Film slips after ~6 frames on Olympus 35RC

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olind

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Hi, I've been trying to find info about this before and asked in some old threads a week ago but nothing found.

I've been shooting an Oly XA for a year and I love that camera. Recently I found an Oly 35RC in beautiful condition. I bought it and I was really happy loading it up. I started shooting and about 6 frames in to the film it starts to click. It does't advance the film anymore. If I continue it tears up the film.

Everything looks fine in my eyes but I have no idea what to look for :) Any ideas where to start? I really like to hold this camera in my hand and would love to shoot with it!

Thanks in advance
 
olind said:
Everything looks fine in my eyes but I have no idea what to look for :) Any ideas where to start? I really like to hold this camera in my hand and would love to shoot with it!

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

If you don't already own the proper tools - they alone may cost more than what you bought the camera for - but for you to see where the jam is occurring - you'll have remove the top cover. (See the Kiev survival site below:)

http://www3.telus.net/public/rpnchbck/Oly_RC.html
 
Does the rewind turn freely in both directions? (with no film in the camera.)
Other than that I just don't know what else to advise to check.

One more thing, once the sprocket holes are ripped out you cannot reload that film unless you discard the torn section. Also with torn sprocket holes be very careful that film chips don't get into the shutter area or elsewhere inside the camera.
 
The sprocket is set to rewind rather than transport. That is usually a issue of the rod (from the rewind knob) being stuck.
 
A few times i have had sprocket holes tear in very cold weather. I think it was a cheaper film that just got brittle.
 
There are two more common causes of these symptoms:

  • Rewind shaft binding and not turning freely - the films advances fine until all the slack in the cassette is taken up
  • The takeup spools clutch has failed or its gearing has failed and the spool either doesn't pull firm enough or doesn't pull at all - this leaves the film loosely wound and the takeup spool which then "fills" early and starts to bind and the sprocket wheel can't stuff any more film into the spool's chamber.
Check both the drag on the rewind shaft (there shouldn't be any) and the tension on the takeup spool while winding. Holding the spool with your thumb while winding should indicate how hard the spool pulls before it slips. Another test would be to sacrifice part of a roll by loading and shooting until the problem occurs and then opening the back. If the film is very loosely wound on the takeup spool then that's where the gremlin lives.
 
If you can load the already damaged first roll (cutting off the bad area)...
Without closing the back start advancing the film...you might have to gently hold the cassette in place...just shoot and advance...watch the film and see if it happens again and maybe you'll get to see what quit working properly...the counter will not advance but that doesn't matter, everything else should work as if the back was closed...
 
Sorry to hear about your predicament.

I have the 35RC, and it randomly gives me 'tearing' issues once in a while. I simply ignore it, load and shoot. It usually 'tears' and stiffens up during the last few frames (for me).

But I simply ignore and load.

I suggest you take a roll of spoilt film in a canister, and test it with the film back open.

Good luck!
 
Hello again! Good news!

I have cleaned everything really carefully on the inside and I found a bit of torn film in the take upp spool! I hadn't seen it before.

I removed it and loaded the camera. I've now been dry-shooting a 36 roll twice without a hick-up!

I hope it will work shooting with as well. I write back if I get more problems :)

Thanks a million for all good help!
 
Fellow Rangers

Here is what I’ve concluded with my Oly RC. As I Advance the film, when I get to about frames 26-28, the film counter slips back to about frame #24. However, I can still keep shooting until I’ve burned all 36 frames on the roll.

KK
 
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