What's Wrong with My New Minolta CLE?

[Joe Vitessa]

Several of you were helpful when I asked about meter and light seal issues on my new CLE. Well, after shooting my first test roll of film I noticed that only 10 of the 24 photos were exposed. The remaining 14 were just blank. Nothing. Nada. No exposure. It wasn't 14 in a roll, either. They were in groups of three or four or singly. The remaining 10 exposures came out fine. I'm sure I heard the shutter fire on all exposures, too. Weird, huh?

I seem to recall reading a similar post either here or at photo.net. But can't find it. Does anyone have any idea what could be going on? I have until tomorrow to ask for a refund on the camera, so send help quick! Thanks very much.

Joe

I should say that I got this camera on eBay for a very good price, so I'm reluctant to return it.

 

[laptoprob]

Try dry-firing. No film, looking through the lens. If you are shooting random blanks you should be able to replicate this.
Were the circumstances similar?
Could it be some shutter speeds don't work properly? Eg. all 1/500 exposures are blanks?

You didn't make the famous lenscap-shot I guess?

Strange story this...

 

[Palaeoboy]

Joe, First of all I need you to try a few things for me.

1/ Make Sure that the camera has good silver oxide batteries not Alkaline A76's. The A76's can sort of recycle themselves when they are on the way out but allowed to sit for a time between exposures. This can give erratic shutter responses

2/ Rotate the shutter speed dial backwards and forwards rapidly, clearing the contacts underneath to ensure the camera reads the speeds correctly.

3/ We need to determine if the both curtains are firing at the same time or as normal where one opens and the second closes with an exposure gap in between.

With the back door open and the lens off, hold the camera up to a light and look through the back and then fire it at all the manual speeds, checking to see if you get the flash of light that would equate to an exposure, If you trip the shutter and there is no flash of light then both curtains are firing at once. Repeat this step in Auto this time also checking the shutter speed thats indicated in the finder, moving closer or further away from a fluorescent light or whatever to make the camera change speeds and again see if you can see the flash of light with the shutter opening.

Let me know how you go with this and we will decide where to go from there.

 

[Joe Vitessa]

Joel,
It looks like the camera does NOT pass your shutter curtain test. Seems the rear curtain stays closed during some of the shots, so no, I do not "see the light." The front curtain fires at all speeds, but the rear curtain opens sometimes, but not all the time.

Any ideas on a fix?

Again, thanks very much for your help, Joel.

Cheers,
Joe

 

[laptoprob]

Cla?

Cla?

Joel,
It looks like the camera does NOT pass your shutter curtain test. Seems the rear curtain stays closed during some of the shots, so no, I do not "see the light." The front curtain fires at all speeds, but the rear curtain opens sometimes, but not all the time.

Any ideas on a fix?

Again, thanks very much for your help, Joel.

Cheers,
Joe

Is it the fastest shutter speeds that don't operate? Sounds like a CLA. These cameras aren't as 'easy' to adjust as the old Barnacks.

good luck,

Rob.

 

[M. Valdemar]

Run the shutter about a hundred times and see if it starts loosening up. There may be coagulated grease you might dislodge and it will start working OK.

Or give it a good bang on the table.

 

[Palaeoboy]

From what you have described I dont think its terminal for the camera and is something that a service by a good technician should be able to correct.

What you could do its double check that the second curtain rail is clear. Do the shutter test again with back open and lens off and have a small torch handy and open the camera on B and just check there is nothing stuck in the rail like a small chip of film or maybe just so greasy build up. This usually however causes the curtain to stay open rather than close immediately behind the first but its just something to try before you send it off, you may get lucky!