P3N: Is it broken?

Kentax · 01-07-2008, 07:33 PM

I won a P3n film camera off ebay and the shutter does not fire. The wind lever only forwards to the stand-off angle and can't be advanced any further. The exposure counter reads (S). I've put in new batteries and the meter appears to work, however, when i depress the button, all meter info disappears and does not appear again when i press the shutter button half or fully. I would need to turn the camera off then on again to get the meter reading.

Is it broken? Am i doing something wrong?

*Canada_Rockies* · 01-07-2008, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by Kentax

I won a P3n film camera off ebay and the shutter does not fire. The wind lever only forwards to the stand-off angle and can't be advanced any further. The exposure counter reads (S). I've put in new batteries and the meter appears to work, however, when i depress the button, all meter info disappears and does not appear again when i press the shutter button half or fully. I would need to turn the camera off then on again to get the meter reading.

Is it broken? Am i doing something wrong?

I think the camera is asking you to put a film in it.

*hinman* · 01-07-2008, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by Kentax

I won a P3n film camera off ebay and the shutter does not fire. The wind lever only forwards to the stand-off angle and can't be advanced any further. The exposure counter reads (S). I've put in new batteries and the meter appears to work, however, when i depress the button, all meter info disappears and does not appear again when i press the shutter button half or fully. I would need to turn the camera off then on again to get the meter reading.

Is it broken? Am i doing something wrong?

The shutter won't fire off if you battery is low. Try getting a new battery. I saw similar problems on both a p3n and p5. Once a new battery is in place, the p3n rocks.

Hin

Kentax · 01-07-2008, 07:53 PM

i put in new batteries, new roll of film, nothing. The wind lever does not cock; it's stuck at the stand-off angle.

*Canada_Rockies* · 01-07-2008, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by Kentax

i put in new batteries, new roll of film, nothing. The wind lever does not cock; it's stuck at the stand-off angle.

Try closing the wind lever, setting the camera to B and see if the shutter will open. Or X. Sometimes these are fully manual speeds.

If that has no effect, take out your new batteries, and use a pencil eraser to thoroughly clean the contacts in the batter chamber.

Kentax · 01-07-2008, 08:30 PM

tried firing at every speed avail including B but still the same results. The wind lever doesn't cock and the shutter button does nothing when depressed..
The battery chamber looks sparkling clean as are the contacts. Any other suggestions or is this camera dead?

Mike Cash · 01-08-2008, 05:46 AM

I'm not familiar with this particular camera, but with some of my old stuff I can cock the shutter by (painfully) turning the film advance sprockets with my fingers. The shutter isn't going to do diddly if it isn't cocked, so give that a try. If it works, you should be able to feel or hear it when it does cock. Then while set to a manual shutter speed try the shutter button to see if the mirror and the shutter operate. If they do, then you know the problem is in the film advance crank mechanism.

It probably won't do anything, but try depressing the film rewind release button to disengage the mechanism and try rotating the sprockets backwards. It may free up whatever is stuck in the advance mechanism, if anything.

TaoMaas · 01-08-2008, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Mike Cash

It probably won't do anything, but try depressing the film rewind release button to disengage the mechanism and try rotating the sprockets backwards. It may free up whatever is stuck in the advance mechanism, if anything.

A trick similar to this has worked for me before. Sometimes the shutter can be not quite cocked and that will prevent it from being released. With some cameras, you can depress the rewind button and that will let you wind the shutter a bit further, which will then allow the shutter release to be activated.

Kentax · 01-08-2008, 11:53 AM

just tried the suggestion and stilll nothing. The sprocket rotates freely and nothing clicked. Thanks though.. any other suggestions?

TaoMaas · 01-08-2008, 12:04 PM

If the wind lever won't advance, maybe it's because the shutter is already cocked. Have you tried using the self-timer to release the shutter?

Kentax · 01-08-2008, 01:31 PM

yes i did, but nothing happened.

TaoMaas · 01-08-2008, 01:41 PM

Sometimes the sprocket holes in film can get torn out and the little pieces of film can get onto the shutter track and keep it from functioning. That's about the last thing I can think of...sorry.

Kentax · 01-08-2008, 02:40 PM

thanks for your help TaoMaas, looks like I received a broken camera..

lost · 01-08-2008, 04:17 PM

I don't have any suggestions, but wanted to wish you luck with the P3N. I just gave one to my dad, and he seems to be enjoying it.

Arjay Bee · 01-08-2008, 06:02 PM

I read this thread with interest as I have a P30T that had exactly the same problem when I received it. It had been sitting unused for years and I thought I could chuck in some new batteries and it would fire up straight away. Didn't happen.
I had tried almost all the strategies mentioned above and then gave up and left it alone for a few weeks - accidently in the switched on position. Just now I tried it after reading all the startegies again I thought I'd try the sprocket turning one. Didn't need to as it fired right off the bat. Yaay
I have read that the older flash capacitators lose their charge over time if left unpowered for long periods and need a period of reconditioning to get them working. I think this may have happened here as well by accident more than design.
Try leaving powered and let sit for a while and check every week or so. - a cheap if time consuming fix. Good luck