No more F-stop reading on 205TCC

[adeagostini]

During my last journey in south italy I experienced a fault in my 205TCC camera. No f-stop reading from FE lens (--) on internal display with all 3 lens in my bag. So i can suppose, beside some problems in body electrical circuit, some dirty on 4 gold pins on camera front that transfer data from lens. Cleaning of these pins with a cloth didn't solve the problem. Any experience from all of you about such a problem; any more intese cleaning solution (isopropanol for example) before sending the camera to servicing.
Thank you

 

[jotloob]

New Battery

Try a new and really fresh battery .
I experienced a similar issue with my 203FE and although the battery was not drained , a new one solved the issue .

 

[adeagostini]

No useful results beside a new fresh battery. Also after a cleaning of electronic pins with isoprophic alchool no f-stop readings at all.
Any more suggestions before sending the whole to service ?

 

[Victorh]

The display part of your camera is defective.

The part is 400 euro + VAT.
Labour another 500 euro + VAT.

These cameras are complicated machines that were quite expensive.
RRP in the nineties about 7000 euro.

 

[adeagostini]

gulp

I know that 205 camera were top of the art of hassy collection.
But to know from you that I have to spend about 1000 euro for repair is a bad surprise (i bought my camera 10y ago as a used item spending about 1500 euro).
A final question to you. Camera is 20y old; any probability of new failure once repaired. Better to repair or searching an used working one? Or selling everything (body, CFVI, 50,110,150 lens) and became a leica M9 adept.
I'm a little confused now.
Thanks

 

[wbulte]

Becoming a Leica adept makes no sense. Solms is not exactly a shining example of value for money when it comes to repairs.

If you want something that Just Works go and buy something like a Nikon or a Canon. If you don't like their lenses go and buy some nice MF Zeiss glass.

Wilko
(wearing his Devil's Advocate cap, and taking an Xpan/45/90 plus PCNikkor-28mm-on-Xpan-adapter plus Nikon DSLR this year for his vacation)

 

[Victorh]

I understand the price for this repair job is an unpleasant surprise.
Keep in mind it is about 15% of the RRP of this camera.
Be glad the camera can be repaired.

I would not hesitate to spend this kind of money on a good repair job.
Any guarantee a newly acquired used body does not suffer from this problem sooner or later?
It seems display failure is time bound and happens more frequently now that these cameras are becoming older.

Any idea what the guys in Solms charge for repairs?
Also take a good look at your Leica before you send the camera to Solms.
Your camera is about to take a looooong vacation in Germany.

 

[YWC]

Hello,

I experienced similar problem with my 203FE. When I sent the camera to Hasselblad's Hong Kong dealer for repair, they found out that the wire connecting the 4-pin contact at the camera mount and the circuit board was broken. The problem was solved by reconnecting the wire at a repair cost of US$120. Please ask your technician to check whether your camera problem is due to the same cause, rather than the failure of the display.

Kindest,

YW