Just spent 25$ on super 8 camera. not working help

[ClosetCraig]

Today I went to a local flea market and purchased a Focal XL-303 camera. I was very excited to get home to put new batteries in it and watch it work. Yet when I opened the battery compartment, I saw that everything was corroded. I cleaned off the conducting heads with alchohol and got everything in the best shape I could, though there is still "blue" on the heads a bit. I put new batteries in and pulled the trigger of the camera. nothing happened. I tinkered with some of the buttons. still , nothing happened. Is it supposed to turn even if there is no film in the camera? is it supposed to buzz or something? am I a complete moron? Probably. Any help or Idea of whats wrong would be greatly appreciated. :]

[Robert Hughes]

Try using a pencil eraser on all the battery contacts. If that doesn't work, your camera is toast. Get a $50 Elmo, Chinon, Canon or Nikon off eBay and try again.

[David E. McMurray]

Today I went to a local flea market and purchased a Focal XL-303 camera. I was very excited to get home to put new batteries in it and watch it work. Yet when I opened the battery compartment, I saw that everything was corroded. I cleaned off the conducting heads with alchohol and got everything in the best shape I could, though there is still "blue" on the heads a bit. I put new batteries in and pulled the trigger of the camera. nothing happened. I tinkered with some of the buttons. still , nothing happened. Is it supposed to turn even if there is no film in the camera? is it supposed to buzz or something? am I a complete moron? Probably. Any help or Idea of whats wrong would be greatly appreciated. :]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You have nothing to lose to take it apart. Keep the screws in a safe place. Clean it and put it back together. Same thing you do with the expensive cameras in the field.

 

Dave McMurray

[Jaan Shenberger]

i once found an old sankyo super8 (with manual aperture!) and it had the same corrosion problem.

 

remember, these are extremely simple mechanisms... basically just a simple motor powered by a battery. i took mine apart and installed a new battery socket/holder thingee from radio shack. the battery pack doesn't fit all nice & pretty inside the pistolgrip anymore, but i could care less.

 

seriously, replacing the battery socket and trimming away any part of the wiring that was in contact with the corrosion should be enough.

 

hope this helps,

jaan

Edited September 7, 2005 by jaan

[Guest david west]

you might try a baking soda paste and a tooth brush.....(on any of the corroded parts)....

 

then a bit of steel wool or sandpaper on the battery connection points until you break thru the corrosion...

[John Hyde]

I would imagine that some battery acid leaked into the camera body. But, don't give up on attempting your own repair.

 

I myself have been burned far more often on ebay and at swap meets. When at the swap meets I bring AA batteries to pop in cameras as my first line of defense. But, even with this, I still end up with cameras that underexpose film, have soft picture, break down with minimal use, etc. Sometimes, I would need to buy 3 or 4 of the same camera to get one that works adequately. :angry:

 

I have learned the hard way that the best and cheapest place to buy a camera is at a reputable camera store. There I can be assured that I they will service, test and warranty everything they sell. With these cameras I am ready to shoot with no need to waste additional time and money on camera test footage.

 

Recently, Spectra Film and Video has been my favorite place for serviced gear. They service and test even their low end gear. Their inventory is not bad. And, I can get a camera there even cheaper than ebay in some cases (about $50.00 and up). Plus, they give a good walkthrough on how to use their gear.

 

In any case, try the methods above to get your camera working. Forget about professionally servicing a camera unless it is very high end. You will find camera repairs to be cost prohibitive in most cases. If you need to buy another camera, consider calling a good camera store like Spectra as part of your search.

 

Good luck!