gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
Just thought I'd pop in an say hello. Just bought my first rangefinder - an Electro GSN - on a whim. Shot film in the early 80s and have been playing with a Rolleicord for the last couple of years, but most of my experience is both digital and SLR, so this is going to be interesting!
cweg
Well-known
Hello and welcome, the GSN is a very good startup in the world of Rangefinders. It has been my first RF too and since then my DSLR is "only" used for it's special use, like Sport etc.
Enjoy your GSN and post your first pics soon.
Enjoy your GSN and post your first pics soon.
gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
Thanks for the welcome. I'm a semi-pro sports photographer, so I thnk my DSLRs will continue to be used for that, at least. The question is how often my Nikon P6000 compact will be used.
I am going to try to use the RF for sports, too - or, at least, for a series of black and white portraits of sportsmen... Given my background, my DSLRs are always in either manual or SP, so this aperture first way of working is going to take some getting used to. I'm going to start with fast film until I get used to being forced onto unfamiliar slow shutter speeds...
gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
Well, it looks like there's a problem with the GSM. Battery checks out OK and the focus indicator seems bright and clear, but the meter - or the lights - don't seem to be working. I've shot a roll of HP5 400 and half a roll of Velvia 100 today, mostly at f8 and I've never seen an under or over exposure warning, so I assume it's playing up. I've tried provoking it, too - switching to f1.7 in bright sunlight - and nothing.
So, three questions
1 Any obvious things to try (yes, the battery's good)
2 If not, any recommendations as to a good UK repairer to send it to
3 What shutter speed will it default to if the meter's not working - in other words, is there any point in getting these films developed. There's nothing of any value on them, just a couple of test rolls, but £25 in film and developing will be a bit of a waste if there's not likely to be anything on them.
Guy
So, three questions
1 Any obvious things to try (yes, the battery's good)
2 If not, any recommendations as to a good UK repairer to send it to
3 What shutter speed will it default to if the meter's not working - in other words, is there any point in getting these films developed. There's nothing of any value on them, just a couple of test rolls, but £25 in film and developing will be a bit of a waste if there's not likely to be anything on them.
Guy
vbarniev
Established
What battery do you have?
petronius
Veteran
Maybe the evil "pad of death" knocked your GSN. Do you hear a characteristic "plonk" when you advance the film. If that sound is missing the camera has to be fixed. Take a look here: http://www.yashica-guy.com/document/repair.html
gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
A 4LR44 with an adaptor.
gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
I had seen references to the PoD, but it doesn't seem quite fit. It isn't that I get either light stuck on, but that I can't provoke either light to come on at all! And it does seem to plonk correctly, but I'll have another play over the weekend.
vbarniev
Established
Send your camera for a CLA (Mark Hama would be a good choice)
gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
I think that's probably good advice, but I may try to find something on this side of the pond before I send it off to Georgia.
b1bmsgt
Yeah, I still use film...
It's really pretty rare for the battery check light to be active and not get anything at all from the over/under lights.
Try these tests...
First of all, set the selector ring to the B setting and hold the shutter release down. Does the shutter open and stay open?
If not, it could be a POD problem or a case of dirty electrical contacts
Now try this:
Move the selector ring to AUTO
Set the ASA to 1000 and the aperture to f1.7
With the film advanced and the shutter cocked, aim the camera at a light and push the shutter release down slowly while watching the lights, either on the top of the camera or through the viewfinder. As you get to the halfway point of button travel, more or less, the red light should come on.
It may be intermittant as you move the shutter button up and down, or may come on steady at some point in the travel. (Also, listen for a buzzing noise from the lens area. A pronounced buzzing is a sign of dirty contacts.)
If the light is intermittant, it is definitely a sign of dirty contacts
If it doesn't come on at all, could still be contacts or something much more serious
Next, set the aperture to f16, aim the camera at a dark area and move the shutter button up and down again. (Shutter cocked, as above) The yellow light should come on as you press the button partially down
If you get an intermittent light, again it would point to the contacts.
No light, same as above with the red light.
If you get steady lights, then the camera may in fact be working properly.
When I use the Electro, I set the aperture at f16, push the shutter button until the yellow light comes on, then open the aperture until it goes off. This gives the maximum depth of field possible.
Try this out and let us know what you get!
Russ
Try these tests...
First of all, set the selector ring to the B setting and hold the shutter release down. Does the shutter open and stay open?
If not, it could be a POD problem or a case of dirty electrical contacts
Now try this:
Move the selector ring to AUTO
Set the ASA to 1000 and the aperture to f1.7
With the film advanced and the shutter cocked, aim the camera at a light and push the shutter release down slowly while watching the lights, either on the top of the camera or through the viewfinder. As you get to the halfway point of button travel, more or less, the red light should come on.
It may be intermittant as you move the shutter button up and down, or may come on steady at some point in the travel. (Also, listen for a buzzing noise from the lens area. A pronounced buzzing is a sign of dirty contacts.)
If the light is intermittant, it is definitely a sign of dirty contacts
If it doesn't come on at all, could still be contacts or something much more serious
Next, set the aperture to f16, aim the camera at a dark area and move the shutter button up and down again. (Shutter cocked, as above) The yellow light should come on as you press the button partially down
If you get an intermittent light, again it would point to the contacts.
No light, same as above with the red light.
If you get steady lights, then the camera may in fact be working properly.
When I use the Electro, I set the aperture at f16, push the shutter button until the yellow light comes on, then open the aperture until it goes off. This gives the maximum depth of field possible.
Try this out and let us know what you get!
Russ
gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
Thanks Russ.
This year's 'Idiot Who Wasted Two Rolls of Film' Award is presented jointly to Guy Swarbrick and The Muppet From Yashica Who Designed A Battery Check Light That Functions When The Battery Is Fitted Upside Down...
Everything seems to work as it should when the battery's in the right way up.
D'Oh...
Any idea what the default shutter speed is? I'm wondering if it's worth sending these off to be developed or whether I should just throw them away... I'm glad it was the Sensia I ruined, not the Velvia or the Astia...
This year's 'Idiot Who Wasted Two Rolls of Film' Award is presented jointly to Guy Swarbrick and The Muppet From Yashica Who Designed A Battery Check Light That Functions When The Battery Is Fitted Upside Down...
Everything seems to work as it should when the battery's in the right way up.
D'Oh...
Any idea what the default shutter speed is? I'm wondering if it's worth sending these off to be developed or whether I should just throw them away... I'm glad it was the Sensia I ruined, not the Velvia or the Astia...
batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
No Yashica knowledge or experience here, but boy, is that (GBP 25) what you guys in the UK are paying to get two rolls done? Holy cr*p!
My guess, the color roll shouldn't be any worse than if it had come from a fixfocus point-n-shoot. Would I pay 10 quid to find out? Probably not.
As for the roll of HP5, surely there must be someone in your area who'll home develop it for you along with his/her own, for a pint or two?
My guess, the color roll shouldn't be any worse than if it had come from a fixfocus point-n-shoot. Would I pay 10 quid to find out? Probably not.
As for the roll of HP5, surely there must be someone in your area who'll home develop it for you along with his/her own, for a pint or two?
gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
Not quite! The HP5 was £5 and developing it will cost about the same. The Fuji was a little bit more expensive and with developing comes to about £13. I rounded up. So the question is whether I gamble £12 or so on top of the £11 or so I've already lost to see what's on there. I think I probably will. The cost of a pint's not much less than £5 these days, either!
batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
Ah of course, slide film, didn't read your post closely. Getting pricey here, too. (Same amount in dollars, though!)
Took a brief look at your cycling photos. Seems you're well set up with your digital kit for color work. I'd go B&W with the Yashica. I could definitely see a portrait series, particularly of the kids.
Took a brief look at your cycling photos. Seems you're well set up with your digital kit for color work. I'd go B&W with the Yashica. I could definitely see a portrait series, particularly of the kids.
gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
Thanks. That's actually part of the plan - although I have Nikon F5, too (acquired at about the same time as the Yash) that I intend to use for portraits of the top riders. I might have a go at the kids with the RF, though... Might be less initimidating for them.
Guy
Guy
b1bmsgt
Yeah, I still use film...
Default shutter speed is 1/500 of a second.
Russ
Russ
gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
Thanks. It was set at f8 most of the time and it was a bright enough day that some of the shots may have worked. Worth a punt, I think.
gswarbrick
Back to Black. And White.
Well, with hindsight... it was worth sending the film off. About two thirds of the exposures were close enough to do something useful with!
