Hexar AF date imprinting question

[ampguy]

I finally got a minty Hexar AF Silver with date back.

I have the manuals, and set the current date and time, and hit all the buttons so that the LCD displays the date all the time.

However, the first couple of rolls, while showing stellar images, don't show the date anywhere.

The manual doesn't say how to turn on the date imprinting, only how to set the date and time.

Any tips? I actually want to print dates on images. Thanks!

 

[ampguy]

Here's an image under mixed lighting with Portra 800 film:

 

[ampguy]

I was able to get some prints from a Walgreens 200 roll, processed at Costco to show the date, but the date does not show on the negatives. I'm thinking it has something to do with the vertical bars on the negatives that may tell certain machines to imprint a date?

Does anyone else actually see the dates on their HAF date back negatives? Another thought is that maybe some kind of "digital ICE" on Noritsu machines somehow removes the date as it think's it is some kind of dust??

 

[Taipei-metro]

I've used date mode most of the time and the prints came out with date printed. The font was a bit smaller than my other cameras though.
I've never checked the neg assuming it's there.
I haven't use my Silver for years only a few prints around.
If replaced with another brand new 2025 battery won't work, somethings wrong.
Hope this help.