So I got my cameras.

Stephanie Brim

Mental Experimental.
Local time
1:39 PM
Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
2,859
Location
Iowa
Here's the rundown after some careful checking.

Yashica MG-1: Shutter works, apertures are smooth. The battery chamber has some corrosion and I don't know if it can be used again or not...may need some replacement parts to get it to full working condition. It'll shoot, but on one speed.

Voigtlander Vito CLR: Shutter seems to work, speeds seem decently on, apertures are smooth. Self timer is not working correctly but that's not a problem. Viewfinder/rangefinder needs a cleaning and so does the camera body.

Olympus Pen EE: Needs cleaning. I haven't read up enough on the actual workings of the camera yet, but it seems to me that it has only one speed...is this true?

Argus C4: Excellent specimin, working at all speeds. Excellent glass and body, but in need of a little cleaning.

Canon Demi: Very, very nice. Working camera that just seems to need a bit of a cleaning and perhaps a body covering replacement.

Meopta Flexaret: Very good glass, but also in need of a cleaning. Shutter is stuck and will hopefully unstick itself after a good cleaning. Viewfinder is a bit dirty, but that can easily be cleaned.

Those are the six that I actually got the set for, but the others that I got are also in good shape.

Kodak Vest Pocket: It's in good shape but I'll probably use it as a display piece and nothing more. Bellows are intact and the outside is very nice.

Kodak box camera: Also in good shape for its age, but again I'll put that one on display.

Bosley B2: A bit of brassing and a bit of a dirty lens that needs cleaning, but altogether a very nice camera. If I can figure out how it works I'll be able to say whether it really does work mechanically or not.

Bilora Bella: in good shape but missing the screw that holds the back in place. I also believe that it takes 127 film and I fear that's going to be hard to find around here. Probably for display only once I get it cleaned up and have the screw replaced.

So, all in all, I got 9 working cameras and one, the Flexaret, that may need quite a bit of work before I can actually get it working. The Voigt was a big surprise...I thought I'd have to really work on the shutter. I'm very happy with the purchase.

Now for questions.

On the Yashica, what can I use to clean out the battery compartment? It looks as though someone left a battery in there and it corroded. I don't want to replace that entire part of the camera unless I have to due to the fact that it's probably going to cost a mint to find the part, and I figure that it's worth a try to just give it a thorough cleaning.

And the Voigt: The focusing spot isn't giving me any actual *focusing*. It's as though the rangefinder isn't working right. I have a feeling that it may need to be replaced, but is there any other reason that it could be doing that?
 
White vinegar on a qtip will remove the corrosion. Apply several times till you get it clean.
 
Stephanie Brim said:
On the Yashica, what can I use to clean out the battery compartment? It looks as though someone left a battery in there and it corroded.

On the Mamiya I'm working on, it came yesterday with a battery that looked about as old as the camera. It was buried in what I can best describe as impacted green crumbs. Here's what I've done so far.

I removed the remains of the battery and the larger green chunks with a dental explorer. Then I kind of scraped out the battery compartment with the explorer and the tip of a medium jewelers screwdriver. I just did all this over a few paper towels and then flushed it all down the toilet. Yeah, yeah, I'm probably violating some kind of pollution code doing that. Then I cleaned it out with rubbing alcohol on q-tips (several of them) and it cleaned up nicely. The screw on cap is going to take some buffing to make a good contact, but ironically the other "tab" contact is bright and shiny.

That's how I did it anyway. 🙂
 
Yeah, Stephanie, congrats! Very often if a battery chamber is corroded, the wire to the battery chamber is also corroded and becomes disconnected. Once the white vinegar has cleaned up the chamber and if the camera is still dead, that's what to check next. Have you got a digicam to take a photo to show us your new collection?

(Good news about the Vito!)
 
I've got a digicam, but I think the batteries are shot and I'd have to find the bloody cable. 😛

Edit: Yeah, batteries are done for and I really don't have time to look for any now...I'm about beat and I have to work quite a long time tomorrow. Heh.
 
Last edited:
Camera update for anyone who cares. I found out that the Argus's shutter isn't really opening and closing which means that it's going to need a bit of a checkup, and I've also found that the rangefinder spot on the Vito CLR is dim. I know what's wrong with the shutter of the Argus I think, but how can you make the actual rangefinder of a camera less dim? Please tell me that it's something I can do without finding a replacement rangefinder/viewfinder because the camera is in great shape otherwise and I really don't want to go through that. Even the speeds are accurate.
 
Steph, with a dim rangefinder, you can still scale focus the lens. Also , while focusing you can purposefully place your finger in front of the viewfinder so all you see is the rangefinder patch. You sort of wiggle your finger there while focusng.
Cleaning the outside and the inside of the viewfinder and rangefinder glass may also help. Don't wipe the silvered surface of the viewer optics under the top plate as this will remove even more of the rangefinder brightness.
 
Last edited:
Congratulations, Steph! Yes, please show us all your cams with a cup of coffee. The Flexaret would be worth working on. I googled the Oly and see an automatic shutter:

1968 appears also the

Olympus PEN EE-2

This fully automaticaly controlled camera was supplied with a fix focus lens
D. Zuiko 1:3,5 f = 28 mm
and was a well liked companion for snap shot exposure.

Specifications Type: Olympus PEN EE - 2
Engraving: OLYMPUS - PEN
and EE - 2 ( on top)
Release date: May 1968
Body color: chrom, parts gray
Leather color: gray
Shutter: Copal - X automatic
Shutter-Speeds: 1/40 and 1/200 sec. autom.
Flash syncronisation: X Olympus Publication
Finder: Bright frame
Rangefinder: none
Film-Advance: Thumb wheel
Exposure meter: Selen
ASA: 25 to 400
Battery: none
Lens: D. Zuiko 1:3.5 f = 28 mm
F-Stop range: 3.5 to 22 automatic
Focusing: Fix focus
Elements: 4
Groups: 3
Size: 113 x 70 x 44 mm
Weight: 300 g
Price at release: 11.000 Yen
 
The MG1 takes the same battery as any YE35 XX, so any PX28 (alkaline) wrapped with some carton or tape plus a spring (to reach the battery cover) will do. There is an adapter too, which allows you to install the PX28 battery without any inconvenience. The mercury battery should be 5.6 V and a PX28 is 6 V. The MG1 is not too sensitive to voltage change, and works pretty good, even beyond shutter (specified) limits (4 sec.) up to (measured) 18 sec (mine does). Then, don´t worry, go ahead and enjoy it! Good luck!
 
Got the Pen open and I think it's going to need a cleaning and I also want to have the shutter speeds checked out. Seems slow and sticky.

I'm looking into getting one of the battery adapters for the MG-1 so that I don't have to make one...I'm lazy and I have more pressing camera fixing matters than worrying about the one that most probably just needs some corrosion cleaned off of it and a new battery.

I'm still looking for a suitable way to fix the rangefinder dimness in the Vito without spending the money on a parts camera. I'll be doing some guessing on the focus for now. It'll be street shooting with that one I suppose.

Also, I got the Canon Demi working and I have film in it. The speeds seem to be spot on, so I'm trying to figure out how it's going to work. I'm just trying it out right now.

I also have film in the Bosley and that seems to be working rather nicely.

All in all, the Meopta is my priority in the fixing department and getting the Vito a working rangefinder is the second thing I want to do. I figure that I can clean and get a battery for the Yashica and that should get me another working camera...hopefully. I hope the meter isn't too far off.
 
Thought I'd let everyone know that the Voigtlander is now completely usable on everything except the slowest speed, which sounds a little slow to me. I used the piece of black tape trick and it worked...at least until I can spend the money to get the rangefinder fixed. Anyone know someone who will do a CLA on a Voigtlander?
 
The rangefinder is dim, which may indicate a rather large, expensive problem. I've fixed it so that I can use it, but that's about it. The shutter speed at the slowest is off, which I do want fixed because I want it to be my low-light camera. Other than that, the thing is flawless. I also want to test the meter, of course.
 
I've never sent any of my cameras to Essex, but I've heard nothing to good things from the people that have. If you can swing the cost, I'll bet they'll fix it right up for you.
 
Back
Top Bottom