Pentax LX battery compartment

jcs0001 · 06-26-2018, 10:04 AM

I recently purchased a pentax lx film camera. It had a decent lens on it so I wasn't that concerned if the camera didn't work. And of course it didn't. There is no indication that the light meter is working.

The battery compartment has no corrosion and seems to be "all there". However it has a contact for the plus side of the battery along the side of the compartment and as far as I can tell does not have a negative contact. The bottom of the compartment where the negative part of the battery(s) contact is a rubber or flexible plastic membrane. The membrane is not conductive. This is a lot different than any other pentax film camera that I've seen.

In the photo above the + contact is at about 5 o'clock.

If a viewer has an LX and could let me know what the battery compartment looks like it would be appreciated. Better yet a photo of the open compartment would be a great help.

Thank you,

John.

**pentageek** · 06-26-2018, 10:37 AM

Hi John

Unfortunately the central contact is missing - I can take a photo of it later if you wish.

jcs0001 · 06-26-2018, 10:59 AM

Originally posted by pentageek

Hi John

Unfortunately the central contact is missing - I can take a photo of it later if you wish.

Thank you for the quick response. A photo would be appreciated if it isn't too much trouble.

John.

LesDMess · 06-26-2018, 11:44 AM

Are the mechanical shutter speeds (bulb, X - 1/2000) functional?

ctrout · 06-26-2018, 12:13 PM

Screw it, I'll just post a link.https://www.flickr.com/photos/125870773@N07/29155514688/in/dateposted-public/

**pentageek** · 06-26-2018, 12:45 PM

Ctrout has done it already, but you may want to take a closer look

P.S. Have you tried to remove 'the membrane'? I think it is not original part of the battery chamber.

**seventhdr** · 06-26-2018, 03:48 PM

Originally posted by jcs0001

I recently purchased a pentax lx film camera. It had a decent lens on it so I wasn't that concerned if the camera didn't work. And of course it didn't. There is no indication that the light meter is working.

The battery compartment has no corrosion and seems to be "all there". However it has a contact for the plus side of the battery along the side of the compartment and as far as I can tell does not have a negative contact. The bottom of the compartment where the negative part of the battery(s) contact is a rubber or flexible plastic membrane. The membrane is not conductive. This is a lot different than any other pentax film camera that I've seen.

In the photo above the + contact is at about 5 o'clock.

If a viewer has an LX and could let me know what the battery compartment looks like it would be appreciated. Better yet a photo of the open compartment would be a great help.

Thank you,

John.

Yep. I bought a what looked like brand new Pentax LX with exactly the same issue. Really strange. I was wondering if it was one that had failed quality checks and has subsequently got into the wild.

Regards

Chris

jcs0001 · 06-26-2018, 07:46 PM

Thank you for the replies and photos of the battery compartment. I’ll take a look tomorrow morning but I think the membrane is original. I suspect it may have to do with the sealing on the camera. Interesting but it does not look like there was a contact in this one either. The camera itself looks to be little used.

John

---------- Post added 06-26-18 at 07:49 PM ----------

Les
I will get back to you tomorrow about the speeds but I believe they are working. The camera is new to me so I’m not sure of it. Thank you John

jcs0001 · 06-27-2018, 06:51 AM

LesDMess

The shutter fires when set to X to 200 and B.

I have an old k1000 parts camera and may be able to use the negative contact in it's battery compartment to fix this one. Won't be taking it apart in the near future but that is one possibility.

Thanks again everyone, for the photos and information,

John.

**TwoUptons** · 06-27-2018, 04:15 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pentageek

Ctrout has done it already, but you may want to take a closer look

P.S. Have you tried to remove 'the membrane'? I think it is not original part of the battery chamber.

I was wondering if the 'membrane' wasn't meant to be under the terminal and the terminal is missing, so it was original, just not visible in your photo (because the terminal is in the way).

But my first wonder was if the 'membrane' had somehow ended up on top of the terminal and it was actually still there... hard to see...

-Eric

jcs0001 · 06-27-2018, 06:32 PM - **1 Like**

Pentageek and TwoUptons - you are genius's. I had looked at the membrane/boot and was concerned about it's placement but it seemed to be the "bottom" of the compartment. Took another look tonight and it came out revealing the contacts. Turns out the membrane is supposed to be in the screw on battery cap and fell into the compartment when the camera wasn't with batteries.

Shown with the membrane removed.

Membrane/boot on left and screw on cap on the right.

Thank you very much for your help. The light meter and everything else appears to function now. I will check it out further and then run a roll of film through it.

**TwoUptons** · 06-27-2018, 06:35 PM - **1 Like**

That's the best kind of camera repair

**seventhdr** · 06-27-2018, 07:14 PM - **1 Like**

Dang! That solved my problem too! The membrane from inside the cap had fallen into the battery chamber.

One LX back in operation.

Thanks guys.

Regards

Chris

LesDMess · 06-27-2018, 10:04 PM

Originally posted by jcs0001

Pentageek and TwoUptons - you are genius's.

The light meter and everything else appears to function now. I will check it out further and then run a roll of film through it.

That's when this forum is at it's best!

stevebrot · 06-27-2018, 10:49 PM

Originally posted by LesDMess

That's when this forum is at it's best!

One stone...two birds! What could be more rewarding, eh?

Steve

06-26-2018, 10:04 AM	#1
jcs0001 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Okanagan Valley, B.C. Posts: 28	Pentax LX battery compartment I recently purchased a pentax lx film camera. It had a decent lens on it so I wasn't that concerned if the camera didn't work. And of course it didn't. There is no indication that the light meter is working. The battery compartment has no corrosion and seems to be "all there". However it has a contact for the plus side of the battery along the side of the compartment and as far as I can tell does not have a negative contact. The bottom of the compartment where the negative part of the battery(s) contact is a rubber or flexible plastic membrane. The membrane is not conductive. This is a lot different than any other pentax film camera that I've seen. In the photo above the + contact is at about 5 o'clock. If a viewer has an LX and could let me know what the battery compartment looks like it would be appreciated. Better yet a photo of the open compartment would be a great help. Thank you, John.

06-26-2018, 12:13 PM	#5
ctrout Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 444	Screw it, I'll just post a link.https://www.flickr.com/photos/125870773@N07/29155514688/in/dateposted-public/ Last edited by ctrout; 06-26-2018 at 12:17 PM. Reason: Because I never seem to be able to just simply upload a photo without experiencing great difficulty in figuring it out.

06-26-2018, 07:46 PM	#8
jcs0001 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Okanagan Valley, B.C. Posts: 28 Original Poster	Lx battery compartment Thank you for the replies and photos of the battery compartment. I’ll take a look tomorrow morning but I think the membrane is original. I suspect it may have to do with the sealing on the camera. Interesting but it does not look like there was a contact in this one either. The camera itself looks to be little used. John ---------- Post added 06-26-18 at 07:49 PM ---------- Les I will get back to you tomorrow about the speeds but I believe they are working. The camera is new to me so I’m not sure of it. Thank you John

06-27-2018, 06:51 AM	#9
jcs0001 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Okanagan Valley, B.C. Posts: 28 Original Poster	Pentax LX battery compartment LesDMess The shutter fires when set to X to 200 and B. I have an old k1000 parts camera and may be able to use the negative contact in it's battery compartment to fix this one. Won't be taking it apart in the near future but that is one possibility. Thanks again everyone, for the photos and information, John.

06-27-2018, 06:32 PM - 1 Like	#11
jcs0001 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Okanagan Valley, B.C. Posts: 28 Original Poster	pentax LX battery compartment - solved Pentageek and TwoUptons - you are genius's. I had looked at the membrane/boot and was concerned about it's placement but it seemed to be the "bottom" of the compartment. Took another look tonight and it came out revealing the contacts. Turns out the membrane is supposed to be in the screw on battery cap and fell into the compartment when the camera wasn't with batteries. Shown with the membrane removed. Membrane/boot on left and screw on cap on the right. Thank you very much for your help. The light meter and everything else appears to function now. I will check it out further and then run a roll of film through it.

06-26-2018, 10:37 AM	#2
pentageek Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 420	Hi John Unfortunately the central contact is missing - I can take a photo of it later if you wish.

06-26-2018, 10:59 AM	#3
jcs0001 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Okanagan Valley, B.C. Posts: 28 Original Poster	Originally posted by pentageek Hi John Unfortunately the central contact is missing - I can take a photo of it later if you wish. Thank you for the quick response. A photo would be appreciated if it isn't too much trouble. John.

06-26-2018, 11:44 AM	#4
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	Are the mechanical shutter speeds (bulb, X - 1/2000) functional?

06-26-2018, 03:48 PM	#7
seventhdr Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,439	Originally posted by jcs0001 I recently purchased a pentax lx film camera. It had a decent lens on it so I wasn't that concerned if the camera didn't work. And of course it didn't. There is no indication that the light meter is working. The battery compartment has no corrosion and seems to be "all there". However it has a contact for the plus side of the battery along the side of the compartment and as far as I can tell does not have a negative contact. The bottom of the compartment where the negative part of the battery(s) contact is a rubber or flexible plastic membrane. The membrane is not conductive. This is a lot different than any other pentax film camera that I've seen. In the photo above the + contact is at about 5 o'clock. If a viewer has an LX and could let me know what the battery compartment looks like it would be appreciated. Better yet a photo of the open compartment would be a great help. Thank you, John. Yep. I bought a what looked like brand new Pentax LX with exactly the same issue. Really strange. I was wondering if it was one that had failed quality checks and has subsequently got into the wild. Regards Chris

06-27-2018, 04:15 PM - 1 Like	#10
TwoUptons Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,207	Originally posted by pentageek Ctrout has done it already, but you may want to take a closer look P.S. Have you tried to remove 'the membrane'? I think it is not original part of the battery chamber. I was wondering if the 'membrane' wasn't meant to be under the terminal and the terminal is missing, so it was original, just not visible in your photo (because the terminal is in the way). But my first wonder was if the 'membrane' had somehow ended up on top of the terminal and it was actually still there... hard to see... -Eric

06-27-2018, 06:35 PM - 1 Like	#12
TwoUptons Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,207	That's the best kind of camera repair

06-27-2018, 07:14 PM - 1 Like	#13
seventhdr Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,439	Dang! That solved my problem too! The membrane from inside the cap had fallen into the battery chamber. One LX back in operation. Thanks guys. Regards Chris

06-27-2018, 10:04 PM	#14
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	Originally posted by jcs0001 Pentageek and TwoUptons - you are genius's. The light meter and everything else appears to function now. I will check it out further and then run a roll of film through it. That's when this forum is at it's best!

06-27-2018, 10:49 PM	#15
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by LesDMess That's when this forum is at it's best! One stone...two birds! What could be more rewarding, eh? Steve

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