What to test before buying an electro 35?

[tomperson]

Ok, so I've been offered a used black electro 35 at usd 20. I don't know the exact model (GT, GTN), the people selling it don't seem to have a clue (when i asked about the lightmeter, they asked "what is a lightmeter?") about the camera, so i bet it was left without batteries, something like that. I wonder, what should I test before actually buying it?

For instance, i know:

With shutter set at "B", look for fungus in the lens.
Test opening/closing the diafragm
Look for corrosion in the battery box
Test different shutter speeds (i cannot do that without a battery on the camera)
I think it should at least work at 1/500 without batteries, right?

I want the camera to use it, not for parts or something...

Any other things to look out for?

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

When you wind the camera listen closely for the clunk or thud sound.

Oftentimes when Electro 35's go out, the POD or pad of death can be the cause. Others will have more details about the issue, but thats usually one of the first things I listen to when looking at Electros.

 

[tomperson]

And what should I look for in the sound of the winding? How should or shouldn't it sound?

 

[btgc]

Should have emphasized sound somewhere between travel of lever. Maybe rather closer to first half. THUMP.
No squeaks, no rattling, no high pitch noise. Just some ratcheting and THUMP.

 

[januaryman]

Check rangefinder and patch - can you see it well enough and do they align when at infinity and close up. Buy a battery and try it out. These things are all electronic. You can just toss them on the trash pile without working electronics. A CLA will cost almost a hundred, so get it right. I have a GTN and a GT, both had CLAs and I have too much invested in these to even sell at what I paid! Buyer's remorse.

 

[KoNickon]

Well, first of all I'd see if the electronics are working. Get yourself a PX28 or A544 battery and wad up two pieces of aluminum foil, about 1/2" in diameter. Sandwich the battery between the foil balls inside the battery compartment. This ought to work fine to provide current to the camera -- once the compartment is closed back up, just press the battery check button and the frame counter should illuminate.

If the electronics seem to be working, try and evaluate if the meter is working accurately. This is rather hard to do with certainty, since all you get by way of feedback is if the lights on the top deck and in the viewfinder light up when you push the shutter button to show if you are under- or overexposing. But you can fiddle with the aperture and film speeds and check against sunny f16.

Yes, the camera does work without a battery, but I don't recall at what shutter speed.

 

[tomperson]

btgc, thanks for the tip. So, just to clarify, if i hear the THUMP. everything's all right, isn't it?

Januaryman, regarding electronics, luckily i found a friend who has an adapter for 4LR44 sized battery, so I'll use that for testing. What should I look for? How do I know for sure that the electronics path is working ok? The camera should work in 1/500 without battery, right? As for changing the apertures, I guess they don't work without batteries? How do I know if the lightmeter is properly working?

Any other quirks of this camera I should be aware of?

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

If the electronics are working and the battery is fitted the 2 lights on the top should light up. Try the check battery light too, its that big red button on the back on the camera.

To test the electronics, assuming the battery is in, cover the cameras meter and half press the shutter. I believe the orange or red light should light up. The two lights are the under or over exposure lights, fiddle around and put the camera in different lighting conditions to see if you can get one or the other to light up. Usually covering the meter for one light, and maybe pointing when your right next to a light bulb to get the other to light up.

 

[btgc]

Just a thought: if POD is rotten and only one light comes on, it's good reason to negotiate for minimal price. Of course, if seller isn't inclined on "this is poor man's Leica and one light missing isn't big deal - you adjust exposure faster with one light than with two".

Anyway after buy one needs to remove top cover and clean RF glass, so POD will be visited in same time. Unless Electro with confirmed CLA is bought, but it should be expensive.