What's it worth to you to learn your gear and become a better photographer? I mean literally what is the economic cost you're willing to pay? A few rolls of film, or a few batteries?
I cringe at the type of people who think they can have other people fix their problems for them without expending a bit of critical thinking and reason things out for themselves. Even though there might be plenty of people out there who have gone through this very same problem, you won't learn what they learned unless you too figure it out for yourself. Sometimes, in life, there are no shortcuts.
You know, at CVS you can have them develop the film only, no printing, and keep the roll uncut, for around $2. Take the negatives home, evaluate them under a magnifyer and light table and decide for yourself if it's worth going to a locally-owned custom lab that might charge a few more dollars but do a much better job, or if the camera might have a problem. Better yet, have the roll developed only at a custom lab, then take a look at the negatives, they should have been properly processed, no blemishes or artifacts. If the colration on top is still there, it's your camera at fault.
If you suspect the camera has a problem, and you don't want to get it repaired (which is costly on old cameras, you need to have it sent to a specialist who knows how to fix that specific model), don't get wedded to a problem child camera. Cut your losses, move on and get a better film camera that's in good working order. There are lots out there to choose from.
/Grumpy Old Man out...
PS: On these old cameras the light meter is sucking juice out of the battery as long as the lens cap is removed and light is striking the sensor. So keep the lens capped when notin use.
