McBride
Newbie
Just got a Vivitar 35 ES off the 'Bay. It's in great shape except for the following problem: the aperture does not open larger than f16 when the battery is installed.
I've removed the top cover, and noticed that the trap needle does not respond to changing light conditions. The "trap" end (the other end being the one that indicates f-stop in the VF) stays bottomed out, which results in the mechanism always catching it in the f16 position. The aperture blades themselves are clean, dry, and free-moving. The aperture appropriately opens to f1.7 when the battery is not installed. In fact, this is one of the cleanest, best-looking lens/shutter assemblies I've come across in my compact RF travails.
I'm a great mechanic, but not a competent electronic tech, so my question(s) are; where do I put the meter leads to get the measurements I need to troubleshoot this problem (to determine current/resistance at various points)? How can I eliminate each component as the source of trouble? Does this sound like a galvanometer problem, or a dead CdS cell problem (or something I may be overlooking problem)?
Thanks,
Matt
I've removed the top cover, and noticed that the trap needle does not respond to changing light conditions. The "trap" end (the other end being the one that indicates f-stop in the VF) stays bottomed out, which results in the mechanism always catching it in the f16 position. The aperture blades themselves are clean, dry, and free-moving. The aperture appropriately opens to f1.7 when the battery is not installed. In fact, this is one of the cleanest, best-looking lens/shutter assemblies I've come across in my compact RF travails.
I'm a great mechanic, but not a competent electronic tech, so my question(s) are; where do I put the meter leads to get the measurements I need to troubleshoot this problem (to determine current/resistance at various points)? How can I eliminate each component as the source of trouble? Does this sound like a galvanometer problem, or a dead CdS cell problem (or something I may be overlooking problem)?
Thanks,
Matt