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R3 not working in cold weather


ronlayters

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I've recently started having issues with my trusty R3 in cold weather (when it gets to zero degrees). When on auto mode the shutter stays open for around 4 or 5 seconds. It's as if the batteries are not working properly. I replaced the batteries but the problem still persists in cold conditions.

 

Has anybody else experienced these problems? Is there an easy solution? I read somewhere that replacing the two silver oxide batteries with one lithium type might help, does anyone have experience of this?

 

Thanks for any info

 

Ron

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Welcome to the forum, Ron!

 

Changing the battery spec might help, but have you ever had the camera CLA'd? (Cleaned, Lubricated and Adjusted?)

 

It sounds to me as if some of the oils and lubricants in the shutter mechanism are getting to thick in cold weather, and a service might be what's required.

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Hmmm, is it ONLY happening in cold weather? What happens if you switch to manual operation?

 

It's either the batteries (you may be unlucky with the recent ones you bought), lubricant as Andy as suggested, or a problem with the auto metering electronics. The latter could I think be checked by trying manual speeds in the same conditions, if the shutter works fine then I'd suspect the auto metering....

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I used to have R3 working under -14 degrees Celcius in 1982. Two things I had done to make it work:

 

1. Ask Leitz distributor to change all lubricant of the camera to low temperature type; and

 

2. I custom-made a battery extension cord from bottom of the camera to a battery holder inside inner pocket of my cloth to make it warm.

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