problem with minolta 303b.

[krystek_.]

hi

last week i bought srt303b + vivitar 135/2.8. nice camera, shutter in

very good condition, but i have one problem.

the lightmeter don't move when i'm changing shutter speed or iso.

for example: i want to shoot a photo. i'm setting 1/15, and the

lightmeter says, that i should have f=8. ok. but now i want to shoot

photo with shutter 1/250. so i'm setting it, and the lightmeter says..

f=8.

the lightmeter pointers, are reacting only for light, and f number. co

reaction on shutter time. what i make wrong? i must to push sth more?

etc?

i read also, that 303b can shoot multiexposed photos. how do this? i

can't see any switch, on something.

help?

[malcolm_denton]

You can download an instruction manual on http://www.rokkorfiles.com/Manuals.htm

[nilanjan_sen]

This is a match needle, manual exposure SLR. You are seeing f8 because that is the aperture that is set on the lens, not the suggested aperture for correct exposure. What you do is move the shutter dial until the two needles in the viewfinder line up. This will give you the correct shutter speed for an aperture of f8. Or you could do this in reverse - set the shutter speed first and turn the aperture ring until the needles line up.

[krystek_.]

unfortunately, when i'm changing shutter speed, needles are still in the same position. exept the lightmeter on/off i must press some button to unblock them?

[jamesdak]

Does it have a battery in it and are you turning it on? What happens when you set the power switch to the BC position?

[j_hopper]

Both needles do not move? The single pointed needle is the meter needle and is only affected (in the end) by the amount of light coming through the lens and up through the pentaprism. Does this needle move down along the side of the viewfinder if the camera is pointed at a bright light? Does this needle move to the black rectangular 'bump' on side of viewfinder if you set camera on "B.C."? If this meter needle registers a light reading but doesn't move when the light varies, it's possible the needle itself is simply hung up on something (like a bit of decomposed sticky foam inside: this happens). Or if it doesn't fully go to that 'bump' on "B.C.", something is binding this needle up. Also check to see that the stop-down button at side of camera's front nose isn't engaged.

 

The following needle, with the circle, is affected by aperture setting, shutterspeed setting and ASA setting. If this needle doesn't move when you vary any of the above three, it's also possible it's simply hung up on something (like foam). It's also possible that one of the cords inside (that move this needle) is bound up, or off a pulley, or mis-routed. Check to see if the two-trangle-shaped indicator along the bottom of the viewfinder moves from one shutterspeed number to another when you vary the shutterspeed. Your Sr-t may need some repair work.

 

The window at the top of the viewfinder is to an optical periscope that looks down at the aperture ring on the lens, and only shows the f-stop you've that set the lens to.

 

For multiple exposures, simply push in the rewind release button on the bottom of Sr-T and then advance the film. On the Sr-T 303b & 202 and Sr-505 when this rewind release button is engaged, there's an internal claw that holds the advance spool stopped & steady when you advance the camera (so the film stays on register). Claw has no effect when you actually do rewind the film.

[krystek_.]

big thx. it seems, that i need to send this body to repair. this straight needle is working good, but this with circle is not moving when i'm changing shutter speed. only when i change app.

[j_hopper]

Good news is that it's probably a simple fix. Sounds like meter is good, the AV cord and pulleys are good, only the TV ('T'ime 'V'alue) cord may be off. Inside the top cover, the TV cord goes between the shutterspeed barrel assembly and the time value pulley (big one under the rewind button) may be bound up or off a pulley. This cord runs inside along the back of the camera through the eyepiece surround frame, and has two small brass pulleys either side of the eyepiece.

 

Sometimes this TV cord comes of one of these pulleys and then gets bound up somewhere. Rarely one of these little pulleys could sping a clip and come off its spindle. Sometimes this cord can be misrouted around the time value pulley, or the time value pulley itself can be bound up by the cover nut being overtightened. Very rarely the end(s) of the cord come undone (usually only if someone has tried to 'fix' a problem before). It should be easily fixable by a good repairman who knows mechanical cameras.

 

Another tensioned cord independently carries that two-triangle speed indicator that's seen running along the bottom of the viewfinder when you change shutter speeds. This cord does not affect the circle needle, but if this speed indicator looks right then that simplifies any fix.