Bessa R2a problem...HELP PLEASE!!!

[Apotek]

Hello everyone;
Today I wanted to go out to Central Park and take some photos due to incredible snow storm. Unfortunately my bessa let me down for the first time..I had a roll of film in it..on my way to park I finished the film and wanted rewind and reload some other film but somehow I couldn't rewind the film at all....the rewind nub was turning but wasn't rewinding. Luckily I found a photo lab and they were nice enough to take my camera into dark room and remove the film it. When the guy came back from dark room he told me that "rewind pin was frozen due to cold weather" I kind of thinking the same but the weather wasn't that cold..anyways...I reload the camera and went to park..when I finished that roll I wanted to rewind again and it gave me the same problem...I was really pissed off because there was so many nice shots that I missed...Thank god I had both my Olympus xa and xa2 to take some photos...

Now I am home and the Bessa is warm enough but I still can't rewind the film...Before I go into my bathroom (will be my darkroom for the now) and open the camera, any of you guys can help me????

I hope this is not a common problem and can be solved easily...Thank you very much for all the help in advance 🙂)

 

[Lauffray]

I have similar problems with my R3M when it get cold. Every time I advance the film, the shutter fires by itself, taking exquisite picture of my feet and ceiling.
I think this is more of a problem with the M line because they shutter is manual as opposed to the A which are electronically controlled.

I don't know how the rewind pin can freeze into place, unless there's some humidity inside that froze somehow. You could open it up yourself for a look, but I recommend leaving it to Voigtlander techs to fix it if it's still under warranty

 

[aizan]

has it thawed yet?

 

[Apotek]

okay new updates. I noticed that there is a little red dot on the rewind shaft and a little gap to put a flat head screw driver..so I got my watch screw driver and turn the shaft with driver manually..I was able to rewind the film this way and unload the camera....so the problem is rewind nub doesn't turn the shaft at all...I have no idea why, I bought this camera brand new like 3 years ago...and I used it maybe 10 times..never been dropped or abused what so ever...so I am not covered by the warranty I believe...I don't even know how long was the warranty for...I am emailing cameraquest.com as we speak since I bought the camera from them...I am really disappointed, I guess this is why people spend extra money to buy Leica.....

 

[Andy Kibber]

Not a criticism, as I'm as guilty of this as anyone, but I think one of the worst things you can do to a camera is let it sit on a shelf. Especially a band new one. I don't have any data to back this up, just a hunch!

Best of luck getting it sorted out.

 

[Apotek]

I know, I admit I am guilty of not using it, I had other cameras that were in use...but I think I will go back to rangefinders. Anyways, I will take the Bessa to photovillage to see how mcuh they would charge me to fix it. Anyone had any experiance with photovillage??

 

[binky]

I'm not sure if they service/fix, but I've bought stuff from them before, and they are reputable. Since you live in NYC, it doesn't hurt to pay them a visit. Of course, you can also send your camera to CQ....

 

[Keith]

Wasn't it the early Bessas that had a weakness in this area that was improved a year or so ago ... I seem to remember reading this somewhere.