Leica R4 - Electronics not working

[DavidfromWFB]

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Hello - 
I have an older Leica R4.  I have been letting my 15-year-old son use it for his high school photography class.

Before that, my parents had the camera, and I do not know how long it was sitting on the top shelf of their closet.

He has taken 2 or 3 rolls of black and white pictures since the beginning of October and it has worked great.

Well, today my son could not get the camera to work.

His teacher gave him a brand-new battery out of a box and still did not work.

A few times since he has gotten home, I have noticed in the viewfinder, the indicators showing the various settings (Manual, Auto, etc.) flickers on for a brief second. Then turns off just as quickly.

Anyone have any thoughts as to what is causing this?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Dave 

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[wagner]

Morning Dave!

Just to make things clear: you are pressing the release button to activate the display and, while holding, the LED's are switching off?  When you press the battery test button, does the LED comes on? Does the camera release on "100" or "B"?

The main issue with the R4 models is rather mechanical, then electronical:  a stuck release magnet, which is not a big problem to sort out.

Torsten

 

[TomB_tx]

it's also common for the electrical contacts on the mode switch and speed dial to get "dirty" (likely gummed up lubricant) and cause such issues. Often working the switch and dials through the various positions for a while may help.

[DavidfromWFB]

5 hours ago, wagner said:

Morning Dave!

Just to make things clear: you are pressing the release button to activate the display and, while holding, the LED's are switching off?  When you press the battery test button, does the LED comes on? Does the camera release on "100" or "B"?

The main issue with the R4 models is rather mechanical, then electronical:  a stuck release magnet, which is not a big problem to sort out.

Torsten

 

When I am touching the shutter button enough to normally turn on the electronics,  the LED's will flicker.  It does not happen every time.  Battery test button nothing comes on.

[lrs]

Wagner, Torsten. That worked! I couldn´t get the camera to work, even with new batteries. Tried putting it in 100 and it worked! Thank you! But why?? lol

[250swb]

5 hours ago, lrs said:

Wagner, Torsten. That worked! I couldn´t get the camera to work, even with new batteries. Tried putting it in 100 and it worked! Thank you! But why?? lol

It works at 1/100th because that is the backup emergency speed for when the batteries go flat. If you only ever want to shoot at 1/100th your fine, but otherwise the camera is broken. Make sure the contacts in the battery compartment are free from corrosion.

[lrs]

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250swb (I don't know how to reply directly), but that made the photometer work again, and hasn´t failed since then. It's like setting it at 100 reseted something... 
Thank you all, it's really cool to have human places like this. 

[250swb]

8 hours ago, lrs said:

250swb (I don't know how to reply directly), but that made the photometer work again, and hasn´t failed since then. It's like setting it at 100 reseted something... 
Thank you all, it's really cool to have human places like this. 

Ah right, in that case firing the shutter mechanically presumably freed up whatever was sticking in the mechanism. It could be electronic or mechanical but it's not worth the cost of having it serviced so I'd just keep firing it at different speeds while watching TV and hope the extra use clears any gunk that's built up over the years.