AnthonyM
Established
I shot my first roll of flim in my IIIF. DAG repaired it and it works like a Swiss watch. The first 30 images were fine. I shot the last 6 as well, but the film did not record anything. They were important shots and I was very disappointed.
The film was clear as if I did not use the last 6 exposues. But I did and recall each shot missed. Any ideas as to why the camera did not record the last 6 images. I felt the film wind as I turned the film transport advance dial, so I know it was advancing.
The film was clear as if I did not use the last 6 exposues. But I did and recall each shot missed. Any ideas as to why the camera did not record the last 6 images. I felt the film wind as I turned the film transport advance dial, so I know it was advancing.
Ororaro
Well-known
Is the film black or transparent?
Do you roll your own?
Do you roll your own?
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Very mysterious. If the last six frames are clear then no light got to them. It can't be that the film stopped advancing because then you would have multiple exposures on frame thirty which you indicate you haven't. That really only leaves the lens cap left on or the shutter failing to open. I can't see any other reason being possible! 
AnthonyM
Established
The film is transparent for the last 6 images. The camera was on a tripod with its barn door hood in place. No lenscap was on it.
I was using XP2. I did not load my own cassette.
I am very confused as to what happened.
I was doing a year book shoot with my large format camera when I was asked to take 9 more group shots. I used up my last roll of film with the large camera and ran out of film. I went to the Leica for back up since the photos needed were to be reproduced about wallet size in the book. The shots I took that morning with the Leica, about 30 of them, came out great. In fact, I liked the contrast and look of the Leica IIIF shots better than my 2 1/4 camera gave me.
I was using XP2. I did not load my own cassette.
I am very confused as to what happened.
I was doing a year book shoot with my large format camera when I was asked to take 9 more group shots. I used up my last roll of film with the large camera and ran out of film. I went to the Leica for back up since the photos needed were to be reproduced about wallet size in the book. The shots I took that morning with the Leica, about 30 of them, came out great. In fact, I liked the contrast and look of the Leica IIIF shots better than my 2 1/4 camera gave me.
Just to verify- the negatives are clean, except for the frame numbers and film type markers.
It sounds like the film jammed going through the camera, toward the end. Examine the sprockets very closely for signs of damage. 36-exposure rolls get pretty thick on the take-up reel in a IIIf. If it rolled on a bit loosely at the beginning, it can jam towards the end.
Also- did you leave the shutter speed the same? At the higher speeds, you tend t get shutter-capping, where the second shutter curtain closes too soon, and nothing hits the film. Take the lens off the camera abd verify that you can see the curtains open. Hold the light near a lamp, at an angle, and watch for the pressure gate to reflect back at you. Bottom-loading Screw Mount cameras make this task a bit more difficult as you cannot look through the curtains to test them.
It sounds like the film jammed going through the camera, toward the end. Examine the sprockets very closely for signs of damage. 36-exposure rolls get pretty thick on the take-up reel in a IIIf. If it rolled on a bit loosely at the beginning, it can jam towards the end.
Also- did you leave the shutter speed the same? At the higher speeds, you tend t get shutter-capping, where the second shutter curtain closes too soon, and nothing hits the film. Take the lens off the camera abd verify that you can see the curtains open. Hold the light near a lamp, at an angle, and watch for the pressure gate to reflect back at you. Bottom-loading Screw Mount cameras make this task a bit more difficult as you cannot look through the curtains to test them.
payasam
a.k.a. Mukul Dube
This may be entirely irrelevant. On a IIIc (and earlier on a Canon FTb), film refused to advance properly after around 30 exposures. The cure was a drop or two of light oil put on to the rewind shaft with the point of a needle.
AnthonyM
Established
The camera was given a complete overhaul last week by DAG to the tune of $385. He put in new curtains and a beam splitter amoung other things. He also cleaned the lens. I am sure it did not need a drop of oil. I shot a roll of 24 last night to test it and all of the pictures came out great. Looks like I will not use the 36 exposure roll anymore just to play it safe. Was it designed to take a 36 ex. roll?
aad
Not so new now.
Yes, they should work with 36, and I use 36 constantly. I suppose you may not have watched the rewind knob to see if it moved for the last 6 frames, but if the shutter works and the cap was off, I'd put it down to mystery!
It was made to work with 36-exposure film. But films vary in thickness. If the type of film you are using now is slightly thicker, could be an issue?
Luddite Frank
Well-known
36 exposures has always been the max. load for regular 35mm cameras.
Back in the hey-day of the III-f (1950 - 1956), generally, pre-loaded cassettes were available either in 20 or 36 exposure rolls.
The 24 exposure 35mm roll is a fairly recent (post-1960?) development.
I've probably shot about 4 dozen rolls through my various Barnacks, but only two of them have been 36 exp.: One was Ektachrome in my 1934 III (chrome), the other (still in my 1933 black III) is Fujicolor 1800. No problems with blank frames from the Ektachrome. Have to finish the 1800 and see what that provides.
My local sources usually stock only 24 exp rolls. so that's what I've been using.
Anthony, if the blank frames were the last ones shot with the III-f, have you checked the shutter operation since then ?
( There were 250-shot versions of the Screwmount Leica, as well as the half-frame 72; the film advance /shutter cock only "cares" about advancing one frame, then stopping automatically, for proper image spacing. The limit on the total number of frames that can be shot should be limited only by the capacity of the magazine / take-up spool... Usually, I feel the advance-knob "cinch-up tight" before I reach a full advance to that 25th or 37th frame...)
That stinks that you lost some "money shots"...
My only issues with my Barnacks have been: a film jam (careless leader trimming on my part); forgetting to remove the lens cap a couple of times; forgetting to extend and lock the collapsible Elmar or Summicron ( ! ); shooting with gloves on and dragging the shutter dial as I pressed the shutter release; crackly & leaky curtains in my III-f (s/n 600xxxx).
Beyond that, mine have been very reliable; none have been CLA'd (but probably all SHOULD be...)
Luddite Frank
Back in the hey-day of the III-f (1950 - 1956), generally, pre-loaded cassettes were available either in 20 or 36 exposure rolls.
The 24 exposure 35mm roll is a fairly recent (post-1960?) development.
I've probably shot about 4 dozen rolls through my various Barnacks, but only two of them have been 36 exp.: One was Ektachrome in my 1934 III (chrome), the other (still in my 1933 black III) is Fujicolor 1800. No problems with blank frames from the Ektachrome. Have to finish the 1800 and see what that provides.
My local sources usually stock only 24 exp rolls. so that's what I've been using.
Anthony, if the blank frames were the last ones shot with the III-f, have you checked the shutter operation since then ?
( There were 250-shot versions of the Screwmount Leica, as well as the half-frame 72; the film advance /shutter cock only "cares" about advancing one frame, then stopping automatically, for proper image spacing. The limit on the total number of frames that can be shot should be limited only by the capacity of the magazine / take-up spool... Usually, I feel the advance-knob "cinch-up tight" before I reach a full advance to that 25th or 37th frame...)
That stinks that you lost some "money shots"...
My only issues with my Barnacks have been: a film jam (careless leader trimming on my part); forgetting to remove the lens cap a couple of times; forgetting to extend and lock the collapsible Elmar or Summicron ( ! ); shooting with gloves on and dragging the shutter dial as I pressed the shutter release; crackly & leaky curtains in my III-f (s/n 600xxxx).
Beyond that, mine have been very reliable; none have been CLA'd (but probably all SHOULD be...)
Luddite Frank
brachal
Refrigerated User
Silly question, but if it just came back from DAG last week, have you asked him about the problem?
AnthonyM
Established
I sent DAG an email this morning. I await his reply. He did a great job on this camera. I shot another roll afterwards and it worked fine. Just a mystery as to what happened to those last 6 shots of two groups of kids plus a flag raising in front ot the school. That shot I can get again any morning.
The lens cap WAS NOT ON. It will not take the funny looking barn door lens hood I use with the cap on.
UPDATE: Just got email from DAG. He never heard of a Leica not being able to use a 36 exp. roll. He suggested I shoot another 36 exp. roll to confirm the problem.
The lens cap WAS NOT ON. It will not take the funny looking barn door lens hood I use with the cap on.
UPDATE: Just got email from DAG. He never heard of a Leica not being able to use a 36 exp. roll. He suggested I shoot another 36 exp. roll to confirm the problem.
Last edited:
FallisPhoto
Veteran
AnthonyM said:
Five possibilities:
1. The shutter curtains are not opening.
2. The film isn't advancing (the last frame prior to the film jamming would have multiple exposures). This isn't necessarily because of the camera; it could be because of a bad roll of film, with messed up sprocket holes.
3. Lens cap was still on.
4. Some combination of any of the previous three.
What you need to do is open the back of the camera and remove the lens. Trip the shutter about 40 times and look at the shutter curtains to see if they are opening. If those are not the problem, get a sacrificial roll of film and see if it advances through the roll (with the back of the camera open). Now look at the negatives that came out bad -- are the sprocket holes as they should be? If none of those were the problem, then you probably left the lens cap on, because I can't think of anything else it could be. If your camera was an SLR I could add a stuck mirror to the list, but yours doesn't have one.
Last edited:
Graybeard
Longtime IIIf User
If the rewind/advance lever is not firmly in the "A" position, the shutter can fire but the curtains do not open. You think the shutter fired as it should but the film is not exposed. The lever being between "R" and "A" can also cause the shutter to behave erratically, curtains open and expose the film on one shot, then curtains stay closed the next
You may have moved the lever slightly after your 30th shot set up this set of circumstances.
No real problem here if this is the cause, just be sure the lever is snugly in the "A" position.
You may have moved the lever slightly after your 30th shot set up this set of circumstances.
No real problem here if this is the cause, just be sure the lever is snugly in the "A" position.