Help! new Camera, blank Film!

[solocmv]

Hello To All.
I am new to these forums,
I call upon the collective to help solve this.

New Voigtlander R4a. Shot two rolls of film, developed film.......

1 st film , leader exposed the rest unexposed.
2 nd film first 13 frames exposed the rest unexposed.

Both times film counter went to 24. (so film taken up properly)
lens has square hood which means lens cap hard to remove and replace and as such I remember fiddling with it many times so ,not lens cap left on.

Your time starts now.

Cheers
Solocmv

 

[Snapper_uk]

The counter going up to 24 is no guarantee that the film is being wound on - when you got to 24 did the film stop and you couldn't wind it on anymore?

The film not winding on may explain (1) but not (2), unless there is an intermittent problem.

Have you checked the shutter opens ok when you press the shutter release with no film in and the back open, at different speeds?

 

[thegman]

If we're ruling out lens cap, and film take up, then how about this:

1) What speed is your film, what shutter speed/aperture were you shooting at? If it was a slow film, and you were at f/16 and 1/2000th second, then it's possible that the film was so under exposed, it basically was not exposed at all.

2) Open up the camera back, without film in it, and fire the shutter at some different speeds, look OK? Do the speeds look and sound different?

3) The 13 frames that were exposed, are they well exposed, or well under/over?

4) If I were you, I would load one more roll, I'd be *certain* that it's taken up, certain that your lens cap is off, and fire off a load of tests at different speeds.

5) Finally, maybe get new batteries, the R4A has an electronic shutter, who knows what it may do with a faulty battery.

Cheers

Garry

 

[L Collins]

Sounds like a faulty lens cap.😛

 

[solocmv]

Thanks nice work so far.
film advance stopped at 24 both times. (free wind counter goes to 36 and keeps cocking.
Second film 13 shots correctly exposed
Batteries new and viewfinder display performed as advertised.
That fiddly lens cap .......lets just say it is memorable. 🙂
Firing shutter with back open , light comes through at different speed.

Dont want to blame the machine, he seems so nice.

Cheers
Solocmv

 

[jschrader]

Is the film numbering complete? This is an indicator that the film was developed as a whole.

Never had such a strange case of spoiled films, although I have seen some.....

 

[oftheherd]

One thing I missed if anybody mentioned it. Check the rewind crank as you activate the wind mechanism. Does it move every time? Looking at the auto counter doesn't tell you if the film is advancing or not.

Are you sure you have gotten the film to catch by the sprockets that take up and transport the film so it can't slip off the take up reel?

Is there anything that might be depressing the rewind button or other mechanism.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I always wind an extra frame onto the take up spool with the camera back open. That way there is absolutely, positively, no question that the film is advancing through the camera. Still, I check the rewind lever.

I hope I have not jinxed myself by saying I have not exposed 35 frames on the leader tongue over the last 35 years because the film did not catch on the take up spool. I still remember that sad feeling about those once in a lifetime shots I missed in 1977 when the second crank of the rewind lever told me the film was already rewound.

 

[Vics]

I had many problems like this until I learned how properly to load a 35mm camera.
After engaging the take-up spool, wind on an extra frame, as mentioned above.
Close the back.
Gently turn the rewind crank until you feel resistance. Very important.
Wind on three or four frames while watching the rewind crank to be sure film is advancing.
This method removes loading problems from the investigation.
EDIT: BTW, don't use the lens cap when your lens is on the camera. Just the hood is enough protection.

 

[Harlee]

Is the lens opening? Open the back and trip the shutter and see if the shutter is opening and closing.

 

[tempest68]

Here is a wild guess: is it possible that you accidentally pressed the release button on the bottom of the camera that allows the film to be rewound? Would that cause the film to not advance?

 

[farlymac]

Here is a wild guess: is it possible that you accidentally pressed the release button on the bottom of the camera that allows the film to be rewound? Would that cause the film to not advance?

That would only happen if he was pressing the button at the same time as he was winding. Winding the film resets the advance.

He could have an intermittant shutter fault, as Thegman mentioned it has an electronic release. A lot of open back shutter actuations may show it, and it may also be something that is working it's way out. Could have been sticky from inactivity, and excersize is making it better.

PF