Chinon CE-4S doesn't work after new batteries! Help!

Hi guys, I found at home an old analogue machine, a Chinon CE-4S with 50mm 1.7 optics, it looks pretty well aesthetically, unfortunately it does not show signs of life, it does not turn on, does not shoot and does not even advance the lever for the ruler advancement, it is stopped at number "36" of the film, on various forums I read that this machine wants the battery not only for the exposure meter but also to advance the film and I suppose at this point also to shoot, I inquired and I found the batteries to put, the LR44 or G13, in the shop I found only the "AG13", the shopkeeper told me that they are fine the same, ok, put, 3 as required, unfortunately nothing changes, everything blocked, does not work nothing! What else do you think I should do? what do you advise me to do? :(o_O

Is there still a roll of film in the camera? That could explain the counter at 36 and the inability to advance the winding lever. If there is film in it you should rewind it back into the cartridge by first pushing in the button on the bottom of the camera and then turning the rewind crank clockwise (looking down on the top of the camera) until the film is back in the cartridge, about 31 or 32 turns. You will feel the crank turn much more easily once the film is all the way back into the cartridge.

Sorry if this seems obvious, but are you sure the batteries are inserted the correct way up? The AG13's should be fine although it's not unknown for "new" batteries to be dead. OK, then check the battery contacts for signs of corrosion - were the old batteries left in? I usually scrape off corrosion with a small screwdriver or similar to leave a shiny surface.

 

Finally it's a good idea to abrade the batteries themselves against a rough surface of some kind, to scrape off any possible surface deposits, dirt etc which might prevent good contact. Hope this helps and good luck.

 

Oh, if you don't have the manual (a small contribution is requested):

 

LINK Chinon CE-4 camera manual instruction, user manual, PDF manual, Alpa Si 3000 instruction manual, Alpa SI 3000 Bedienungsanleitung

If it's on number 36 and unless someone shot 36 blank shots without film (I actually do that often) then is very likely that there is a roll of film in it and it's at the end of the roll. If you have the manual follow the instruction and rewind then remove the film. If you don't care about the film just open the back and see there is film inside.

The CE-4s has an electronically controlled shutter, and batteries are required to operate the camera; I don't believe this model has any mechanical speeds. The film advance is mechanically operated.

 

If the camera is not a the end of a roll as suggested, then check if the mirror is up and the shutter is open. If so, then it may have locked up mid-cycle due to weak batteries, in which case you would not be able to wind the film advance lever either. If the camera is working correctly, then installing fresh batteries should close the shutter. Sometimes the shutters in electronic cameras can take a while to respond after installing batteries if they haven't been used in many years, though.

Edited May 29, 2020 by m42dave

I Googled the CE-4 just to remind myself what it looked like, not a bad looking classic camera. The one I found had a jammed wind lever stuck on 36 and was selling for $17.50. Thought you might want to know.

Is there still a roll of film in the camera? That could explain the counter at 36 and the inability to advance the winding lever. If there is film in it you should rewind it back into the cartridge by first pushing in the button on the bottom of the camera and then turning the rewind crank clockwise (looking down on the top of the camera) until the film is back in the cartridge, about 31 or 32 turns. You will feel the crank turn much more easily once the film is all the way back into the cartridge. [/ QUOTE]

 

inside there is no film, of course I also tried to install a brand new one but obviously the camera cannot take it because the lever is blocked

Edited May 30, 2020 by matteociocconi

The CE-4s has an electronically controlled shutter, and batteries are required to operate the camera; I don't believe this model has any mechanical speeds. The film advance is mechanically operated.

If the camera is not a the end of a roll as suggested, then check if the mirror is up and the shutter is open. If so, then it may have locked up mid-cycle due to weak batteries, in which case you would not be able to wind the film advance lever either. If the camera is working correctly, then installing fresh batteries should close the shutter. Sometimes the shutters in electronic cameras can take a while to respond after installing batteries if they haven't been used in many years, though.

[/ PREVENTIVO]

 

As I said I installed new batteries but nothing works, not even the exposure meter

Edited May 30, 2020 by matteociocconi

Sorry if this seems obvious, but are you sure the batteries are inserted the correct way up? The AG13's should be fine although it's not unknown for "new" batteries to be dead. OK, then check the battery contacts for signs of corrosion - were the old batteries left in? I usually scrape off corrosion with a small screwdriver or similar to leave a shiny surface.

 

Finally it's a good idea to abrade the batteries themselves against a rough surface of some kind, to scrape off any possible surface deposits, dirt etc which might prevent good contact. Hope this helps and good luck.

 

Oh, if you don't have the manual (a small contribution is requested):

 

LINK Chinon CE-4 camera manual instruction, user manual, PDF manual, Alpa Si 3000 instruction manual, Alpa SI 3000 Bedienungsanleitung

 

I checked the battery compartment and everything looks ok, everything is very clean, no imperfections, even the batteries being new are perfect and I doubt that the shopkeeper sold me flat batteries having bought them in a chain of super markets

I checked the battery compartment and everything looks ok, everything is very clean, no imperfections, even the batteries being new are perfect and I doubt that the shopkeeper sold me flat batteries having bought them in a chain of super markets

Did you check if there is film in the camera?

I believe the OP mentioned above that there was no film in the camera.

 

It's possible that the camera was stored with a cocked shutter, then stopped working for whatever reason. Even if the battery compartment looks clean, there still could be battery wire corrosion or a broken wire on the back side of the battery compartment, or some other electronic fault.

 

It is also possible for new batteries to be defective. Even if just one of the batteries is bad, it may not have enough voltage to operate the camera. I would rule out that first.

Sometimes "new" batteries have been hanging around in the store for years.

Sometimes "new" batteries have been hanging around in the store for years.

should i try more batteries from the same box? i bought a 10 battery box, i used the first 3, should i try more 3 batteries?

Did you check if there is film in the camera?

Sure! there isn't

Do you have access to a multimeter or similar to test them? Or another device you can try them in? Again, it's often a good idea to rub the batteries against a rough surface to make sure there's no invisible dirt, oxidation etc which might prevent contact.

Any light in the viewfinder when you press the shutter release button?

Do you have access to a multimeter or similar to test them? Or another device you can try them in? Again, it's often a good idea to rub the batteries against a rough surface to make sure there's no invisible dirt, oxidation etc which might prevent contact.

 

Not too rough, though - coarse fabric such as a polo- or sweat-shirt is fine. If dark marks are left, the batteries were contaminated by something. You stated you purchased a 'box of ten' batteries - if these were of a cheap variety, they may have insufficient power for the camera. Try some more expensive ones (I use Duracell or Panasonic in a couple of flash guns that won't take re-chargeables), or better still some good re-chargeable ones.

Any light in the viewfinder when you press the shutter release button?

nope

Not too rough, though - coarse fabric such as a polo- or sweat-shirt is fine. If dark marks are left, the batteries were contaminated by something. You stated you purchased a 'box of ten' batteries - if these were of a cheap variety, they may have insufficient power for the camera. Try some more expensive ones (I use Duracell or Panasonic in a couple of flash guns that won't take re-chargeables), or better still some good re-chargeable ones.

I paid this 10-pack only 1 euro (about 1 US dollar) hahaha

maybe I spent too little.

I want to try to take the more expensive ones, the problem is that if they don't work I have lost money

Do you have access to a multimeter or similar to test them? Or another device you can try them in? Again, it's often a good idea to rub the batteries against a rough surface to make sure there's no invisible dirt, oxidation etc which might prevent contact.

I have no tool to test it unfortunately.

I don't even have another object that requires these batteries!

I paid this 10-pack only 1 euro (about 1 US dollar) hahaha

maybe I spent too little.

I want to try to take the more expensive ones, the problem is that if they don't work I have lost money

 

How many batteries did you try? You have the 10 pack. I would just try them all. I found that the cheap 10 pack has many bad ones on average.

VERY IMPORTANT

Ok guys! I have some news, sorry if it will be long, I will try to explain to you as clearly as possible, I hope you can help me!

I changed the batteries, I took 3 more from the same box, I rubbed them well with a polo, I inserted them and if I press the shutter button some red LEDs light up in the viewfinder, I don't know if they must be red, I don't know if it is normal but in any case these leds indicate the right time, it is a light meter!

 

Then, I opened the bottom of the camera and the feed lever I saw that it is blocked by a piece of metal (not external), I don't know what this piece is used for, slightly moving this piece the lever unlocks, this piece can be kept always raised by a metal wire so as to leave the passage free, I have no idea what this piece is for and if by default it must remain raised, can you help me? I put some photos!

 

the "1" is the metal wire that holds up the piece of metal (like a lever)

 

the "2" is the real piece of metal that locks the advance lever

Edited June 5, 2020 by matteociocconi

How many batteries did you try? You have the 10 pack. I would just try them all. I found that the cheap 10 pack has many bad ones on average.

check the photo I put

You may be able to find a maintenance manual on line.

You may be able to find a maintenance manual on line.

I have the manual but I have not found anything useful