Olympus Pen EE3 overhaul/CLA video?

Camerarabbit · May 25, 2023

Hello all -
My Olympus Pen EE3 has worked great for years. Recently, I was shooting a subject in low light and it gave me the red flag, so I set the lens to f/3.5 (manual mode) to take the shot. The next day, I noticed that the camera was only shooting at 1/40th, and didnt give a red flag in low light. I'm thinking this isnt an issue with the selenium meter but rather that something got stuck or tripped up in the ring. Is there a video out there that shows how to reset this cam? Looking on Youtube without success. Thanks!

xkaes · May 25, 2023

It's easy to test the meter. First, do you always keep the camera in its case when not in use? If not, suspect the meter.

Secondly, look through the back of the camera.

In bright light with ISO 400, does it appear to fire correctly and stop down? -- while in low light, does it shift to 1/40 and an open aperture?

Whether the meter is dead or something else is messed up, it's cheaper to find a working replacement on EBAY (there are 130 listings right now!) than to have it fixed -- parts are no longer available, even if you can find someone to touch it.

The EE3 is the BEST

Camerarabbit · May 25, 2023

xkaes said:
It's easy to test the meter. First, do you always keep the camera in its case when not in use? If not, suspect the meter.

Secondly, look through the back of the camera.

In bright light with ISO 400, does it appear to fire correctly and stop down? -- while in low light, does it shift to 1/40 and an open aperture?

Whether the meter is dead or something else is messed up, it's cheaper to find a working replacement on EBAY (there are 130 listings right now!) than to have it fixed -- parts are no longer available, even if you can find someone to touch it.

The EE3 is the BEST

Meter isnt working. But I'm suspect about it being the meter since this problem occured right after I switched cam to manual for a moment

choiliefan · May 25, 2023

Possibly a dirty contact at the switch from auto to manual?

Camerarabbit · May 25, 2023

Is there a way to fix that?

choiliefan · May 26, 2023

I pulled up a manual for it and no mention is made of a switch.
Can you post a pic of it?

xkaes · May 26, 2023

The manual/auto "switch" is simply moving the ring around the lens into "flash mode" -- where the shutter speed becomes fixed and the f-stop can be selected. Otherwise, the meter selects the shutter speed "automatically", along with the f-stop according to the film speed.
There is no auto/manual switch as such.

xkaes · May 26, 2023

CameronRabbit said:
Is there a way to fix that?

You don't even know IF it's broken or what MIGHT be broken.

No way to know if something can be fixed until you know what needs to be fixed.

4season · May 26, 2023

Automatic cameras of this era can be really ingenious, in the way they achieved a sort of program-mode exposure automation via a trapped-needle system which is almost entirely mechanical. The "electronics" are usually nothing more than a galvanometer wired to a photovoltaic cell.

I have not looked at a Pen 35EE, but I have worked on Olympus Trip 35s which ought to be roughly similar. Some Olympus cameras have a screw hidden beneath the hot shoe, so if you remove the visible screws from the top cover, and the cover still doesn't slip off, don't resort to brute force.

xkaes · May 26, 2023

Great. Now we've moved away from diagnosing the problem to performing major surgery.

Camerarabbit · May 29, 2023

4season said:
Automatic cameras of this era can be really ingenious, in the way they achieved a sort of program-mode exposure automation via a trapped-needle system which is almost entirely mechanical. The "electronics" are usually nothing more than a galvanometer wired to a photovoltaic cell.

I have not looked at a Pen 35EE, but I have worked on Olympus Trip 35s which ought to be roughly similar. Some Olympus cameras have a screw hidden beneath the hot shoe, so if you remove the visible screws from the top cover, and the cover still doesn't slip off, don't resort to brute force.

ill try removing the hot shoe and seeing whats there!

choiliefan · May 29, 2023

Luck be with you.

4season · May 29, 2023

CameronRabbit said:
ill try removing the hot shoe and seeing whats there!

You may have already figured it out, but I should have said "beneath the hot shoe spring". That part usually comes out without much fuss: Gently lift front edge of spring so that the folded-over edge is no longer locking it in place. Slide it out.

Olympus Pen EE3 overhaul/CLA video?

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