Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/08/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 02:23 PM 8/11/2007, Jim Nichols wrote: >Will, > >Welcome aboard! I can't help with the take-up spool, but can offer my own >experience with a similar meter. I started with a Leica IIIa in 1952, and >bought the Leica meter that mounted in the cold shoe on the top of the >camera, and could be fitted with a separate sensor for low light >conditions. >The meter worked great for a number of years, but finally lost its >sensitivity, as selenium meters are likely to do. I finally discarded it >because I could find no one who rebuilt them, and the expense would >probably >be excessive for anyone except a well-heeled collector. > >I have read that there are now shops that will rebuild selenium meters, but >don't have a link at hand. You might try an on-line search, but a small >modern meter might be a better investment. > >Jim Nichols Jim The majority of failures in selenium meters is caused by misadjustment or breakage in the linkage between cell and meter face. Very rarely does a quality selenium cell fail, though the cheap ones which came on low-cost P&S cameras in the late 1950's and early 1960's certainly did suffer from cell failure. The reason is in the seals. Selenium cells fail from water contamination. Quality firms -- Gossen and Metrawatt and Zeiss Ikon, for instance -- went to a great deal of trouble to properly seal their cells and water contamination is accordingly not much of an issue. For meters made by these firms, such as the Metrawatt Leica-Meters, generally adjustment of the linkage is all that is necessary. Another cause of failure is corrosion on the electrical contacts. Again, a quick cleaning will restore the meter to fine condition. George Milton at Quality Light-Metric in Hollywood, California, does superb work on all meters. Marc msmall@aya.yale.edu Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!