RBruceCR
Well-known
It seems simple enough:
1-Make sure the arrow on the rewind knob aligns with the black arrow on the back. 2-Open the film back and place the roll on the unwind part of the film back.
3-Pull the roll film to the start signal and align to the arrow inside the film back.
4-Close the back and advance the rewind knob until it reaches the "1" the locking lever cocks and one is ready to shoot.
However, I keep loosing the first frame unexposed!
This is in 6 X 9 format!
Regards,
1-Make sure the arrow on the rewind knob aligns with the black arrow on the back. 2-Open the film back and place the roll on the unwind part of the film back.
3-Pull the roll film to the start signal and align to the arrow inside the film back.
4-Close the back and advance the rewind knob until it reaches the "1" the locking lever cocks and one is ready to shoot.
However, I keep loosing the first frame unexposed!
This is in 6 X 9 format!
Regards,
charjohncarter
Veteran
Is this the back with lever film advance?
oftheherd
Veteran
Due to some problem, I can't look at the two instruction manuals (http://www.butkus.org/chinon/mamiya/mamiya_press_roll_film_holder/mamiya_press_roll_film_holder.htm) at the Butkus site. But I must admit to being curious as to why the roll film back that allows 3 formats would need a rewind knob. I think you mean the wind knob as you should, I think, advance that and look for number in a window. But you may have a type of film back I have never read about. I say that since the only ones I have are the auto-wind with crank-6x7 film backs. All I know of any others is from reading.
I would have thought that you would be simply securing the film on the takeup spool and after closing the back, wind until you see numbers in the appropriate window for the insert you are using. charjohncarter is right, without knowing for sure which back you have it will be impossible to assist, and in my case I still may not be able to.
At any rate, I am glad to see you staying with that camera. When everything works as it was designed to, they are really good and fun cameras to use.
I would have thought that you would be simply securing the film on the takeup spool and after closing the back, wind until you see numbers in the appropriate window for the insert you are using. charjohncarter is right, without knowing for sure which back you have it will be impossible to assist, and in my case I still may not be able to.
At any rate, I am glad to see you staying with that camera. When everything works as it was designed to, they are really good and fun cameras to use.
charjohncarter
Veteran
I have the 6x7 with lever advance, and the 6x9 with hand wind advance. The 6x7 has a window on top of the back that reads the shot numbers. The other is the sliding window. Somehow the 6x7 reads the pressure of the film plus the backing to start the countdown. The 'reading device' is on the take up end and is a free wheeling cylinder. I don't see a adjustment on it. The craziness of my 6x7 back is; there is a small metal tag on the part of the back that opens: if this gets out of place (bent) it keeps the counter from working. Check this to be sure that it is engaging the the very small silver metal piece in the slot that is used for light control. Confusing, but see what you see.
RBruceCR
Well-known
Yes, Its called the K type back. I turn a knob, the forward action stops and I have to liberate the advance by moving a lever towards an arrow to continue advancing the film.
RBruceCR
Well-known
I have the older type K back it's in the form of an S and has a knob instead of a lever!
Yes there are windows on the lid of the back for the two other formats, 6 X 6 and 6 X 4.5. But for the 6 X 9 one relies on the knob advance by firstly, matching the arrows printed on the knob, the back and on the film itself. And secondly, by letting the knob advance to the next frame. I will study the manual more in depth!
So, it might be a nuisance of the Rollei Retro 80S (which I thorough to recommend and explore its IR capabilities), not having a clear paper backing thus constraining its use to 6 X 9 or 6 X 7.
Indeed, I'm thoroughly enjoying the camera and it's lenses, but it might be a little late as the Hasselblad virus has already caused fever!
By the way, the 250/5 cannot be mounted on my Standard 23 only on the more modern and structurally stronger Universal/Super cameras!
oftheherd
Veteran
Good luck with the Hassy virus. There was a time when I thought I wanted one, until the next month's magazines came out and I was off lusting after something else. 
But I never gave it too much thought due to cost. Almost all film cameras are now less than they used to be. But I would expect for the price difference, you would not see that big a photo difference, and you get bigger negatives.
I would suggest a difference in terminology reference mounting the 250 f/5 to the Standard 23. Given the size of the lens, it's more like you can't mount the Standard 23 to the 250 f/5.
But I never gave it too much thought due to cost. Almost all film cameras are now less than they used to be. But I would expect for the price difference, you would not see that big a photo difference, and you get bigger negatives.I would suggest a difference in terminology reference mounting the 250 f/5 to the Standard 23. Given the size of the lens, it's more like you can't mount the Standard 23 to the 250 f/5.
Kenj8246
Well-known
I think it's at least similar to the one I have, although I didn't get the necessary masks for 6X6 and 645. I only wind up enough film until the arrow(s) on the back of the film clears the roll--I can't see an arrow on the back itself--and then, after closing and locking the back door, wind on until '1' appears in the 6X9 red window. Subsequently, I also use the numbers in the red window. I haven't lost a frame yet. Hope this helps.
Kenny
I only wind up enough film until the arrow(s) on the back of the film clears the roll--I can't see an arrow on the back itself--and then, after closing and locking the back door, wind on until '1' appears in the 6X9 red window. Subsequently, I also use the numbers in the red window. I haven't lost a frame yet. Hope this helps.Kenny
RBruceCR
Well-known
I think it's at least similar to the one I have, although I didn't get the necessary masks for 6X6 and 645.
Kenny
Thanks Kenny! ill use a method to trick the back. I align both triangles on the knob and the body of the film back and coincide with the triangle on the film or "start" and that of the innards of the film back and wind from them
The trouble is with Rollei Retro 80S because it is a film that has a black backing paper so even opening the windows in the back I don't get to see any numbers. So 6 X 6 or 6 X 4.5 are impossible to use with this film.
That's why I bought a 6 X 7 film back, to increase the number of frames per roll, but alas, it didn't come with the masks for the 6 X 6 and 6 X 4.5 either, but its only 1 cm in the base more than 6 X 6 my favorite format.
Regards,
Robert H. Bruce
Spanik
Well-known
That procedure reads the same as what I do with my 6x9 backs with a knob to advance. They are chrome and beige leatherette with a slider for 6x6 and 6x4.5.
0: turn the knob until it freewheels and the triangle on the frame counter aligns with the arrow on the back
1: open back, put film at the right hand side and empty spool left below the knob and attach film to empty spool
2: turn the knob until the "start" marker on the backing paper aligns with the yellow dots inside the back (about halfway the film gate)
3: close the back and push the little lever at the front of the back just below the frame number couter
4: spool until the 1 aligns and the knob blocks
5: before each advance, push the little lever again
For me this works if I do not forget to push the locking lever before starting to wind to go to "1".
0: turn the knob until it freewheels and the triangle on the frame counter aligns with the arrow on the back
1: open back, put film at the right hand side and empty spool left below the knob and attach film to empty spool
2: turn the knob until the "start" marker on the backing paper aligns with the yellow dots inside the back (about halfway the film gate)
3: close the back and push the little lever at the front of the back just below the frame number couter
4: spool until the 1 aligns and the knob blocks
5: before each advance, push the little lever again
For me this works if I do not forget to push the locking lever before starting to wind to go to "1".
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Only the red window/knob wind "Model K" type multi-format backs had a provision for masks - the lever-wind backs (as well as some early automatic knob wind ones) are single format.
RBruceCR
Well-known
That's my proceedure, I will then think it is an issue with the Rollei Retro 80's.
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
220 film often has a secondary (dotted line) alignment mark for some dual-length magazines, in addition to the regular alignment arrows. But I am not aware of similar distracting marks on any 120 film, and have not had issues loading Retro 80.
In lever wind Mamiya Press magazines, the film marks are supposed to be aligned to the two (often rather faint) dots immediately left to the take-up spool - contraintuitively long, so that beginners often load it short of the proper mark. I suspect that the alignment on the automatic knob-wind magazines will be the same. Where is the magazine side mark in yours located?
In lever wind Mamiya Press magazines, the film marks are supposed to be aligned to the two (often rather faint) dots immediately left to the take-up spool - contraintuitively long, so that beginners often load it short of the proper mark. I suspect that the alignment on the automatic knob-wind magazines will be the same. Where is the magazine side mark in yours located?
RBruceCR
Well-known
Glad to know that you use Rollei Retro 80S!
The alignment mark on the K type magazine is located on the first 1/3 of the film path from the unwind spool unto the rewind spool. It is designated by a hollow triangle.
It would be nice to be able to see the frame number for 6 X 6 or 6 X 4.5 on this Rollei Retro80S film, but the backing paper is all black.