Electro 35 GT, backdoor wiggle room?

[fymmot]

I recently took a chance and bought a cheap Electro 35 GT on a local auction site. It is my first Yashica and I've tried reading up on all its peculiarities, so I know for sure that my specimen needs a battery adaptor and a lightseal change before use.

However, before I put in the work needed, I'd like to consult you guys, who are the experts. My camera's backdoor has some quite noticable "wiggle room" on its left side. If I put my thumb on the upper-left corner of the door (below the viewfinder) and press, the door yields more than 1 mm. Is this normal? If not, is it likely that this will compromise the film? Worth noting is that I haven't tried loading the camera with film yet so I don't know if this changes anything.

Thanks for your help

 

[b1bmsgt]

A lot of that play is probably due to the deteriorated light seals. New seals should help quite a bit. A very small amount of movement can be considered normal, however.

Russ

 

[Paolo Bonello]

I'm pretty sure once you install new door seals it will be fine because even mine are a little mushy when you push on that corner. I'd check that the camera functions correctly first before spending time changing seals though. A bigger concern is if the POD needs replacing and/or if all the electrics are working correctly. A light leak from the seals will show up on the film and can be corrected with a $10 seal kit but the electrics can be the deal killer if you're not prepared to pull the whole camera apart to replace the POD. so I'd be checking that first with some fresh batteries. See if the meter lights work first I think then go from there.

Cheers,
Paolo

 

[Paolo Bonello]

A lot of that play is probably due to the deteriorated light seals. New seals should help quite a bit. A very small amount of movement can be considered normal, however.

Russ

Russ, love that link you put on your signature. The POD is a curious thing to any would-be or new-be Electro owner. Nice one putting the link to that thread you started with all the clear images.
Cheers,
Paolo

 

[fymmot]

Thank you for your replies! The link is very helpful! I'm reading up on the POD right now. About that sound you want to hear when you wind the film, is it still audible without batteries? And is at the end of the winding motion or the beginning? If it's just before the end, I think I might have heard it just now.

I'm ordering a fresh set of batteries and hoping for the best!

Edit: I did what someone suggested and winded while holding the shutter release, and didn't hear that sound. So I guess that it was the plunk I heard the first time?

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

fymmot, you hear the thunk as you start to wind. Here is a youtube video that demonstrates the thunk. The thunk is good; no thunk is bad.

 

[stratcat]

Thank you for your replies! The link is very helpful! I'm reading up on the POD right now. About that sound you want to hear when you wind the film, is it still audible without batteries?

<snip>

The 'thunk' is produced by the mechanical operation of advancing the film and setting up the camera's internals for the metering and shooting so yes, you hear it regardless of there being a battery in the camera or not.

 

[fymmot]

I wasn't sure whether I should create a new thread or continue here. Anyways, the battery adapter from Yashica Guy just arrived (clever litte piece of ingenuity!) but some new problems appeared. I managed to get the battery check lamp to light up once, but then no more. And of course, no slow or over lights working either. Is this a camera dead in the water or is there any thing I (as a novice) can do about it?

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

fymmot, here is a piece I created on how to test a Yashica Electro. Some of the tests will help figure out whether the shutter, aperture, etc. are OK.

You saw a response to the battery, but now there is none. I saw that in one of my Electros. I assume you have checked for clean battery compartment, good battery, and good contact. If you're lucky, it's a wire disconnected. If it's an electronic component, then you'll need spare parts.

Back to your original question of "wiggle room" I just tested one of my Electros. Pressing where you say, the door moves further closed by about 1mm. And, this camera has fresh light seals.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

You could load it with film, no battery, and go shoot with sunny f/16.

Without a battery, the shutter will be about 1/500th. This will tell you a lot about the condition of the camera.

 

[iandiam]

bMy GSN has a lot of play, and light seals that are...gooey at best...but I've never had a white streak nor yellow blob, even in full sun, even lens-down on the patio table.

I will say, that I am now running the test roll for a GT that I just finished putting back together from some of the very smallest pieces. I'm not sure what difference the cutout on the bottom-plate-load-side will make for leaks, as the seals are gone in this one too. Regardless, if the exposures look okay, i may look into restoring the light seals too. It's s looker:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/underground-ian/6240553581/in/photostream/lightbox/

 

[Steve M.]

I have several cameras that have more looseness in the back door than yours. When I put film in them, most or all of the play disappears. Your camera still may need light seal foam replaced, but it may just need to be loaded w/ film too.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

FWIW, here's a thread about what the light leak can look like... This one was a leak at the film-door hinge.