GA645: Lens spots and spool question

[papo]

Hey, my GA645 is finally here and i noticed these red/greenish spots on there - is this ok/going to have an effect on the images i take?

Also, is the spool supposed to stick out when the film is inside? I find this a bit odd. Either way, let me know. THanks you guys

 

[philosli]

To me the red and green spots look like reflections of light.

The spool knob should be pushed in after the spool is in place.

You can download the manual online. Just do a google search.

 

[benlees]

Do you have other photos of the spots?

Spool holders are spring loaded so they should snap back into place without problem with a push. Is this not the case?

 

[Larry H-L]

I don't think those tiny spots would cause any trouble. They look like they could be beverage splatter if they are on the surface of the lens.

Have you opened a soda or beer can near your camera? Should be easy to clean.

As philosli says, the spool cover should be pushed back in after loading the film.

 

[Pioneer]

Push the spool retainer button in to hold the spool in place.

Clean the len with a soft micro fiber cloth and shoot a roll of film. If those spots show on your photos then you may need to get the lens professionally cleaned. If nothing show in the photos, enjoy your camera.

If the spots move when you move the camera around they are reflections. The colors are caused by the special lens coatings. If they stay in the same place no matter which direction you look at the lens then they may be something else.

BTW, I own a couple of these cameras and those lenses are very, very good.

 

[papo]

Thanks for the advice. Bummer: i opened up the camera in a changing bag in order to set the spool in a proper position for it to go in. It worked like a charm. What i didnt realize is that once i open and close the camera, that it will make loading noise which leads us to thje following question:

what does the camera do when you upen case mid-film? does it rewind to start (i had 8 shots, now it shows 1) or did it still keep its position but decided to simply reset the shutter count?

 

[sevo]

what does the camera do when you upen case mid-film? does it rewind to start (i had 8 shots, now it shows 1) or did it still keep its position but decided to simply reset the shutter count?

It is a medium format camera, and 120 film is not designed to be rewound, but goes to a pickup spool. When reset, the counter starts again, winding past the leader to frame one. By mid film there will not be much exposable film left after that, if any....

 

[Pioneer]

You can rewind the film in a darkroom and start over if you are patient. If you are new to medium format you may just want to consider it a lesson and move on to another roll. This time look up your camera manual on Butkus.org and read the manual first...

...or maybe it is second by this time. 😀

 

[sevo]

You can rewind the film in a darkroom and start over if you are patient.

Well, sort of. 120 is fixed on the wrong end, so naive respooling will end up with film with a considerable bulge and corresponding transport and light leak problems. The one case where you can avoid bulging is when the film end is still firmly wrapped on the original roll - so you can carefully wind back if there are still several (four 6x7 or equivalent) frames left to expose and you do not unwind any more of the film. Do not try to do it in-camera - medium format transport mechanisms are not designed to go backwards and are very likely to break.

Once the film has been transported past the last frame, you have created a offset between film and backing paper. You can only undo that with a very accurate template and lots of rehearsal (or IR goggles). Or you can carefully detach the adhesive tape from the backing once you have wound it up to the bulge, and reattach with everything lined up - but you may lose (or overlap) a frame over that as that displaces the film.

In any case, you may end up with film bulging past the spool, and some backing papers will tear rather than detach. You should be prepared to switch to immediate processing - you cannot hand on a damaged roll to the average lab and can't even store or transport it if it does not fit a light-tight 120 canister any more. And even if your respooling attempt seems to work out, it might come apart or crease in the camera, and cause expensive shutter damage.

 

[Prest_400]

You can rewind the film in a darkroom and start over if you are patient.

I did that once. Shot a single frame around home with my Fuji 6x9 with the lens cap on... So film still sat unexposed and 7 on the roll. Not nice with an expensive roll of Fuji Provia 100F.
Waited until that night where I simply rewound the roll back, without even taking it out of the chamber. Then rethreaded.

But if it has been shot, there may be some interesting double exposures.

An option is to do this and shoot until frame 8 without exposing (lens cap on, or darkroom) then continue from there.

 

[Dante_Stella]

I would have fewer worries restarting a GA645 than any other camera - because its counter detects the film starting and is consistent to within 1/10mm from frame to frame. But the bulge issue remains.

The spots are, has been said, spatter from somewhere in the atmosphere. Harmless to the camera and to your pictures. Use a UV filter if you don't want them on your lens (you will still have to clean the filter periodically, but that is less stressful).

They will wipe off, but if you do it incorrectly (do not simply use an old microfiber cloth that has been sitting around), you can scratch the lens. Use a camel hair brush to get all the dust off the lens, breathe on it and hit the spots with a clean cotton swab. Do not use paper products.

The instruction manual for this camera is online at butkus, and there are a lot of things about this camera that will be difficult to learn by trial and error.

Enjoy the GA645! It is one of the coolest medium format cameras made.

Dante