mamiya 7 underexposing problem

<p>I took it out today and noticed that it's underexposing by several stops. Everything is set correctly...iso320, AEL, aperture, etc. At f4 with ael metering, it's showing me 1/8 of a sec on a bright sunny day in so.cal at noon. Does anyone know what might be the cause? Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>Danny,<br>

If you are getting a reading of 1/8 second on a sunny day, it would be overexposing by several stops(actually quite a number of stops-sunny 16 rule=1/320 second at f16). Try taking the lens off and reseating the lens. Also you could clean the lens contacts with an eraser(carefully).<br>

Randy</p>

<p>Danny,<br>

If you are getting a reading of 1/8 second on a sunny day, it would be overexposing by several stops(actually quite a number of stops-sunny 16 rule=1/320 second at f16). Try taking the lens off and reseating the lens. Also you could clean the lens contacts with an eraser(carefully).<br>

Randy</p>

<p>Randy,</p>

<p>Thanks for pointing that out. I meant to say, OVER EXPOSING! I just cleaned the contacts and the problem is still there.</p>

<p>Is your lens hood properly attached and not obstructing the field of view?<br>

Though admittedly, if I'm calculating correctly, nearly 9 stops of EV error - something is seriously wrong there. Even at f/22, assuming your lens didn't report aperture correctly, that's still only about 5 stops.<br>

My supposition is that something is quite wrong with your camera's meter itself, or whatever circuitry ties back to the display.</p>

<p>Hi Danny,<br>

Try replacing the battery and see if that gives more accurate readings. I've had cameras where the battery was on the verge of going and this lead to strange readings.<br>

If not... you may have to send it in for an adjustment.<br>

Cheers</p>

<p>Thank you all for your help. I replaced the battery and still the problem exist. Yes, I think there is something wrong with the metering. Now, can anyone suggest a good reliable repair shop in Los Angeles?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>Have you tested exposure with a different lens? Did the new lense give you the same over exposure reading? If the answer is no, then the problem might be with the lens.<br>

BTW. What reading did you get when you manually meter?</p>

<p>the meter is a spot meter and it's not necessarily centered. someone else here suggested you can find the spot by experimenting in a darkened room with a candle. the spot is near the center on some mamiya 7s and sometimes down and to the right. you'll probably discover the spot was in a shadowy part of your subject, when you got the incorrect reading.</p>

<p>I'm afraid the magnitude of this error indicates a probable malfunction rather that user error or the meter being not centred. And as it doesn't meter ttl the fact that the unrealistically long exposure is showing as a meter reading seems to indicate a problem with the meter not a lens.</p>

<p>The only possibility I can think of is that you have somehow obscured the meter window when taking the reading and exposing. Pretty unlikely I'd have thought.</p>

<p>Incidentally the meter is not a spot meter. Not being ttl it measures exactly the same area no matter what lens you have fitted, and is centre weighted not a pure spot. Whilst it takes measurements only from the central area of the field of view of a wide angle lens, with the 150 fitted it takes a small part of its reading from outside the frame altogether. </p>

<p>You might try Manny's Camera repair, on Sunset Blvd, in Los Angeles. Just north of Downtown. He's a very honest guy, and really enjoys older cameras. <br /> <br /> If you are very clear with the symptoms, and tell him beforehand, he will be honest in whether he thinks he can repair it or not.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Now, can anyone suggest a good reliable repair shop in Los Angeles?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>david -- thanks for correcting my assumptions and lack of clarity. <br>

i haven't had my 7 for very long, but i have noticed something very similar to what danny describes. a couple times i was setting up a shot and thinking to myself, OK, this will probably be good at about 1/250 and f11 -- and it move the dial to 250 and lens to between 8 and 11, very lightly hold down the shutter release button, peer through the finder and it is flashing 60!! and i think, man, that can't be right! so i pan around a bit until i get a more reasonable suggestion from the meter, then adjust it manually. and end up taking the shot at 1/250 and f8. and it all works out fine.<br>

bottom line -- healthy skepticism is good, and don't over-rely on a built-in meter.</p>