Canon Pellix and his dead light meter

I have a Canon Pellix in which the photometer appears to be dead: with a 1.5V PX625 battery installed (I know I should use a 1.35V mercury battery or equivalent, but for testing I think it is irrelevant) the meter needle moves very little, almost imperceptibly and only when choosing long exposure times on the selector; it certainly doesn't react the way it's supposed to.

So far everything normal, more or less: a photometer cell that does not work after fifty years. However, I also have a Canon Booster Meter which installed in the Pellix seems to work correctly and from which I get plausible exposure readings. And hence my question: since the Canon Booster uses, in short, the Pellix's own sensor (the one that rises after Milar's film when operating the activating lever), what should I suppose is what is wrong with the photometer of the Pellix, the power circuit, the indicator needle? Could I repair the Pellix meter in any way?

 

Thanks

I’ve read that CdS cells eventually lose their sensitivity. And, if you believe chatter you read on the internet, Canon SLR’s of this era seem to prone to meter failure. Don’t know if that is true or not, but your camera is more than 50 years old, so stuff will happen. You could probably buy a parts camera and take the CdS cell out of that, or just use a hand held meter, or use the sunny 16 rule.

 

I have a black Pellix that I used this past week. Marvelous camera, especially if you have on with a good pellicle mirror. Unfortunately, most of the mirrors on a Pellix are in poor shape. People tried to clean them, with disastrous results.

Unfortunately, at fifty, the breakdowns are random: mine has mylar pellicle quite well, but the exposure system fails; I don't feel so capable to compose a good one of two bad ones; rather I will try to try my luck with another Pellix ..

If the Booster accessory is giving accurate readings, then the CdS cell in your Pellix is by default operational. The Booster is really just an external amplifier that taps the camera CdS cell and re-routes its signal output into an incredibly more sensitive meter circuit/movement at the top of the Booster housing. If the CdS cell in the camera was dead or defective, you would not get a usable reading from the Booster.

 

Since the CdS cell itself appears to be operational, the question becomes why the rest of the normal in-camera meter hardware is dysfunctional. The three most common issues in this vintage of SLR would be a damaged or sticky viewfinder needle movement, worn resistor ring or pulley, or corroded / disrupted circuit (often the battery compartment internal wiring). The Booster is able to get a usable signal from the CdS cell because the Booster connection cable bypasses the camera's own battery circuit, shutter dial coupling and readout hardware, powering the CdS cell directly and using its own external circuit/galvanometer.

 

If the camera is really clean and nice, esp the fragile mirror, I probably would not risk DIY disaasembly and repair. This would be better fixed by a professional technician who specializes in '60s-era cameras, at some additional cost that might be significant. Like many older cameras, it depends how much value you personally place on being able to use it to full performance. If you really like it, its worth fixing even though you'll never recoup the repair cost if you resell later. Otherwise, consider using it as-is with a separate meter. Hunting around for another Pellix with fully operational meter might be less practical than paying to get this one properly repaired. Once repaired, you're assured it will work well for at least a few years. But a replacement "working" Pellix could suffer the same age-related failures at any moment after purchase, putting you back where you started. Difficult decision.

Thanks orsetto, for the detailed answer; I agree with what has been said in terms of assuming that the cell of the chamber remains active and also that in order to determine the failure, the chamber would have to be opened (and that is already a bigger word).

It also occurred to me about the sticky needle, so with a lot of touch I gave a few sharp blows with the palm of my hand on the camera; there was no luck and I did not go from there; the battery compartment shows no signs of corrosion, but the internal wiring may indeed be something else.

The camera in general and the pellicle of mylar in particular are in relatively good condition so I do not think it encourages me to operate and as for taking it to repair I do not think that the expense, foreseeably high, was justified.

I also agree that finding another fully functional Pellix will not be easy.

As mentioned in post #2, use a hand-held meter, or use the sunny 16 rule. The meter in my Pellix works, but I don't trust it. I shot a roll of Tri-X in my Pellix last weekend metering with my Gossen Luna Pro-F. Exposures were perfect. Just remember to compensate for the 1/2 stop light loss caused by the pellicle mirror.

... yes, I would have to resort to an external photometer and remember to increase 1/2 step (or consider the sensitivity of the film somewhat less than what it really has) as a solution; it's just that it bothers me to see a needle that doesn't move when it should ... ;)

You have a real 625? I have a 675 in mine, which doesn't fit quite as well, but well enough.

 

Most obvious is battery contact in the battery holder.

 

Mine had a dusty mirror, but not so dusty as to be visible.

... 625 or 675 ... I think it would be the same to see samples of needle activity; I have cleaned and re-cleaned until the contacts are polished ... that does not seem to be the problem; on the other hand, the needle moves (minimally) when operating the ligthmeter activity lever ... I can only guess what is wrong (checking it is more delicate) Edited May 30, 2020 by ljherrero

Most of my old cameras have a 675 (or equivalent number) cell.

 

They work fine in most, but a few make contact with the wider ring part of the 625,

and so don't make contact. I believe the Nikon Photomic finders are one of those.

 

I have thought about getting a booster, I have seen them for a low price, but never did.

 

I also have an FTb, so could use one with that, too. Though it seems to work well with the 675.

I once gouged out the innards of a Mercury battery (and yes, they do contain Mercury) to use the outer shell as an adaptor for the flangeless cells.

 

Now, why is my hair falling out?

There are alkaline 625s around.

I use the outer ring on a expired wein cell 625 battery with the 675 zinc air battery installed. Works great in all my camera's.

.. in case someone could be useful:

 

After making the decision not to open the chamber and knowing that the CdS cell seemed to be operational (in conjunction with the Booster), I imagined that by contacting one of the two terminals (ignoring the polarity of each one) of the female socket of the booster with negative battery terminal something could happen.

So I took a small piece (about 3mm) of thick cable (0.5mm) and slightly curved at one end (the curved is intended both to get closer to the center of the battery and to prevent that this piece slips through the mentioned female socket of the Booster). Ignoring the polarity, I tried both holes, and it turned out that the one with the cable inserted into the hole closest to the base of the camera, and putting a PX625 battery in its position, the photometer needle began to move when I operated the corresponding lever !! ... and to react to light giving plausible diaphragm / speed values; that is, it seems to work as it should. I suspect that the contact of the original negative pole of the battery compartment in the camera is the cause of the inoperativeness of the photometer, since it rotates insane without offering greater resistance and cannot be unscrewed either.

I have no scientific explanation added to what has already been described, nor can I provide any other data that explains it (perhaps a colleague from this forum can): I simply describe what happened after the "illumination" received. And ensure that the camera's photometer works as it should (miraculously).

Edited July 19, 2020 by ljherrero

...chamber is camera.. Google Translate stuff...;)

What is a good price for a nice Pellix? I see everything from $20 to $200. I don't want a POC and I don't want to over pay. Always wanted a pellicle mirror camera.

$20 to $200 sounds about right.

 

Canon: Pellix (chrome) Price Guide: estimate a camera value

 

I got mine from a Goodwill auction for $44, body only.

 

The mirror is somewhat dusty, but it is far enough from the film to not make obvious shadows.

 

The price range sort-of covers the range of mirror condition.

... although it is always difficult to differentiate between value and cost, I believe that a working and in good condition Pellix should be obtained for about $ 60-90, I mean that it is what I would be willing to pay, the one that I create a fair price.

But there are sellers who believe that since this is a historical camera due to the semi-transparent film of mylar (which is true) they can ask for what comes to mind, as well as there are sellers who only see an old camera from the seventies of the which they want to undo for little money. There is always a component of chance when buying something used online.

Yes, between the "old camera to unload" and "historical", you get the $20 to $200 range.

 

My father had one from when it was new, until it got stolen out of the trunk of his car while watching

a taping of Johnny Carson. After that, he bought an AT-1.

 

So it is a little bit of personal history.

 

I have had only one roll though it so far.

Yes, between the "old camera to unload" and "historical", you get the $20 to $200 range.

 

My father had one from when it was new, until it got stolen out of the trunk of his car while watching

a taping of Johnny Carson. After that, he bought an AT-1.

 

So it is a little bit of personal history.

 

I have had only one roll though it so far.

 

I'll keep an eye out for it...