Point n Shoot DX code problems

tiarazoomer · Feb 23, 2023

Hi everyone, I don't know how to address this problem correctly or if anyone has encountered anything like this before but I have 2 Olympus Mju zoom PnS 35mm film cameras which both have the same problem with the DX pin. If I use a non-DX coded film or if I cover up the DX pin inside the camera, then the camera would pick up the film and wind it in normally and shows a 1 which means I'm ready to shoot but of course, this would set the film ISO to the camera's default ISO which is 100. Now, if I use a DX-coded film without covering up the DX pin (DX pin making contact with the DX code) then the cameras would still wind the film in (but take longer than usual) and would show an E stating that there is something wrong with it.

Please if anyone had encountered this problem or knows how to fix it I'd appreciate it so much. Thank you.

pentaxuser · Feb 23, 2023

I have the same model but have never had this problem. It sounds as if neither camera's DX pin is reading the code on the cassette. Have I got this correct?

Presumably both cameras were OK until now or are both cameras new to you and you have discovered the problem on receiving them

Does everything else on the camera work OK such that there is no problem with the batteries? Battery icon should be black and not have just a small black amount in it

Have you tried other cassettes to eliminate any problem with the cassettes that you loaded? Have you cleaned the DX pin so it has a good contact?

pentaxuser

tiarazoomer · Feb 23, 2023

pentaxuser said:
I have the same model but have never had this problem. It sounds as if neither camera's DX pin is reading the code on the cassette. Have I got this correct?

Yes, it seems like if the DX pin makes contact with the cassette then it would not work. But if it does not make contact with the cassette DX code, for example, if I cover up the DX code or the pin with a thin piece of paper or tape, then it works perfectly.

pentaxuser said:
Presumably both cameras were OK until now or are both cameras new to you and you have discovered the problem on receiving them

I got 3 different cameras, 1 works flawlessly, the other two were like that from the beginning. Got it from Yahoo Japan so of course I can't complain. Just want to know if there is a fix or if i just have to live with it and only shoot 100ISO

pentaxuser said:
Does everything else on the camera work OK such that there is no problem with the batteries? Battery icon should be black and not have just a small black amount in it

Yes, apart from that problem. All functions work flawlessly. I've shot on both of them got them developed and all was fine, except that it could only read 100ISO (DX pin error)

pentaxuser said:
Have you tried other cassettes to eliminate any problem with the cassettes that you loaded? Have you cleaned the DX pin so it has a good contact?

Yes, I've tried multiple dummy films, new films, and old ones. Only when the dx pin does not make any contact with the cassette does it work? Any cassette with no DX code works fine too.

Nicholas Lindan · Feb 23, 2023

What do mean by 'DX pin'? Cameras have varying numbers of pins to read the code, usually 4 on a P&S.

tiarazoomer · Feb 23, 2023

Nicholas Lindan said:
What do mean by 'DX pin'? Cameras have varying numbers of pins to read the code, usually 4 on a P&S.

Yes on this model it is a 1 line 4 pin. So if I cover the DX code on the cassette or if I put a thin film between it to separate them from touching, then it works fine with no problems. But if the DX-pin makes contact with the DX code, then it would not work at all, still winding the film in but shows E after it is done

pentaxuser · Feb 23, 2023

Based on your reply, tiarazoomer, you seem to have answered all my questions and unless someone can suggest how to fix it then it looks as if that DX pin has ceased to work on both cameras and you either live with the problem and use 100 or 200 ISO film with a barrier so the DX pin doesn't make contact or take it to someone who can repair it for a reasonable price.

Bad luck

pentaxuser

MattKing · Feb 23, 2023

The problem might be with one of the 4 DX pins - you could try covering them individually.

neilt3 · Feb 23, 2023

pentaxuser said:
Have you tried other cassettes to eliminate any problem with the cassettes that you loaded? Have you cleaned the DX pin so it has a good contact?

pentaxuser

tiarazoomer said:
Yes, I've tried multiple dummy films, new films, and old ones. Only when the dx pin does not make any contact with the cassette does it work? Any cassette with no DX code works fine too.

Yes , but did you clean all the DX code pins in the camera ?
If one of them is tarnished , then they won't work correctly .
That might be the issue .

tiarazoomer · Feb 23, 2023

neilt3 said:
Yes , but did you clean all the DX code pins in the camera ?
If one of them is tarnished , then they won't work correctly .
That might be the issue .

Yes, I've tried cleaning the pin individually, with tissue, but other than that, I've not tried it with anything else. I've seen a youtube video stating a similar problem in which the video suggested using sandpaper to lightly scrape the pin to see if it makes contact but I haven't tried it since I'm afraid that it would damage the pin. Do you have any suggestions on other ways to clean the pin?

Sirius Glass · Feb 23, 2023

tiarazoomer said:
Hi everyone, I don't know how to address this problem correctly or if anyone has encountered anything like this before but I have 2 Olympus Mju zoom PnS 35mm film cameras which both have the same problem with the DX pin. If I use a non-DX coded film or if I cover up the DX pin inside the camera, then the camera would pick up the film and wind it in normally and shows a 1 which means I'm ready to shoot but of course, this would set the film ISO to the camera's default ISO which is 100. Now, if I use a DX-coded film without covering up the DX pin (DX pin making contact with the DX code) then the cameras would still wind the film in (but take longer than usual) and would show an E stating that there is something wrong with it.

Please if anyone had encountered this problem or knows how to fix it I'd appreciate it so much. Thank you.

Welcome to ~~APUG~~ Photrio!!

tiarazoomer · Feb 23, 2023

MattKing said:
The problem might be with one of the 4 DX pins - you could try covering them individually.

For example, if that were the case, would there be anything that I can do, or do I live with 1 of the pin being broken, and would that affect the ISO reading

MattKing · Feb 23, 2023

It might make certain ISO's unavailable, but leave others usable.

xkaes · Feb 23, 2023

I saw a schematic several days ago about the DX pins and how they work. I'm sure it's easy to find. It might be on this forum. It discussed you to make your own DX code "maps" using aluminum foil/tape on NON-DX cassettes.

Using that template, you could figure out which DX codes -- if any -- are working on your camera.

pentaxuser · Feb 23, 2023

Sirius, can I ask what you were trying to do your #10? I can't work out what it was and maybe neither can the OP.

Thanks

pentaxuser

neilt3 · Feb 23, 2023

tiarazoomer said:
Yes, I've tried cleaning the pin individually, with tissue, but other than that, I've not tried it with anything else. I've seen a youtube video stating a similar problem in which the video suggested using sandpaper to lightly scrape the pin to see if it makes contact but I haven't tried it since I'm afraid that it would damage the pin. Do you have any suggestions on other ways to clean the pin?

Don't use sandpaper !
The contacts are typically plated , but they won't be for long if you set to them with sandpaper . They'd probably start to corrode not long after that if you go threw the tin coating ...

Clean them with electrical contact cleaner and a bit or coarse cloth .
if that doesn't work , try something a bit more abrasive like the rubber ( eraser ) on the end of a pencil .
But not sandpaper .

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