Expert: John Oliverio - 5/28/2008

Question
I got this film camera back in 1989 and used it a lot the first several years. Then several months at a time would go by and I would remove the lithium batteries so they wouldn't run down. Each time, I put them back in and everything worked fine. Until a six-month period where I put in good batteries, turned the camera on and no LED display would appear. I couldn't understand, checked my batteries with a voltmeter. They're good. Even bought new ones and tried them. Then I figured maybe this thing has an internal battery the size of a watch battery that has rundown because the lithium batteries have been out so long. My questions for you: (1) Is there a tiny battery that powers the LED and a memory which can be replaced? (2) Can I replace it myself? (I've worked on cassette recorders and VCRs but I'm worried I might mess up the lens if I disassemble it.) It's a perfectly good camera otherwise and I despise the new digital memory cameras. I like real film. Please help.

Answer
Sorry, I imagine you camera is simply broken.  Even if it did have an internal battery, it wouldn't be for the LCD.  Those internal cells are there just to keep the clock/calender correct.

No, I think it was just time for it to quit.  Your camera is almost 20 years old.  They only design cameras like that to last half that long, so you did pretty good.

John