Pentax IQ Zoom 140 Rewinds Unexpectedly

[AllenMcB]

My buddy has a Pentax IQZoom 140 Date camera he purchased new in 1997 (it was $300 then).
A month ago, the date stopped working, and a few days leter, the camera suddenly began to rewind on its own at exposure #19.

The camera has a fresh battery (CR123), and has not had any issues prior to this.

Does anyone know how to approach troubleshooting this camera? (I know the obvious suggestion is to toss it and get a better, current one for less money, but he's older and thinks something that costs $300 should be repairable. He's probably right.)

Suggestions, please?

[David Metsky]

No 12 year old consumer camera, regardless of price, is repairable. At this point any significant problem is likely to be fatal. The original purchase price is irrelevant. Besides, he's probably spent 10x the price of the camera on film and developing, so the purchase price is not particularly important in the grand scheme of things.

But this is a digital camera site, not one for film cameras, so you're unlikely to get much help here. The only thing I would recommend is to clean the battery contacts inside the battery compartment.

[Paradox]

Firstly this is a digital camera site so not sure how much help anyone will be. Secondly, $300 isn't a vast amount in camera terms so expecting to be able to repair it over 10 years down the line is optimistic. For all the time and effort it would take, he should just get a new digital camera. In the long run it will be cheaper as he won't have to buy/develop film. And it will hold a lot more than 19 exposures before it decides to stop working. ;)

[AllenMcB]

Firstly this is a digital camera site so not sure how much help anyone will be.

I realize it's a digital forum, I was just hoping some of the experts here might be experienced with other cameras as well.

Thnaks for trying.