Olympus Pen F SLR ripping film at the end of the roll

[rangefinderlove123]

Hello RFF,

I just wanted to find out if anyone has a solution to this problem. I love the camera, the images I get from, the fact that I don't have to worry about carrying a ton of film when I head out.

Unfortunately it's bit me up the a$$ again today got into a shooting frenzy, frame after frame and bang ripped the roll at the end, having to wait until I got home to unload the camera in a changing bag, loosing the last few frames...

I've asked Kanto in Japan if there is a fix. They say they haven't got one, only to advance the film very gently towards the end of the roll. Unfortunately I forget all the time, it makes the camera almost useless...

Anyone got a solution to this problem please?

Thank you

 

[zuiko85]

Mine does the same thing. Haven't found any solution but to look at counter and for a 36exp roll, when counter hits 70, stop and rewind film.
Don't worry about the last 2~4 frames. If you rip out or tear the leader you lose them anyway.
This is a good plan for me because my negative file pages hold 10 half frame exposures each so I have 7 full strips with no partials.

Edit; It took more than one roll to train myself to do this, but if you keep at it I think you will find it becomes a habit to watch the counter.
I certainly don't think it makes the camera 'almost useless'.

Edit #2; I noticed you mentioned you appreciated not having to head out with a load of film, so the high capacity of 35mm half frame appeals to you.
My love for the Pen F system revolves more around its small size and clean design. No prism hump or mirror box and the lenses are small too.
And, I understand getting into a shooting frenzy, done that myself on occasion.

 

[rangefinderlove123]

Hey,

the thing is I'm about 15-20 rolls into this camera since about the past 1.5 month and it's come and bit me again today because I forgot to check the counter.

I'm not so sure that stopping at 70 is much of a solution, unless one was to make a conscious decision of putting the camera away at 70 at the end of a shoot.

To give a better idea, my counter was at 60 this morning when I went out. I guess I should have stopped there and put another roll in...

Indeed small size is great too.

 

[zuiko85]

Hey,

the thing is I'm about 15-20 rolls into this camera since about the past 1.5 month and it's come and bit me again today because I forgot to check the counter.

I'm not so sure that stopping at 70 is much of a solution, unless one was to make a conscious decision of putting the camera away at 70 at the end of a shoot.

To give a better idea, my counter was at 60 this morning when I went out. I guess I should have stopped there and put another roll in...

Indeed small size is great too.

Wow, you are a prolific shooter. I was like that, back in the day (1970's).
Always bought bulk and loaded my own back then. On a trip to Elkhart Lake racetrack to watch a formula V race I blew through a 100 feet of Tri-X in one day. That was with 2 Pen F bodies with a standard 38mm f1.8 on one and a 135mm f2.8 preset Soligor on the other.

I hear you about starting the day with only the tail end of a roll in the camera. It's a bug for sure. Now days however I shoot much slower, nothing like you. In a busy 2 weeks I might go through 2 and 1/2 rolls, other times I might not get the camera out for a month. Too much fooling around with other camera building and large format.

Your shooting style is much different from me, just wish I had a better solution for you. But cheer up, it could be worse, I have a Pen FV that the counter is broken. I have to either remember how much I've shot or make hash marks in a note book every 5 exposures.

 

[rangefinderlove123]

I find this is the interesting bit with those half frame cameras, that it allows you to be prolific (as you put it) without breaking the bank and without building a backlog of film that will never get developed and proofed... a much looser approach really

 

[zuiko85]

I find this is the interesting bit with those half frame cameras, that it allows you to be prolific (as you put it) without breaking the bank and without building a backlog of film that will never get developed and proofed... a much looser approach really

Well the name, 'Pen' was supposedly chosen by Y. Maitani because he saw the camera as a visual note taker, much as an ink pen and tablet would be used to take down written notes. There is a thread here about his original Pen viewfinder camera, introduced in late 1959. If you have not already you might want to check it out.