Strange F3 LCD and/or meter problem...

[peter_perna]

Just got my mint F3 with 50mm f/1.8 AF lens off the 'Bay. Put a brand new

CR1/3N lithium battery in it and a cheap roll of print film to check it out.

 

Mechanically, everything on the camera seemed to work fine, including that pesky

LCD lamp. So, I was feeling pretty good, although I have not developed the film

yet.

 

However, on auto, the LCD will display exposures clearly up to about 30th of a

second, with nothing else displayed. However, beyond a 30th, all the rest of the

display digits light up from that point on (i.e, at decreasing speeds), thereby

obscuring the actual exposure speed. The f setting of the lens does not matter,

fully open or closed. Moreover, if I manually set the exposure using the dial, I

can't seem to get the LCD to be anything other than fully lit up, regardless of

speed and f-stop. That is, all digits and the M+- are lit up completely. This

makes trying to meter the camera difficult if not impossible under manual mode

and at speeds greater than a 30th.

 

I know I could send the camera in for a CLA, and maybe a diagnosis, but I'm

hoping someone here knows what the problem is and that perhaps there is an easy

fix? Ideas?

 

Thanks!

 

Mtflycaster

[guts80]

Are you saying the display gets fainter once get past 1/30th? If so you may have a faulty printed curcuit which will require replacing.

[peter_perna]

No, the display does not get fainter. Just the opposite. Something like this...

 

M+- 886o

 

So that, even though the display is supposed to show, 125, for example, you can't read that. It is overwhelmed by the rest of the display.

 

I shot a roll of film on auto, and all exposures were fine, despite not being able to read the display.

 

In manual mode, the display shows the same problem.

 

Thanks for your reply!!

[lewis_thompson1]

Hi Peter,

 

I am having a similar problem... did you ever get to the bottom of things?

 

Thanks, Lewis.