Bessa R2a won't rewind

[gareth]

I've just shot a roll of film with my Bessa R2a.
I was shooting away when I passed the last frame. ie the film wouldn't wind on. So I pressed the button on the bottom, lifted the crank, but it won't rewind, it just free wheels. I've tried time and time again to get the crank to engage, but it won't.


So now I'm stuck with a fully exposed roll of film in my camera.
Anybody had this problem? Is there a way out of this? Or is the camera broke.

It's hardly had any film through it at all.

 

[kully]

Don't worry about it:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28163&highlight=kully

 

[gareth]

Yup I saw that when I was searching for the problem here.

But my rewind button goes in fine, just the nothing happens when I try to rewind.
I've tried holding the button in and rewinding. Putting tension of the film and hitting the button etc. But I can't get the rewind crank to engage.:bang:

 

[clintock]

Hopefully you have a darkroom or at least a windowless closet and some tape to seal the door with so you can open the camera and wind the film back into the can. Perhaps a suitable sized car key or similar will fit into the plastic spool in the film cannister making it easier to wind the film back in once it's pulled from the camera.
There was a thread here not long ago where someone had a similar problem, I think a pin in the telescopic crank axle or something was misplaced or sheared.. I cant really remember..

 

[gareth]

I have a darkroom, but I don't much fancy fumbling about with the camera in the dark.
Will maybe see if I can find a small screwdriver to fit the rewind crank and see if I can rewind it.
Didn't feel as if anything broke. Not happy, brand new camera and I'm having problems.

 

[gareth]

OK I got an instrument screwdriver and was able to rewind the film back into the cassette.

So from what I can figure out. The button on the bottom just disengages the film advance drive and allows it to freewheel.

The rewind lever is always engaged but has some sort of one way clutch mechanism to allow the film to advance. And after 5 rolls from new mine is broken.

My initial impressions of Voigtlander are not good. Do I have to shell out for an M7 to get a reliable rangefinder?

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

So I pressed the button on the bottom, lifted the crank, but it won't rewind, it just free wheels.

Don't lift the crank when you want to rewind, just unfold it.

 

[gareth]

Don't lift the crank when you want to rewind, just unfold it.

You have to lift to unfold it.

It's broke. Will be boxed up and returned to Ffordes.

Anybody else had this problem?

 

[stesm]

I've only put 5 rolls through my R3A it seems that I use a degree of caution and care that I don't feel the need to use with my Canon P. The P feels much more solid. I use a lot of tools, and think the comparison of a DeWalt screwgun and the P is apt. The Bessa is more like a Black and Decker $79 special- not meant for the same amount of use as the DeWalt.
I could go out to shoot with a P and feel confident that that the camera was not going to fail me, I would not go wihout a back-up for the Bessa.
Don't get me wrong- I like the R3A, but I know that the P will be going strong long after the Bessa is used up.
Sorry for your trouble, gareth. You are under warranty I hope?

 

[lZr]

No need to lift for Bessa R. Lift to open the back. I thought the R2A is the same...

 

[gareth]

No need to lift for Bessa R. Lift to open the back. I thought the R2A is the same...

You unfold it by lifting. I did not lift the whole crank as you would indeeddo to open the back.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

You unfold it by lifting.

No, at least not on my R3A, you just flip the rewind knob lever over, no need to lift at all.

 

[gareth]

No, at least not on my R3A, you just flip the rewind knob lever over, no need to lift at all.

Whatever, I think you will find that you 'lift' or 'flip' it upwards and over.

Camera is broken after only 5 rolls of film, and will be returned to Ffordes shortly.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Check the manual gareth.

 

[lZr]

My R Manual says only to fold out the rewind crank and turn in direction shown. Good luck

 

[gareth]

Check the manual gareth.

Jon, the rewind crank is broken. I got the film out by rewinding it using an instrument screwdriver on the shaft.

Camera will be returned to Ffordes for repair/replacement.

 

[c.poulton]

No, at least not on my R3A, you just flip the rewind knob lever over, no need to lift at all.

Yes, that is correct - same with my R3a. However from the sounds of it it appears that Gareth does have a problem - the crank has somehow disengaged from the rewind shaft which I believe ends in the centre of the crank with a groove for a screwdriver.

Bad luck Gareth.

 

[gareth]

Yes, that is correct - same with my R3a. However from the sounds of it it appears that Gareth does have a problem - the crank has somehow disengaged from the rewind shaft which I believe ends in the centre of the crank with a groove for a screwdriver.

Bad luck Gareth.

Yup that's basically it. I can rewind a film using a small screwdriver no problem, but I can't do it with the rewind crank lever.

I haven't forced anything so it shouldn't have failed.

I can see how it comes apart, and it's probably easy to fix, but it's under warranty so it's probably best I don't try.

Hopefully it is just bad luck, maybe an assembly fault or something. As I really want to like this camera, it could be handy tool for me. And I had a chance over the next week to get a good few rolls of film through it.

Thanks, Gareth.