Help me fix my Praktica B100!

hotflamincheeto · Feb 4, 2019

Hello, I've recently found an old Praktica B100 electronic and I really wanted to try it out. Bought some batteries to check it before loading film. There the troubles begin!

The manual says that upon turning the knob to the 'batt' area - the dial should point to 1/250. Mine points towards 1/1000.

I also played with some ISO/aperture settings. The shutter speeds given by the camera differ drastically from these from my smartphone light meter.

The manual claims that the shutter speed range from 1s to 1/1000s. In extreme conditions the shutter stays open up to 10 seconds!

My conclusion - meter is not working properly? Any help would be appreciated as I really wanted to give this camera a try.

Agulliver · Feb 4, 2019

I just got my B100 out and discovered that it's insisting on 1/1000 no matter where the ASA and aperture are set. So mine needs attention too!

I recall the battery meter pointing to 1/1000, however. That might be normal. I didn't do any night time photography with this camera so I don't recall if 1s is actually the longest shutter speed or if it's just stated in the specifications. But I wouldn't trust smartphone light meters. They can be used as a vague guide but can be way off depending on many factors.

hotflamincheeto · Feb 4, 2019

Might try one roll in different conditions just to see if it works. But I really wanted to take it with me for a party and try pushing some HP5+ but I'm afraid of wasting the film now haha

AgX · Feb 4, 2019

hotflamincheeto said:
The manual says that upon turning the knob to the 'batt' area - the dial should point to 1/250.

It does not.

It says 1/250 is the lower limit.

hotflamincheeto · Feb 4, 2019

AgX said:
It does not.

It says 1/250 is the lower limit.

the screenshot below is from the manual. what I understood was that the dial has to show 1/250, but if you're saying that it's okay then I think I'll trust you

AgX · Feb 4, 2019

I see.
The german manual calls 1/250 the lower limit for the battery indication. And such is typical with most or many SLRs, there is a lower limit stated.

Peltigera · Feb 4, 2019

hotflamincheeto said:
Hello, I've recently found an old Praktica B100 electronic and I really wanted to try it out. Bought some batteries to check it before loading film. There the troubles begin!

The manual says that upon turning the knob to the 'batt' area - the dial should point to 1/250. Mine points towards 1/1000.

I also played with some ISO/aperture settings. The shutter speeds given by the camera differ drastically from these from my smartphone light meter.

The manual claims that the shutter speed range from 1s to 1/1000s. In extreme conditions the shutter stays open up to 10 seconds!

My conclusion - meter is not working properly? Any help would be appreciated as I really wanted to give this camera a try.

The camera is measuring the light through the lens, your phone is not. I do not know what the acceptance angle of the phone is but it is likely to be wider than your camera lens - also, the phone is a phone with a camera running an app while your camera is designed to be a camera. I would trust the Praktica before the phone but to really know you need to run a test film through the camera and look at the negatives.

Peltigera · Feb 4, 2019

hotflamincheeto said:
the screenshot below is from the manual. what I understood was that the dial has to show 1/250, but if you're saying that it's okay then I think I'll trust you

The manual says that the meter needle should swing to 1/250 and that this value should be achieved. The implication is not that only 1/250 is good but any figure BELOW 1/250 is bad.

hotflamincheeto · Feb 5, 2019

Thank you all. Gonna put a roll in and see how it goes

Agulliver · Feb 5, 2019

Do ensure that the lens and body contacts are clean. That can cause issues with shutter speed selection. Note what @Peltigera says about smart phones. The apps can be used as a way to assist you in choosing the correct shutter speed and aperture but are no match for a SLR meter. Depending on all the variable factors the phone app could easily be two stops out either way. I do use one but more to confirm my own guestimates with totally manual cameras rather than to assist with a camera that has a meter.

I think the thing with the battery check is a translation issue. What the manual is saying is that 1/250 must be achieved, probably a direct translation from the original German. As others have said it's saying that 1/250 is the minimum for good performance of the metering system. 1/1000 for a new battery is normal.

Now I just need to find out why my B100 is insisting on the shutter firing at 1/1000 even in the dark set to 12ASA with f22....

hotflamincheeto · Feb 5, 2019

I've cleaned everything I could. there is still some dust inside the lens since the glass is a bit loose but I don't think it matters much.

AgX · Feb 5, 2019

"Glass is a bit loose"
Lens elements should be fixed in case you are referring to such.

R.Gould · Feb 5, 2019

I remember that when I first bought a couple of b100's new a good few yars ago now that there was a major problem with the electrics in them, they had to be returned to be fixed and several new parts were needed that were fitted faulty, of course that was under warrenty, According to the dealer that I bought them from every one he sold was faulty, and thinking back it was a problem, camera that needed fixing, when fixed they were a nice camera to use

Help me fix my Praktica B100!

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