Canon F-1 light meter issue

joelstitch · Mar 25, 2014

I just got a Canon F-1 in really great physical condition. I bought some Energizer Hearing Aid Batteries Size 675 and and made it fit fine, it seems like it makes the connection fine. When I do the battery test but the line thats supposed to move when I point the camera is not moving by itself. Any suggestions?

Derrel · Mar 25, 2014

One thing you might try is to move the shutter speed dial and lens f/stop through their full range of motion multiple times (like 25 times or so) to eliminate very,very light surface oxidization, and see if the meter needle begins to respond. Another issue is the contacts in the camera need to be immaculately clean, as do the batteries themselves. I've seen instances where even some finger grease on one of the button cells was enough to cause a meter to be inoperable, but a good wipe-down of the batteries and a re-install did the trick.

joelstitch · Mar 25, 2014

Derrel said:
One thing you might try is to move the shutter speed dial and lens f/stop through their full range of motion multiple times (like 25 times or so) to eliminate very,very light surface oxidization, and see if the meter needle begins to respond. Another issue is the contacts in the camera need to be immaculately clean, as do the batteries themselves. I've seen instances where even some finger grease on one of the button cells was enough to cause a meter to be inoperable, but a good wipe-down of the batteries and a re-install did the trick.

just tried everything you suggested and still nothing.

gsgary · Mar 25, 2014

get a handheld meter, if the meter is working it will probably need one of these MRB625 Wein Cell non-mercury replacement camera battery. Battery equivalent to PX625 MR9 LR09 PX625A D625 EPX625G V625U KA625 RPX625A V625U EPX625BP. a 1.5v battery makes the meter reading off by about a stop

Derrel · Mar 25, 2014

Well, meter on not the Canon F-1 is a solid machine. It'll probably still be alive after the nuclear holocaust. along with cockroaches and Cher and Wayne Newton. Like gary mentioned...maybe try the Wein mercury replacement cell battery option. Or, get a hand-held light meter. I am NOT that familiar with the whole mercury cell-replacement issue, but I think it'd be worth the $7 or whatever to try a close-as-we-can-get-today power source for the camera's light meter.

compur · Mar 25, 2014

joelstitch said:
I bought some Energizer Hearing Aid Batteries Size 675 and and made it fit fine, it seems like it makes the connection fine. When I do the battery test but the line thats supposed to move when I point the camera is not moving by itself. Any suggestions?

The F-1 doesn't use a 675 battery. It uses a 625.

JerryVenz · Mar 25, 2014

Welcome to the F1 club! I've had my F1 with, low light, prism meter, winder and a set of lenses in my fitted Halliburton case for...let's see about 30-years now. One of the best made 35mm camera systems of all time.

As some have said, the standard on board meter--being a reflective meter--is pretty useless. As a professional I've always used a, hand held, incident meter--currently use the Sekonic L-358.

Have fun! Jerry V.

table1349 · Mar 25, 2014

Is this an original F1 or a later F1n?

dxqcanada · Mar 25, 2014

Sounds like the old F-1.
The New F-1 used the A544 / 4LR44 battery.

table1349 · Mar 25, 2014

There were actually two new F-1's, the F-1n and the later F-1N. Not sure which it was but one of them took a 6v battery. May have been both of them. Like I said not sure.