Contaflex Super B meter

[bonsignore_ezio]

This is admittedly a long shot, but I though I would try anyway,

I've got myself a Contaflex Super B (second model with semi-automatic exposure) in splendid like-new conditions. It works flawlessy but for the meter. Now this is a common occurence for selenium cell meters of that age, but this one is NOT dead. Rather, it will reactly briskly and apparently accurately in low/dim light conditions, but it will go bonker as soon as it is hit by decent light (i.e., in any normal daylight conditions it will say that even 1/500 at f=22 exceed the acceptable range with an ASA 100 film. If I partially cover the meter window, it will immediately drop to 3.5, 2.8 or tell me to lower the speed). So, it is not dead, is a zombie.

Quotes by repairmen for just looking at the camera are an order of magnitude higher than I paid for it (and for its two extra lenses). So, the question is: do you reckon that the meter adjustment port of the back of the camera could possibly be twisted as to correct such a large error? Shall I try anyway?

Of course I could place the camera as a shelf queen or use an external meter, but while I would accept a dead meter as a matter of classic cameras collector's life, I am intrigued by an old meter which has become way too sensitive, 

Edited January 21 by bonsignore_ezio

[kmac]

Use a hand-held meter

If it is a selenium meter, the adjustment at the back of the camera won't be for light adjustment, but for zeroing the needle, or for adjusting the needle's delicate spring tension to bring it back to factory specs.

The problem with your meter, as I perceive it, is probably a faulty electrical component that controls the voltage from the selenium cell, a worn out resister perhaps. It's not impossible to fix selenium meters, but it requires skills beyond most of us. Your selenium cell seems to be still high voltage, and that's in your favor, so you should be more concerned about how that voltage is controlled before it gets to the motor (the actual armature that has the needle attached to it). 

[gary green]

This is probably a dumb question but did you set the film speed selector on the camera properly?  If so, did you try changing it to a lower ASA/ISO number to see whether this affected the meter reading in bright light?  This may provide a clue to where the problem is.

[bonsignore_ezio]

In the meantime, a more careful examination has revealed the real problem. The meter works and it is accurate, but it will not react to changes in the selected speed. It is rather stuck to 1 sec., and will react to varying light conditions by indicating the correct aperture at that speed or suggesting that no exposure is possible. Something is clearly amiss in the meter/shutter link. The very curious detail is that this seems to affect but the shutter>meter relationship, while the opposite meter>shutter function works. I mean, the meter will ignore the real selected speed and will always operate on the basis of a speed of 1 sec., but when an exposure is possible at that speed it will not only indicate the appropriate aperture, but also close the shutter at that aperture thus operating correctly in the semi-auto mode as it should.

Go figure. In any case this is way beyond my wildest self-repair dreams, and thus external meter it will be.

 

[chuck_foreman1]

Sometimes you have to accept these idiosyncrasies. I have two of these and they both work intermittently. When it works, it works great. Sometimes I pick it up and it works, other times I start with it not working, but later it will come on board. When I bought the second one... I thought; cool I got it! But now it acts much like the other one.  It just makes me crazy... I also have the "Super" which I bought (stupidity) thinking it was the same ie not the "B"  It has a non-coupled selenium meter that consistently works, but the values seem to be wrong . Off setting the meter can work on this.. but that wasn't the point!?!?  I do really like the rendering of the Tessar on this. Very contrasty ..love the blue skies when using color film

Where are you in the world? If you're in Europe, I will happily send the intermittent Super B. 

[bonsignore_ezio]

@ chuck:

We live in Westerwald just south/east of Bonn, which based in previous exchanges is some 120km south of you in Dusseldorf. Incidentally, just a couple hours ago my Super B also started acting bonker: I was loading a film and all of a sudden the shutter went blocked in partial aperture with the mirror down. And this, on a camera that very clearly has seen very little or no use. Oh well...