Chinon CX light meter issue

[MartinTenbones]

I have a Chinon CX with a meter issue.

The green battery check light works but as soon as I stop down to engage the light meter the needle goes straight to the Over exposed area and does not respond to any change in aperture or shutter speed. I did pull the battery compartment and there was some corrosion I re attached the negative so the wire is no longer corrodded. Is it possible that there is a link of some sort in the shutter speed/film speed dial that is not attached. Worth taking the top off to look? It measures aperture by stopping down and reading the light through the lens but even fully stopped down it reads over exposed. So battery check works and it turns on when stopped down which is expected but that's all at the moment.



Other than that I'm not sure what else can be done or where to even start.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I have a Chinon CX with a meter issue.

The green battery check light works but as soon as I stop down to engage the light meter the needle goes straight to the Over exposed area and does not respond to any change in aperture or shutter speed. I did pull the battery compartment and there was some corrosion I re attached the negative so the wire is no longer corrodded. Is it possible that there is a link of some sort in the shutter speed/film speed dial that is not attached. Worth taking the top off to look? It measures aperture by stopping down and reading the light through the lens but even fully stopped down it reads over exposed. So battery check works and it turns on when stopped down which is expected but that's all at the moment.



Other than that I'm not sure what else can be done or where to even start.

it may be an opportunity to start looking into a hand-held meter.

 

[koraks]

Is it possible that there is a link of some sort in the shutter speed/film speed dial that is not attached.

A contact problem is possible, yes.

Right now it's a wild guess as to what's wrong. Visual inspection inside the camera would be a logical place to start. The contacts involved in e.g. the shutter speed dial etc. often use rather delicate wipers and it's common for contacts to have become corroded etc.

 

[MartinTenbones]

it may be an opportunity to start looking into a hand-held meter.

For sure. I have a couple here and it works fine as a manual camera. I have considered taking this one outside and really learning Sunny 16 in a way that it will come natural. I haven't pushed in that direction to far and it's a skill I should have.

 

[MartinTenbones]

I th

A contact problem is possible, yes.

Right now it's a wild guess as to what's wrong. Visual inspection inside the camera would be a logical place to start. The contacts involved in e.g. the shutter speed dial etc. often use rather delicate wipers and it's common for contacts to have become corroded etc.

I think the next step is to pull the top of and have a look. It looks straightforward to remove it. I don't see any screws on the sides of the camera top however I expect they are probably under the knobs on the top.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

For sure. I have a couple here and it works fine as a manual camera. I have considered taking this one outside and really learning Sunny 16 in a way that it will come natural. I haven't pushed in that direction to far and it's a skill I should have.

Good idea. I find 'sunny 16' very reliable and even calibrate my meters to it, as some light-meter manufacturers also suggest. With a little experience, one learns to make slight modifications to account for less-than-perfect weather conditions and nail exposure within +/-1/2 stop.

 

[MartinTenbones]

Good idea. I find 'sunny 16' very reliable and even calibrate my meters to it, as some light-meter manufacturers also suggest. With a little experience, one learns to make slight modifications to account for less-than-perfect weather conditions and nail exposure within +/-1/2 stop.

I'm inspired. It really is a skill I should sharpen. Our eyes with the proper skills may be the best light meters available!