Olympus Pen EE-2 shutter blockage

[vintageandphoto]

Hello everybody.
Just bought an Olympus Pen EE-2 in mint condition.
The problem is, that despite the ASA setting on the lens and the light conditions, the shutter never releases, and the red flag appears in the viewfinder.
When I set the camera in manual mode, the aperture values work as should and shutter fires.
Does anybody know what`s the problem?

 

[JeffS7444]

Your light meter is non-functional. It's possible that the selenium photocell has failed, or the internal meter movement has, and I seem to encounter the latter more often than the former.

Manual mode is actually intended for use with flash. There, you can vary aperture, but shutter speed is fixed at 1/40th second.

If the automation was working, you'd also have a 1/200th sec shutter speed available t o you.

 

[Ricoh]

“ASA setting on the lens” Do you mean aperture ring found on some Panasonic lenses or legacy, eg SLR?

Anyway, I was going to ask that you have a lens attached. I presume that’s so.

 

[vintageandphoto]

Thank you, JeffS7444
I was thinkink it`s a problem with the meter.
You said it may be possible that the meter movement failed. Do you know if it`s fixable?

 

[vintageandphoto]

Ricoh, the camera has ASA setting on the lens.

 

[JeffS7444]

I think in theory a meter movement with faulty coils could be rebuilt, in the same way people still build phonograph cartridges by hand today, but I don't know of anyone who actually offers such a service. Of course the selenium photo cell itself can fail over time.

 

[Olyfix]

There are a host of mechanical problems that might result in what you have described. Is the spring on the release slide strong enough to pull up both arms that set the speed and aperture? Are either of these arms bent or hanging, or has the retaining nut that holds them worked loose, preventing their normal operation? Has any sort of metallic debris found it's way into the meter movement? Only a careful inspection will tell for sure if the problem is mechanical or electrical.