Bessa R2 Rewind crank broken! Help!

garythegit

garythegit

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Took the Bessa R2 out on a Canal boat trip today, and when I finished rewinding a roll of exposed film, the allegedly 'more solid' rewind crank promptly fell off and went into the canal! Devastated :( please can someone tell me that this isn't the end of the camera and that there is somewhere I can either purchase a spare crank, or to repair... I'm based in the UK.

Totally shocked by this apparently shoddy it of engineering btw... gutted.
 
that happened to me on my wife's R2 -ouch -- the Voigtlander USA representative was asking for $170 and Voigtlander Germany didn't bother with a response... I ended up taking the camera to a local repair shop... the guy adapted a generic crank for $50, which worked perfectly... good luck!
 
$170?! ouch indeed! I've emailed stephen from cameraquest and some other dealers, i hope i can get a reply from someone :S otherwise i'm buggered!
 
Seems to me, Voigtlander should make good. Tho' I have the Bessa R, it often feels that the Rewind crank is the weakest part of the otherwise OK camera body.
Good luck, mike
 
I have the R as well. the first time I used the rewind I thought it was flimsy. I have not had a failure yet but I am not sure how long it will last. Love sticking the CV glasss on it though :)
 
There's a Japanese online shop that sells CV camera upgraded/ stronger parts made by somebody else. I'm at the office now and can't get to the link I have on my home computer. Maybe you can find it by googling or I'll let you know the site when I get home.
 
Hi everyone, thanks so much for all your replies! Stephen Gandy has kindly asked for my details too (good old Stephen), but alas I don't think the R2 is under warranty anymore :( seems the Japanese shop might be the best bet! (if they sold parts seperately that is!)

Just out of interest, does anyone know how to take apart the Bessa on a basic level? i.e. the top, the rewind crank assembly, etc etc. Thanks!
 
You would think that part would be covered by a limited, lifetime warranty (abuse excepted) because it's not exactly a part you'd expect to fail. If not, then about $10.00 should be a reasonable price for a replacement--it's not high tech or expensive to produce.

The Japanese online shop I referred to is NOT connected to CV.
 
This happened to me with an R2 as well. Fortunately I was sitting at a table indoors and was able to pick up the parts.

What happens is that the two tiny screws holding the crank to the shaft can work loose and fall out. If you have an R or R2, you can guard against this by tightening them with a tiny screwdriver, then putting a daub of something like clear nail polish on them so they don't loosen.

Gene
 
Bill58 said:
You would think that part would be covered by a limited, lifetime warranty (abuse excepted) because it's not exactly a part you'd expect to fail. If not, then about $10.00 should be a reasonable price for a replacement--it's not high tech or expensive to produce.

The Japanese online shop I referred to is NOT connected to CV.
Click to expand...


Yeah you would think! *sigh* well, I shall look forwards to checking these guys out...

Gene: good idea, I think I will definitely be doing that with my new (if any!) crank!
 
bugger :( oh well thanks for the help anyway! i shall try giving the chaps in the CV community a shout. the search continues...
 
Just got this reply from Robert Whites:

"Dear Gary
Thank you for your email.
No, I am afraid we do not do camera repairs - however, we do hold spares
such as the rewind cranks... is it just the actual crank you require or is it
the whole mechanism?: pin and arm?
Regards
Liz

liz@robertwhite.co.uk

Robert White Photographic Ltd
Unit 4 Alder Hills Industrial Estate
16 Alder Hills
Poole
Dorset BH12 4AR
U.K

tel ++ 44 (0) 1202 723046
fax ++ 44 (0) 1202 737428

www.robertwhite.co.uk"


Huzzah! Looks like my Bessa is saved!!
 
just checked my bessa R2. the 2 screws gene was talking about was definitely very loose. thanks for the tip with the nail polish. hope this will hold for some more years.
 
ok, finally got my crank! £23 so not too bad. however, i've tried installing it by unscrewing the two wee screws from the new crank and transferring the crank unit that way over to the spindle on the bessa. mainly because i couldn't figure out how to take apart the whole assembly!

now a new problem, the crank is REALLY loose! i mean there is no friction when i flip it back down into the holder. and if i tilt/flip the camera over, it just falls out. anyway i can tighten the folding mechanism a bit?? the screws are securely screwed it btw.
 
Same thing just happened to mine.

I'd just like to check I found all the bits - there's the crank with the two loose screws, which I didn't lose thankfully!

... and a spring. So two parts. Is that the lot, or did a third bit fall out some place?? thanks.
 
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