Leica IIIg - film advance slipping ?

[Luddite Frank]

After having it for nearly 6 months, I finally took my "new" Leica IIIg out shooting today.

The camera is in excellent cosmetic condition, and appears to be in very good operating condition as well.

I've been shooting Barnacks for a little over ten years now.

I stopped at Steamtown National Historic Site, our local railroad museum, this afternoon to burn some film.

It was about 40 degrees F, with a brisk breeze.

I was about 10 exposures into the roll, when it felt as though the film advance "felt funny"... it seemed to lose some resistance, about halfway through the shutter cocking.

I buried the lens hood in my black jacket, and released the shutter, and wound again, watching the rewind knob. It turn a little bit, then stopped as the resistance lightened on the wind-knob.

Repeated releasing the shutter with the lens capped, and wound again... this time it seemed to advance a full frame.

I shot another image, then the wind seemed to slip again, so I gave up on it, as the park was about to close.

Is there some sort of "slip-clutch" incorporated into the film-wind mechanism of the IIIg ?

Everything else about this camera seems like it is "right"... no tool marks on any of the screws...

Thanks...

Luddite Frank

 

[xayraa33]

For starters things to check are :

Could be the film is sticking in the film cassette, OR
The film is not loaded properly on the take up spool and the sprockets. Make sure you push the film leader all the way onto the take up spool and just be sure the edge holes of the film engages the sprockets .

Also there are two "dogs" or latches one on the wind shaft, one on the shutter drum spindle that engage with one another.

If that is not occurring , then it could be that there is a piece of film stuck in that area that is preventing the shutter spindle from going back to the proper position when you take your finger off the shutter button ... or the return spring is weak or maybe a bit loose.

 

[bluesun267]

Check to make sure the screw is tight on the A-R switch. Sometimes these come loose and allow the clutch to slip. Should be that simple.

 

[Robert Lai]

This happened to me with a IIIF, due to a loose AR switch.

Set the switch to R, make sure the film can rewind. Then tighten the screw. Use the correct size screwdriver head, and maintain constant pressure so that it doesn't slip out and scratch your camera.


Now when you put it to A, the film should wind properly.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

The wind knob can also slip on the take-up shaft if the grub screw becomes loose in the knob. If this is the fault, the knob will eventually tighten down on the shaft and no longer turn. It is an easy fix though.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

The wind knob can also slip on the take-up shaft if the grub screw becomes loose in the knob. If this is the fault, the knob will eventually tighten down on the shaft and no longer turn. It is an easy fix though.

I had that issue with a IIIc a few years back, when I fixed it I had failed to properly reset the ratchet paul on the gear underneath. The sprockets would pull back the film towards the cassette if I didn't wind it in one go. :bang:

As to Luddite Frank's issue, It sounds like the AR switch might be the culprit as stated above.

 

[David Hughes]

FWIW, there has to be a slipping clutch mechanism on mechanical cameras as the take-up spool gets fatter and so would pull more and more film through and tear it as the sprockets only advance the same amount each time.

I've not got a IIIg so can't comment further but, in your shoes, I'd be looking at the centre of the take-up spool's spindle or whatever is there.

Sorry I can't say more.

Regards, David

 

[Graybeard]

This happened to me with a IIIF, due to a loose AR switch.

Set the switch to R, make sure the film can rewind. Then tighten the screw. Use the correct size screwdriver head, and maintain constant pressure so that it doesn't slip out and scratch your camera.

Now when you put it to A, the film should wind properly.

Ditto on the AR switch as a potential source of the problem.

I had the same thing happen with my IIIg and, much earlier, with a IIIf.

The switch needn't be loose to cause trouble, it may just not be fully in the "A" position. One can push the lever slightly out of proper position when putting the camera into a bag or a pocket. This was the case with my camera.

 

[Luddite Frank]

Thanks all for the replies - I will check the A-R switch first, then dig deeper if necessary.

I have about 1/2 a roll of exposed film in it, so I'll try the outside-stuff before I re-wind and open it up.

It is loaded with Fujicolor 400; never had trouble with Fuji tearing at the sprockets before...

Will update when I learn more.

Regards,

LF