Zorki 4 rewinding: Stiff as ....

[POSTI-Tuomo]

Why is this happening? I think I just ruined a roll of film because of stiff rewinding (not to mention my less-than-lighthanded handling). Miniature strips of emulsion were to be found after I opened the thing.

I did turn the rewinding collar clockwise as far as it went, but it didn't do much. Sure, it did somewhat release the mechanism but still, stiff as a stick.

I loosened the back on the body and voilá, suddenly it would rewind nicely. Too bad I thought of that a bit too late. This suggests that the pressure plate may have been the culprit. Can you offer any insight on this matter?

 

[fidget]

Hi Tuomo, have you fixed it?
I wondered if the sprocket releases when the rewind collar is engaged? Easier to check with the back of of course. Maybe the clutch is very hard.

Dave...

 

[POSTI-Tuomo]

Hi Tuomo, have you fixed it?
I wondered if the sprocket releases when the rewind collar is engaged? Easier to check with the back of of course. Maybe the clutch is very hard.

Dave...

It does, and that's why the problem has left me dumbfounded...

 

[fidget]

I guess that you have looked at the pressure plate through the open lens mount and checked that it can still move a little on its spring mount? But, if the pressure plate were clamping the film, wouldn't it be very hard to wind on also?

 

[POSTI-Tuomo]

Yeah, proper logic there. The pressure plate moves as it should, those leaf springs are in good shape. The roll of film I ran through it wasn't deformed either. Quite mysterious , actually.

I think the most probable culprit was the film derailing as Whisper pointed out earlier. Cannot think of any other reason. 🙁

I should run a dead roll through the camera and see if I can reproduce the "bug".

 

[ZorkiKat]

Hi Posti

By "loosening the back" did you actually lift the back a bit or did you just loosen the locking rings on the baseplate? It could be that the locking rings are bearing on the film cassette /takeup spool and making either turn with difficulty during the rewind.

If it were the pressure plate which was causing the trouble by pressing on the film too much (though its springs aren't really that strong to exert enough force to restrain the film), the advance movement would also be stiff.

Jay

 

[POSTI-Tuomo]

Hi Posti

By "loosening the back" did you actually lift the back a bit or did you just loosen the locking rings on the baseplate? It could be that the locking rings are bearing on the film cassette /takeup spool and making either turn with difficulty during the rewind.

If it were the pressure plate which was causing the trouble by pressing on the film too much (though its springs aren't really that strong to exert enough force to restrain the film), the advance movement would also be stiff.

Jay

Well, don't really remember anymore. Maybe I did lift the back a bit, but no way was it completely removed as I rewound the film.