3 replies to this topic

[f2stop]

I try to exercise my beloved F4s two or three times a year. Six months ago, I put in fresh batteries, it powered up, but I noticed the battery check didn't work. Took out the batteries, cleaned all contacts with an eraser, reinstalled - and then the battery check worked, but the camera otherwise was dead.
Seems like every time I removed and reinstalled the batteries, the two conditions flip-flopped. Either the camera worked or the battery check worked, but never both.
Shot a couple of rolls of film last month.
This month, camera is completely dead - no check light and no life despite several contact cleanings and different sets of fresh batteries.
Any suggestions where I should start looking for a failed connection?

[Merco_61]

I would open both parts of the MB-21 up and look for corroded or matt solder joints as you have cleaned the contacts. If I found nothing, I would send it for service and a full CLA.

 

I have had my F4E-s CLA'd yearly until I more or less stopped shooting analog 35 mm in 2017. I shot with three bodies and rotated them through types of usage to keep wear similar on all three. I don't remember when I bought them, but the one I have kept is in the 224xxxx serial range and they were all bought at the same time, so probably around January, or at least the first quarter 1991. 

[f2stop]

Thanks! I had looked at the contacts, but took another very close look and found a tiny amount of green on one. Scraped it off -- and I'm back in business.

[Merco_61]

An F4s on dry cells has so many failure points. I use soldered packs of Eneloops in my F4E to eliminate most of them.

 

To avoid future corrosion, a little DeOx-it Gold applied to the contacts will do wonders.