Konica C35 Battery Problems

[Flick0011]

Hey Guys!

I recently bought a Konica C35 in a good condition (the exterior to be exact). I then tried pressing the shutter button and checking the lenses to make sure if it is clean or not. Thankfully, it was clean to my standard. I then proceed to insert an SR44 battery to the battery compartment to check if the light meter works or not. At first, it was working beautifully (it was sensitive to the changes of light). I then used a lens cover to close the lens so the light meter won't drain the battery.

Only problem is that when I left the battery for about 3 hours with a closed lid on the Konica C35 (note that the Konica C35 doesn’t have an on and off switch, it only said to close the lens with a lid to prevent the battery’s power to be drained), the battery seems to be drained. I don’t really know why though.

Anybody here have any knowledge about this problem?
Thankyou for reading this thread, it really means a lot!

 

[farlymac]

Hey Guys!

I recently bought a Konica C35 in a good condition (the exterior to be exact). I then tried pressing the shutter button and checking the lenses to make sure if it is clean or not. Thankfully, it was clean to my standard. I then proceed to insert an SR44 battery to the battery compartment to check if the light meter works or not. At first, it was working beautifully (it was sensitive to the changes of light). I then used a lens cover to close the lens so the light meter won't drain the battery.

Only problem is that when I left the battery for about 3 hours with a closed lid on the Konica C35 (note that the Konica C35 doesn’t have an on and off switch, it only said to close the lens with a lid to prevent the battery’s power to be drained), the battery seems to be drained. I don’t really know why though.

Anybody here have any knowledge about this problem?
Thankyou for reading this thread, it really means a lot!

Well. there could be a short that drains the battery. Maybe someone had it open to clean out the rangefinder and pinched a meter wire when closing it back up. A component failure could also cause a short, or corrosion from water intrusion. Hard to say without going in for a check. I had to replace the battery wires on one because the cell got old and corroded them about halfway up to the meter, but that's another issue.

PF

 

[zuikologist]

Can you use a battery checker to see if the battery has voltage. It may be worth cleaning the battery compartment even if it looks clean, as sometimes a film deposit builds up and breaks contact.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

As stated above: verify the battery is good using a volt meter, or a second battery into the camera. Check the compartment for corrosion, anything that could lead to a short.

 

[Flick0011]

Thank you everybody for replying this thread! It really means a lot to me!

As mentioned by everybody, I will try to get a volt meter to check if the battery works or not (I did buy a new battery and unfortunately, the same thing happened again)

As for the battery compartment, I do not really know if there are any corrosions. I did however opened the compartment a little.
This is my reddit thread link containing pictures inside my battery compartment if anybody wants to help me check it out

https://www.reddit.com/r/AnalogComm...urce=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Does this look corroded to any of you guys? Sorry I mainly shoot digital and never used a film before, this is my first time trying out film.. I am practically a beginner.

Thanks for your time!

 

[farlymac]

Thank you everybody for replying this thread! It really means a lot to me!

As mentioned by everybody, I will try to get a volt meter to check if the battery works or not (I did buy a new battery and unfortunately, the same thing happened again)

As for the battery compartment, I do not really know if there are any corrosions. I did however opened the compartment a little.
This is my reddit thread link containing pictures inside my battery compartment if anybody wants to help me check it out

https://www.reddit.com/r/AnalogComm...urce=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Does this look corroded to any of you guys? Sorry I mainly shoot digital and never used a film before, this is my first time trying out film.. I am practically a beginner.

Thanks for your time!

Yeah, someone's been in there before. Likely a sloppy solder job is causing your problem. I use only a 15w iron, and silver solder for such repairs, and I don't leave a big blob to touch anything else. Here is a link to a C35 repair and cleaning I did a few years ago. I hope it helps you. https://flic.kr/s/aHsjyQ4QrZ

PF

 

[JeffS7444]

In the case of my Konica S3 (USA version of C35), light meter was responding to changes in light but sensitivity seemed much too high. I discovered that the cadmium sulfide photo-resistor itself was faulty, with lower than expected resistance under all lighting conditions causing excessive battery drain. The solution is to replace the CdS photo resistor. I haven't yet done so, but I believe that any number of off-the-shelf parts ought to be suitable replacements for the original part.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

From the Photo on the Reddit page: I see the metal tabs for power and ground overlapping each other- this will cause a short. Buy a multi-meter, always a good thing to have. It looks like positive and negative tabs are touching: they should not be! Use an Ohm Meter function of the multimeter to make sure there is no contact between the tabs, you should get infinite resistance. I think there is a short there. If so: either look to separate the tabs physically OR put electrical tape in between them.

Report back once you do the measurement.

The S3 is a more advanced camera, has a 38/1.8 and shutter-preferred auto. It is closer to the Minolta HiMatic II. The C35 has a very good F2.8 lens, but is programmed shutter speed/fStop auto. It is a good camera for a beginner. I've seen problems with the battery compartment before- repaired 1 a couple of years ago. It works, using Zinc-Air hearing aid batteries that I got dirt cheap.

 

[Flick0011]

Thanks for the reply!

Okay! I will first buy a multi-meter and then i will try to meter both of the tabs.
Sorry for the dumb question but does separating the tabs physically means desoldering and soldering the cables back again? And I don’t really get what do ‘tabs’ mean. (I am really sorry for such a dumb question ..)

I am grateful for this community helping me up fixing this camera. I’ve been amazed by how helpful you guys are! Thank you!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

From your pictures: it looked like the pieces of metal (tabs) for the positive and negative sides were in physical contact. They must be insulated from each other. If the Ohm Meter shows they are conducting across each other, that is a short- and will drain the batteries. You can either separate them if possible, or use some non-conducting material such as electrical tape in between the metal tabs to stop them from shorting out. I did that with my Canonet QL17l, found the short on the underside of the battery compartment. A plastic tab was used to hold the metal tab in place, that broke and the tabs shifted- came into contact with each other.

Third image on your thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AnalogComm...d_help_with_my_konica_c35_light_meter_issues/

 

[Dwig]

Hey Guys!

I recently bought a Konica C35 in a good condition (the exterior to be exact). I then tried pressing the shutter button and checking the lenses to make sure if it is clean or not. Thankfully, it was clean to my standard. I then proceed to insert an SR44 battery ...

It should be noted that the SR44/G13/... is the wrong battery. The correct battery is a PX-675, which is not longer made. The available silver oxide batteries my not survive as well as the old mercury oxide batteries.

 

[Flick0011]

Sorry for the late reply!

I just bought the multimeter and Sonnar Brian was right, there was a short in the battery tabs due to the positive and negative tabs touching! Props to you! I have used a electrical tape to separate both of them and now I am trying to test out will the battery drain again or not. I have used the multimeter and fortunately, it now shows infinite resistance.

Thank you for the heads up dwig! I can’t really find a better alternative for the batteries. If some of you have any suggestions, let me know!
I will update you guys if the battery does not drain by itself!

 

[leicapixie]

I believe that C35 I had, used an odd battery..
Definitely not 1.5 (Silver Oxide).
Maybe bridge circuit but I doubt it..