Defaulting to bulb at f16?

cambolt

Green Spotted Nose Turtle
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Feb 18, 2011
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This may sound stupid to some...
If I put the exposure control onto auto, then stop down to f16, in a dark area, my GSN seems to default to bulb mode, and the shutter closes after I let go of the button. However if I keep my finger down, the shutter closes by itself after a few seconds. Is this normal?
Thanks
 
The Electro can give proper long exposures in dim lighting.

In a dark area, several seconds might be just right. f/16 should produce twice the exposure time as f/11. Does that match what you are seeing?

Shutter closing immediately when you let go the button doesn't sound right. Shutter closing itself after several seconds in a dark area is proper.

I did have an Electro with way-too-long exposures at f/16, but it was good at other f stops. I just avoided f/16 on that camera.

Use another meter to see what the f/16 exposure should be in your dark area. Listen carefully to see if f/16 exposure is twice as long as f/11.
 
Try this...

Set up the camera as you did above...shoot at f16 then f11, then f8 and so on...compare the results...they should all look the same...if you have to hold the shutter button then do it...it seems that the exposure needed for f16 is longer than the longest shutter speed setting that you can set the camera to...does that make sense???
 
Bulb at f/16 is an issue with POD. Been there, done that.

>With my GSN on auto, you must hold the shutter button down until the exposure is complete at any f-stop.

Rods have to be adjusted. At least it did help with mine.
 
I have still yet to develop a roll from this camera, however the shutter speeds seem decent to my eye. Hopefully it is not a POD problem. The camera does eventually end the exposure at f/16, however it ends it immediately if I let go of the button. Anyway, I'll see how the roll I have in it turns out...
Thanks for your replies.
 
Unfortunately, adjusting the rods cannot compensate for a really bad POD. :bang:

Adjusting the larger rod changes the point of this rod latching during the shutter button depress, as described in monopix's link. The only thing adjusting the smaller rod does is change the height of the winding lever release arm on the shaft. This is why adjusting the rod can sometimes give a little more positive shutter trip, as moving the winding release arm up allows just a bit more shutter arm travel. Other than that, this rod has no control over the arm that trips the shutter on the back of the lens plate, which is also the arm that the POD is attached to. In addition, if the wind release arm is moved up too far, it will no longer release the winding lever.

(See the link in my signature for my explanation of the POD, with pictures of the usual suspects)

With a deteriorated POD, the rod holding the electrical brushes of the metering system cannot reach the bottom of the circuit board. Therefore, the shutter circuit is never completed as designed. The only remedy for this is a new POD of the proper dimensions.

Russ
 
Unfortunately, adjusting the rods cannot compensate for a really bad POD.


Adjusting the rods usually comes after fixing the POD.

Both true.

But sometimes cameras have been 'fiddled' with and the rods are out of adjustment. As I said in my previous post, "if everything else is working correctly" then it may be the rods are just out of adjustment and need correcting. It's certainly worth trying before stripping down the camera to change the POD.

Personally I check the easy things first.
 
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