leica r4 p program fault

[Guest jackaria]

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hi all I can not get p program mode/auto to work aperture remains at f22  but works fine in all other modes any advice please

[earleygallery]

Does it work OK on other modes?

 

I'd maybe try fresh batteries but sadly if these cameras develop electrical faults there's little you can do, as I've just found out with my R3. 

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[Hugh 38]

I think the camera  may have   come  to the  end of its life.  The  electrics  on  many  R4's  were  a   bit  tempremental .

You  may  find  the   camera  works  in other  modes .  I have  an  R4  which  I  will  only  use  in   manual  now with  no  flash  as  I have  found   the  electrics  have  become   very  tempremental  . It  reality  it  seldom  comes  out now . 

I do  not    think  there   is  anything  you  can  do  with it.

[wagner]

Morning Jackaria!

 

Sorry, don't really get your fault. The R4 doesn't show the aperture in "P mode."  To enable the camera to use the full range in "P" or "T" mode, the lens must be set to the smallest aperture. Guess, that's on your lens the "f22" and this aperture you gonna see in the little window in the viewfinder.

Is the "T" program working properly?

 

 

One word to the faults on R3 and R4's: I really had a couple of this cameras in my hand. None of them did suffer of an electronic problem - OK, except one R4 s , where the shutter already did release by just touching the release button; could be fixed for 50Euros - , the problems were mechanical. On the R4 is it most of the time a sticky "aperture release magnet" - can be quite easy cleaned, after removing the bottom plate and the battery housing - . The R3 suffers extremely from not being used - lots of mechanical contacts - and the problem here is often, that the shutter-speed is unreliable.(overexposing)

 

There are different pots on the R3 the voltages on these pots can be checked. Might help. (Adjusting LV's, 1/1000 manual, etc.)

 

Regards,

 

Torsten

[Guest jackaria]

hi all sorry for delay in replying, tried all the above found out faulty electronics in p mode SWITCH position !! got rid of R4 and got a R7 all electronics working    what really surprised me is the lack of PROPPER  camera technician's  

in the UK capable of this kind of work apart from Leica , and then they would rather sell a new one.. if this one brakes down I will go back to Nikon  thanks chaps  for advice   john

[earleygallery]

Hi, it's not that some can't repair the R models, it's the fact that most spares have to come from other (broken) bodies & the fact that the repair bill might be £300 + for a camera that's only worth £100, so most people will just buy another working body, as you've done.

 

I suspect at some point prices for R bodies may increase and as good ones become rarer people will be willing to repair them again. Possibly!

[dkCambridgeshire]

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hi all sorry for delay in replying, tried all the above found out faulty electronics in p mode SWITCH position !! got rid of R4 and got a R7 all electronics working    what really surprised me is the lack of PROPPER  camera technician's  

in the UK capable of this kind of work apart from Leica , and then they would rather sell a new one.. if this one brakes down I will go back to Nikon  thanks chaps  for advice   john

 

Don't give up; R3 to R7 were Minolta based; SL and SL2 are Wetzlar designs and worth investigating provided you have triple cam lenses for your R7; SL has the brightest viewfinder.  And there's always the R8 and R9 to consider which are Leica designed and manufactured. But good luck with the R7. 

 

dunk

Edited December 14, 2015 by dkCambridgeshire

[Hugh 38]

As  mentioned  the  viewfinders    on the   Leicaflex  SL   and  SL2  are   wonderful . I  would   argue   the  best ones  on  any   35mm  camera.

Often it is  a  case  of  economics  and  the  availability  of  spares .

[Guest jackaria]

thanks all for your kind advice my R7 is a cracker love the feel and quality fingers cross this one will last me..   

[Guest jackaria]

hi all used my r7 last week hend self timer now working gremlins i think result superb  thanks all