light meter or battery concern?

[schow]

Hi everyone,
It's been a very long time since I've shot with film so I decided to dust off my R3A and loaded it up with energizer 357.

I went to test the battery by following the procedures here:
https://www.cameramanuals.org/voigtlander_pdf/voigtlander_bessa_r2a_r3a.pdf

Strangely, I didn't see any LEDs lit at all, indicating that the batteries needed to be replaced. Then, I decided to test the LEDs in aperture priority mode and the LEDs (shutter speeds) were jumping all over the place, which concerned me.

After leaving the camera out for a few hours, I just picked it up and the LEDs seemed to have stabilized and aren't jumping around anymore. I'm getting values I expect at the aperture and iso I set. Though doing the battery check procedure, there are still no LEDs lit.

Anything to be concerned about? Does the light meter need a little time to warm up (so to speak) after a few years?

I'm inclined to just start shooting and see what happens.

Anyway, I hope many here at RFF are doing well.

Sherm

 

[DHK]

I think the same thing happens (jumping around meter) when the CLE shutter dial contacts get dirty. Could be that.

 

[schow]

I think the same thing happens (jumping around meter) when the CLE shutter dial contacts get dirty. Could be that.

Spun the dial a few times and the problem has gone away. Don't know if that was the culprit, but I am grateful it's gone.

Battery check mode is still not working but oh well.

 

[Water Ouzel]

I finally got my R3M out of storage (six years after moving from one state to another), replaced the LR44 batteries with 357's, and the meter seems to be working just as specified in the manual.

I figure I'm just lucky one or both of them hadn't ruptured and damaged the battery compartment or worse. (Now, where did I pack the film...?)