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05-09-2015, 10:45 PM   #1
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Hope for my Electro Spotmatic

Hello! New to this forum! I was hoping to restore my Electro Spotmatic..

I managed to bargain a Black Electro Spotmatic that roughly translates to 10$. Had a lot of hope that the electronics were working and that if it was in bargain condition, there were only minor defects. I also bought the ES with the battery cap already gone. So there really wasn't any chance to test it there in the moment. I tried to improvise with a metal coil fitted horizontally inside the battery holder on top of 4 LR44 batteries when i ought to test the beauty. Though i dont know if thats effective.

The meter did not respond at Auto Mode. Tried to push my luck if i would be one of the lucky chosen ones to own a functional ES. I am willing to restore this ES if there is any way that i can, up to the point I can use it as much as i use my Spottie F. What can i do about this?

05-10-2015, 12:55 PM   #2
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$10 paperweight?

Parts are scarce for those.

Eric Hendrickson in USA stands the best chance of being able to fix it.
But if it needs a main circuit board you may be out of luck,
unless you can locate a parts donor body.

The good news is that manual speeds 1/60 to 1/1000 are mechanical
and will work with or without electronics.

I've been in the same situation with other gear. You must ask yourself
how much do I want to spend on a camera that may be unrepairable?

Chris
05-10-2015, 04:16 PM   #3
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Electro Spotmatic versions and the ES

QuoteOriginally posted by anselmopn Quote
Hello! New to this forum! I was hoping to restore my Electro Spotmatic..
I managed to bargain a Black Electro Spotmatic that roughly translates to 10$. [...] I also bought the ES with the battery cap already gone. [...] I am willing to restore this ES if there is any way that i can, up to the point I can use it as much as i use my Spottie F.
QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisPlatt Quote
But if it needs a main circuit board you may be out of luck,
unless you can locate a parts donor body.
Hi, anselmopn, and welcome to the forum.

First, you should be aware that the Electro Spotmatic is not the same camera body as the ES (even though the ES was, I assume, named after the Electro Spotmatic, and certainly is its offspring). So, when looking for parts, you should be aware that, depending on exactly which parts(s) you need, it is quite possible that not every "parts body" will have just what you need. This may be most critical if you need electronic parts, such as a circuit board, as Chris mentioned.

There were actually two Electro Spotmatic versions. The first version, SN 3500001-3502314, was likely sold only in Japan, while the second version, SN 5500001-5570000, may have been sold outside Japan as well. The greatest differences between them likely were in the electronics (although that is just my assumption) -- the importance of this possible difference may be quite important if it is electronic parts that you need for your Electro Spotmatic. [On the other hand, it is possible that electronic parts for the ES, SN 6500001-6580000, might work in the second version of the Electro Spotmatic (???)].

[In the back of my head I have the idea that the battery polarity may have been different for the two Electro Spotmatic versions, or maybe it was so for the Electro Spotmatic and the ES -- I really don't know if my mind is remembering that or making it up (LOL), but that's something to look out for if you are looking to find a battery cap for your Electro Spotmatic.]
05-10-2015, 04:27 PM - 1 Like   #4
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Electro Spotmatic pix

Here's a few old pix of my own Electro Spotmatic, which I no longer have (I gave it to my daughter-in-law about a decade ago). The Electro Spotmatic (as well as the ES) needed a different case than the usual Spottie case, due to the greater height of the body and the protruding battery compartment. My/her Electro Spotmatic was quite a pretty specimen and also a fully functioning body -- the shutter speeds seemed a bit off, as I remember, but it did basically work, electronically as well as mechanically.



















05-10-2015, 11:27 PM   #5
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Off topic I know... my ES case is black and has an ES badge on the corner. K.
05-10-2015, 11:47 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisPlatt Quote
Eric Hendrickson in USA stands the best chance of being able to fix it.
Eric will work on the ES and ESII bodies, but not Electros. I had this conversation with him about two weeks ago. I can't speak for if he'll CLA it so you have a mechanically functional body.

My Electro came to me in bad shape -- the meter was inaccurate at best (at least four stops under) and it only metered when a lens was mounted. Eric suggested that I remove and re-mount the mounting flange. That solved a big chunk of the problem -- the camera not metering without a lens and the meter was within a stop of accurate. I took the bottom of the camera off, removed the screws on the plate, pushed the wires in a bit in case the connections were loose, and re-assembled it. Then the Electro worked.

They have a bad rap for reliability, and its well earned. What no one tells you about that reputation is that these boards were all hand-soldered (I've read) and that considering the number of these that had to be made in that manner they're really pretty surprising cameras. I think it's a ton of fun to shoot and since getting mine working I've run about five rolls of film through it or so.

Here are some of the photos I've taken with mine. So they are certainly worth using if they can be made to work.

https://picasaweb.google.com/102333270936007447976/42515ElectroSpotty
https://picasaweb.google.com/102333270936007447976/3515ElectroSpotty
https://picasaweb.google.com/102333270936007447976/41115ElectroSpotty
05-10-2015, 11:53 PM   #7
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Looks like i really have to go that far to fix this Electro Spot. Thanks so much everybody for the insight Mr Chris and fwcetus. That black Electro Spot you used to own is so sweet looking. I think i'll consider fixing mine as a milestone to chase because i don't think i have the resources to do those things just yet. I'm a Spottie geek now and i'll stick around the forums. Thank you!

---------- Post added 05-11-15 at 12:12 AM ----------

Or maybe when the time comes i'll just bargain hunt for a functional one..

09-10-2017, 02:16 PM   #8
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Sorry to bump the topic, but I'm seeking an answer to the question posed above regarding battery polarity. My latest acquisition is an Electro Spotmatic, serial number 5524219 so a 'mk 2'.

It's in very good condition, but has no battery, and I'm concerned about hurting the electronics by putting the battery in the wrong way round. I know the ES has the battery with the negative terminal inwards, can someone confirm the same is true for the later version of the Electro?
09-16-2017, 03:58 AM - 1 Like   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by redbirdpete Quote
Sorry to bump the topic, but I'm seeking an answer to the question posed above regarding battery polarity. My latest acquisition is an Electro Spotmatic, serial number 5524219 so a 'mk 2'.

It's in very good condition, but has no battery, and I'm concerned about hurting the electronics by putting the battery in the wrong way round. I know the ES has the battery with the negative terminal inwards, can someone confirm the same is true for the later version of the Electro?
Well, answered my own question. Took courage in both hands and tried it both ways. The battery does go in the other way round (positive terminal inwards). And the metering works and is spot on, at least compared to my K1000. I don't know if this reversed polarity is true for all Electro Spotmatics. Mine is s/n 5524219 .

It didn't seem to do any harm putting the battery in the wrong way round. Except of course the meter, battery check etc. did nothing.

So, I now have a fully working Electro Spotmatic in very good external condition except for a small dent in the prism housing. It needs light seals and ideally some cleaning of the viewfinder, but I'm going to run a film through it and see what happens. It cost me £35.00 including postage and included a SMC Takumar 1.8 55mm lens. Cool :-)

Last edited by redbirdpete; 09-16-2017 at 04:41 AM. Reason: Clarification
09-19-2017, 05:50 AM   #10
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Actually, there is a little diagram in the bottom of the battery compartment that tells you which way round the battery goes. I looked inside the cap and at the back of the compartment. But not in the right place. <doh!>

Still, it really is metering correctly. Will post some pics when I have them - I'm on vacation next week so should have a chance to use it.
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