlich]

I just received a T90. It has the EEE problem, which I know is curable, but aside from that I found another possible issue: even with the viewfinder display lever in the palm panel set to the middle, solid dot ("all information displayed" per the manual), the viewfinder does not show any readings. The red LED numbers would only pop up when the shutter is half pressed or the exposure preview button is pressed, in the form of AE locked values (with the little asterisk to the left).

Is it normal behavior? Shouldn't the camera activate the meter and show the reading, without the need of anything to be constantly pressed down? Any knowledge would be helpful. Thanks guys.

 

[icebear]

It's been a while ... more than a decade ago when I parted from my 2 T90's. Great camera, the last MF for the FD lenses. Then Canon went EOS...
Anyway, why would the camera meter anything with the exposure button not pressed half way down? Either I misunderstand something or what you ask for doesn't make sense😉.
Does the camera store the readings when you press the multi exposure (tiny button) and display the range with the markers in the viewfinder display? I trust you have taken out the battery pack, cleaned all contacts and inserted the pack again? Good luck to get it working again, it was one great camera.

 

[Huss]

is the shutter cocked? (is there film in it? I keep
a test roll that i specifically use to just make sure new to me cameras r ok)
I know it’s not a Canon but my Leica R9 also only shows
meter readings with the shutter button depressed if the shutter is not cocked.
If i cock it, it shows the readings constantly:

 

[Archlich]

Thanks for the reply guys.

The camera is clean and I believe the meter itself works fine. It does store the spot readings, the LED dots on the right are visible. The camera cocks by itself since it's motorized, so the meter should be on once you'd turn the camera on.

I got the question since it's unlike any other metered camera I've used - including the New F-1 and several EOS-1 & 1v, with which almost all meters are "activated" and remains on (showing the reading) for several seconds. Then you half press the shutter button or the exposure preview button to lock the exposure. With this, I could just sweep the camera around (the reading changes) to have an idea on the readings, then lock.

I really don't see why Canon would design the T90 alone to be "the other way around". The little asterisk ("AE lock mark") to the left would be meaningless if the exposure is always locked right?

I should have made it clearer: what it's like with your T90? Does it show the red LED reading even without something being depressed?