CLE Meter issue (maybe)

[kiss-o-matic]

Howdy

I have recently taken my Minolta CLE & Biogon 28/2.8 to Burning Man again, for I believe it's 4th trip. For those that know, it is a horrible environment for electronics (but of course, everyone takes expensive gear out there). I've had pretty good results in the past but I think this time the meter is giving out.

The symptoms are that a good portion (half-ish?) of the frames are almost black. Seems that they were shot at the maximum shutter speed of 1/1000. I was shooting with Rollei Retro 80s at roughly 75 (100 -1/2). I had good results the previous years with it and my other cameras I take out there, and those years all featured way worse light. Most days, this was blue sky, no clouds, off-white dust on the ground. With hindsight, the sad thing is I could have used Sunny 16 no problem. Live and learn.

Going through this thread there's a few suggestions for someone w/ the opposite problem. I notice now w/o any film in the camera, the meter light almost always goes straight to 1/1000 (even indoors at low aperture) but I know it tries to read the film that's not there. Not sure how to properly test this. Tempted to just throw my hands up and shoot in manual only. It's my Burning Man camera, and would like to keep it as such.

EDIT: I put new batteries in at the start of the event, and only shot 5 rolls, so I don't think it's a battery issue.

EDIT 2: Read the following at Cameraquest

Like any other electronic camera, the CLE is sensitive to dust and dirt inside the cover. Dirt can give you erratic meter readouts or other problems, a common and easily curable CLE repair.

How exactly is the best way about having a CLE properly cleaned? Not sure if I'm ready to plunk down $200 for a meter that's likely gonna get grimed up the next time I go out.

EDIT Final:
Really pushing my limits on edits. 🙂

It seems that DAG Camera Repair is a trusted source to have something cleaned/overhauled. Anyone wanna chime in on the value / whorthwhileness of this?

 

[lic4]

DAG doesn't service the CLE anymore, but Dave Easterwood does. www.davescamera.net

 

[kiss-o-matic]

Thanks for the heads up -- will file that in my options.

 

[stevierose]

Dave has tuned up my CLE several times through the years.

 

[Huss]

DAG doesn't service the CLE anymore, but Dave Easterwood does. www.davescamera.net

Easterwood has had my defective CLE for months now. And occasionally promises to have it ready any day now. Rarely responds to my emails, never picks up the phone.
I'm thinking he can't repair it and I just need to sell it for parts. If I can get it back from him. I would love it if he could get it to work, but this radio silence and months wait (was originally told it would be ready last April!) does not bode well.
(back story it was in perfect shape cosmetically, worked perfectly. I removed the batteries and put it in a dry box w/ other gear. A few months later I take it out to use it, and it locks up, needing me to remove the base plate to mechanically unlock it.)

 

[Huss]

Update.. Dave Easterwood got back to me and said my CLE is fixed. Unbeknownst to me he had back surgery which is why he was out.
So, he is a go to CLE guy!

 

[Dante_Stella]

There is nothing Dave can't fix, though sometimes it takes a while if it's an exotic type of thing that requires some creativity to fix. He's been doing work for me for 20+ years (he's relatively local). Almost every old camera you saw on my old site had first stopped at his place for a CLA to make sure it was actually working...

Dave is faster than DAG by a long shot, but all of these guys are (a) swamped with work and (b) getting to a place in life where non-work things impinge on scheduling.

He just fixed a CLE for me recently. Took a couple of weeks. And yes, meter jumpiness is dirty contacts.

Dante

 

[splitimageview]

Mixed results with Dave. The work seems to be top notch, but many delays and broken promises, and excuses...

Have to admit I don’t like having doubts about this one from Nov 8, 2017. Anyone else who
sent him cameras last fall experience delays and the same excuse?

Hi Robert,
I'm sorry for not getting back to you recently.
I had a heart attack last month and I'm just getting back in the shop.
I will get the pieces wrapped up that I can & return everything to you next week.
Again, I am sorry for the delays. My health has been failing lately. Getting old is a bitch.
I'll let you know when they are going out.

Thank you,
Dave

 

[Graham Line]

Regarding dust and shooting photos: When I worked for a newspaper in Idaho, we shot rodeo action with Mamiya C220 cameras. You can blow out the innards with compressed air (be careful where you point the nozzle). Generally one of the pool bodies would go in for R&R after the rodeo and potato harvest season. No auto-exposure though.