davesherrington

Thank you, I searched there and found nothing so I've posted the issue there as well. It's a bit low-brow for the true Leica guys, but someone will know.

Fortunately the manual came with it. It did not describe what happens when there is no film in it, which is reasonable, but not solving my puzzle.

Perhaps a crazy question to most of you. I'll explain. I volunteer for the Thrift Store that supports our local hospice, working on the more unusual donations. We've had one of these donated, looking good, with the manual. I've obtained a battery, and switched it on. It makes an initial whirr as it figures out what's inside it and correctly indicates 0, with nothing else on the display. Pressing the timer button adds the time symbol to the display. Tele extends the zoom and flash and, with that in or out I can hear it autofocusing as I first-press the shutter. I'm getting a single red flash at each press, no sign of the expected green focus light, however I've no film loaded. If I single press the flash button, I also get a single red flash, hold flash and I get red flashes approximately every second. No indication of the flash being charged / ready. Battery is Energiser, new / sealed, Exp 12/26 and testing at 6.2V after carrying out the above. Is this camera designed to do the above if there is no film? Or do I have an camera with an issue? I'm competent with electronics and fine work on more compact mid-high end digital cameras (Sony RX100 is the bottom of my own collection of cameras and has needed some work over the years) Thanks! Dave