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Leaf Afi 7 Meter Not Working

Richtofen935

New member
Hi everyone, I'm new here!

The meter of my Leaf camera (lens: 80mm pqs) seems not working. Shutter speed keeps at 32s forever and won't change with ambient light. Now only manual and shutter-Priority mode is usable, but the exposure indicator always shows underexposed even if I am using the correct exposure.
Is there any possible way to solve this issue?

Thanks!


IMG_6292.jpg
 

Geoff

Well-known member
There are not a lot of us Hy6/Afi users on line, but here are some thoughts:

- make sure the settings for metering (the top switch on the left side) isn't out of place
- sometimes the knobs get a bit sticky, and need some movement to clear up the contacts
- any chance the lens mount connections are dirty?

Assuming none of that, then... there is a reset on the camera. I think its a combination of the power on/off and the lens dismounting button, but I'd check the manual.

Its a bit odd that it works in some modes, but not the others. Haven't seen this problem before. Have you tried a different lens? Are you using a digital back? If so, disconnect, take all the batteries out and restart from ground zero.

Else touch base with Eric Hiss in San Fran, who knows more than anyone about these cameras.

Last resort, send back to Germany for service. Just try to make sure its a fault somewhere, and not just a setting or a stick control.

Hope this helps.

Geoff
 

RodK

Active member
Hi everyone, I'm new here!

The meter of my Leaf camera (lens: 80mm pqs) seems not working. Shutter speed keeps at 32s forever and won't change with ambient light. Now only manual and shutter-Priority mode is usable, but the exposure indicator always shows underexposed even if I am using the correct exposure.
Is there any possible way to solve this issue?

Thanks!


View attachment 142995
Watch out for the battery size. The AFI needs a 7.4volt battery. These are less common than the 7.2volt. Otherwise the battery is the same. But performance is very spotty with the slightly lower voltage.

Rod


Rod
 
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Richtofen935

New member
There are not a lot of us Hy6/Afi users on line, but here are some thoughts:

- make sure the settings for metering (the top switch on the left side) isn't out of place
- sometimes the knobs get a bit sticky, and need some movement to clear up the contacts
- any chance the lens mount connections are dirty?

Assuming none of that, then... there is a reset on the camera. I think its a combination of the power on/off and the lens dismounting button, but I'd check the manual.

Its a bit odd that it works in some modes, but not the others. Haven't seen this problem before. Have you tried a different lens? Are you using a digital back? If so, disconnect, take all the batteries out and restart from ground zero.

Else touch base with Eric Hiss in San Fran, who knows more than anyone about these cameras.

Last resort, send back to Germany for service. Just try to make sure its a fault somewhere, and not just a setting or a stick control.

Hope this helps.

Geoff
Thanks for your reply Geoff,

It's hard to believe that the meter broke down on a modern camera. But unfortunately it happened on mt hy6. 😢

I've tried everything I could imagine, and also I've tried to reset the camera but sadly it still keeps at 32s and won't change.

And I just got a reply from Rollei Germany, They said there are two possible reasons.
-1. No data is sent to the processor. (€ 900.00 + shipping cost.)
-2. Data is sent but the processor can no longer process it. (Repair service no longer available.)

It's quite expensive. :facesmack:
 

Richtofen935

New member
Watch out for the battery size. The AFI needs a 7.4volt battery. These are less common than the 7.2volt. Otherwise the battery is the same. But performance is very spotty with the slightly lower voltage.

Rod


Rod
Thanks for your reply Rod,

I'm using genuine 7.4v leaf batteries, and all of them hold charges well.

But the meter still not working even I have those batteries fully charged. :cry:
 

RodK

Active member
Thanks for your reply Rod,

I'm using genuine 7.4v leaf batteries, and all of them hold charges well.

But the meter still not working even I have those batteries fully charged. :cry:
Try cleaning contacts on the grip etc. Do NOT use a pencil eraser. There are contact cleaners that appear like an eraser, but they are made specific to batteries. Even a dry Q-tip may do it. And if in Higher humidity and or lower temp, I have noted the spotty performance.

Remember to that a battery checker may say full charge, but cannot discharge at full voltage if a few years old. Batteries do have a life, too(# of cycles).

Just some further thoughts.
 

Richtofen935

New member
There are not a lot of us Hy6/Afi users on line, but here are some thoughts:

- make sure the settings for metering (the top switch on the left side) isn't out of place
- sometimes the knobs get a bit sticky, and need some movement to clear up the contacts
- any chance the lens mount connections are dirty?

Assuming none of that, then... there is a reset on the camera. I think its a combination of the power on/off and the lens dismounting button, but I'd check the manual.

Its a bit odd that it works in some modes, but not the others. Haven't seen this problem before. Have you tried a different lens? Are you using a digital back? If so, disconnect, take all the batteries out and restart from ground zero.

Else touch base with Eric Hiss in San Fran, who knows more than anyone about these cameras.

Last resort, send back to Germany for service. Just try to make sure its a fault somewhere, and not just a setting or a stick control.

Hope this helps.

Geoff
Thanks for your reply Geoff,

It's hard to imagine that the meter broke down on a modern dslr, but unfortunately it just happened on my afi 7. :cry:

I've tried almost everything, but since this 80mm manual lens is the only lens I have for this camera. I can't test it umm... but hope this will work. Or I have sent it for service and it's going to be super expensive.
 
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Richtofen935

New member
Try cleaning contacts on the grip etc. Do NOT use a pencil eraser. There are contact cleaners that appear like an eraser, but they are made specific to batteries. Even a dry Q-tip may do it. And if in Higher humidity and or lower temp, I have noted the spotty performance.

Remember to that a battery checker may say full charge, but cannot discharge at full voltage if a few years old. Batteries do have a life, too(# of cycles).

Just some further thoughts.
Thank you!

I'll try this.
 
Last edited:

Geoff

Well-known member
Agree on cleaning contacts...
And would always recommend recent firmware (say 3.10), but not sure if that would impact this.

Lastly, pull the lens and with the camera on, check the settings will adjust (fstop and shutter will shift with upper wheel). It won't be reading the meter, but the one here starts at f1 at 1/30, and goes to f14 at 6 sec. At least that way you can see if the basic interface is still working.

Recommend talking to Eric. If you have to send it back to Germany, they were quite reasonable on their costs...at least a while ago.
 

Richtofen935

New member
Agree on cleaning contacts...
And would always recommend recent firmware (say 3.10), but not sure if that would impact this.

Lastly, pull the lens and with the camera on, check the settings will adjust (fstop and shutter will shift with upper wheel). It won't be reading the meter, but the one here starts at f1 at 1/30, and goes to f14 at 6 sec. At least that way you can see if the basic interface is still working.

Recommend talking to Eric. If you have to send it back to Germany, they were quite reasonable on their costs...at least a while ago.
Thanks!

Hope they will work, and for updating, I have to borrow a firewire adapter from my school tomorrow.
 

Richtofen935

New member
Agree on cleaning contacts...
And would always recommend recent firmware (say 3.10), but not sure if that would impact this.

Lastly, pull the lens and with the camera on, check the settings will adjust (fstop and shutter will shift with upper wheel). It won't be reading the meter, but the one here starts at f1 at 1/30, and goes to f14 at 6 sec. At least that way you can see if the basic interface is still working.

Recommend talking to Eric. If you have to send it back to Germany, they were quite reasonable on their costs...at least a while ago.
I cleaned the contacts and reattached the lens, but sadly nothing happened... It still indicates me 32''...
 
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lowep

Member
Happy to find this thread as I appear to belong to the same club. My LeafAfi Hy6 body works perfectly - until I attach a lens, upon which the camera LCD display switches to "LEAF - powering up" and stays there indefinitely.

However when I try to trick the camera by mounting the lens after powering up it sometimes works for a couple of exposures before going back to blissful eternal "lens powering up" nirvana again. In this way I have been able to see that the camera is (sometimes) capable of seeing and correctly identifying the lens so the lens to camera connection cannot be totally kaput, right?

So far I have checked the battery to make sure it is 7.4v and followed the instructions to factory reset the camera but it has not made any difference. Firmware is 3.10. My next step will be to try and clean the row of gold lens connection teeth in the front of the camera body to see if that is the cause of the problem but am not sure how to do this. Should I just wipe them with a damp cloth or would it be better to do it some other way like (as I feel like doing) driving through a car wash with the camera on the roof of my car!
 
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