70s/80s rangefinders with non-working meters

[Alan Johnson]

Some of these were completely automatic but it is possible to get a limited manual setting of the aperture with those that had a flash mark that could be set opposite a guide number for the flash (pic).
Opening the back , if the shutter will fire (often ~1/30) the size of aperture for the flash GN can be guessed (f11 in my case). I used mine with a 2xND filter ,equivalent to 1/125 f11 to take the pic shown on 100 ISO film.
Another solution is not to buy cameras at flea markets.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

You could still buy it at flea market, for $5. This is what real flea market is all about. I did it few weeks ago. For $5 I have toy RF camera from 70/80s for my daughter, I have half case with strap for another camera and string attached by stick pad to the lens cap for another camera. $5 well spent!

 

[TheRook]

I buy cameras at flea markets regularly. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't work. If the price is low enough, buying a flea market camera can be worth the risk. A few weeks ago I bought an entire box full of cameras and accessories at a flea market for $20. About half of the cameras were in working order, and I can put some of the accessories (lenses, close-up filters, lens caps, etc.) to good use. Don't write off flea markets entirely because of one unfortunate experience. Just make sure to not pay too much for something that may or may not work.

 

[rjbuzzclick]

Plus, if the cameras you do buy cheaply don't work, they become a good source for all of the tiny missing screws on your cameras that do work!

 

[AgX]

...it is possible to get a limited manual setting of the aperture with those that had a flash mark that could be set opposite a guide number for the flash (pic).
Opening the back , if the shutter will fire (often ~1/30) the size of aperture for the flash GN can be guessed (f11 in my case).

Your approach will only work accidentally.
As in flash mode the aperture is controlled by the helicoid extension. Thus the aperture is not constant.

The way to go would be to calculate the aperture per focusing distance at each GN.

 

[Alan Johnson]

Good point. f11 was OK for flash setting 56m hence it must be calibrated for distance 56/11 =5m.
Hence the flash marks 28 and 14 correspond to 28/5 =f5.6 and 14/5 = f2.8, both for 1/30s.