Disappointed_Horse
Well-known
This afternoon I took my new-to-me Pentax SL out for a trial run. The camera was fine when I took it out this morning, but when I finished my roll of film and pressed the rewind button on the bottom of the camera, it would not catch. Then I looked at the top of the camera and found that my rewind knob was gone. (See attached photo.)
I had been planning on sending this camera out for service anyway, but I think I got some really nice shots of my daughter on the test roll and would really like to get the roll out of the camera before I send it off to Eric or DAG. Anyone have any suggestions?
I had been planning on sending this camera out for service anyway, but I think I got some really nice shots of my daughter on the test roll and would really like to get the roll out of the camera before I send it off to Eric or DAG. Anyone have any suggestions?
The only easy way is probably to get your changing bag ready, then peel back the leatherette and remove the hinge screws from the body. As long as you do it in a dim room and keep the back depressed with your hands until it's in the bag, any fogging should be negligible. If you leave the screws loose in their threads until you bag it that may help (assuming the threads go through into the body, I don't know). But of course you'll then have to extract them in the bag by feel.
I'm underwhelmed by the materials quality employed.
I'm underwhelmed by the materials quality employed.
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
With the camera in a changing bag or, better yet, a totally dark closet at night, you may be able to use needle-nose pliers to pull up on the rewind shaft to pop the back open.
Then you’ll need to keep the button depressed as you remove the cassette and wind the film back into it (by turning the shaft on the cassette itself). You’ll need three hands.
Watch out for the shutter curtains!
Then you’ll need to keep the button depressed as you remove the cassette and wind the film back into it (by turning the shaft on the cassette itself). You’ll need three hands.
Watch out for the shutter curtains!
monopix
Cam repairer
Do you have any other cameras (who doesn't)? I would try a rewind knob off another camera. One from a another Pentax will probably fit but I would try anything. If you can find one that fits, just hold in the button and rewind the film.
Disappointed_Horse
Well-known
Thanks everyone. I'll try to open her up tonight.
leicapixie
Well-known
An easy fix.. Rewind will not stay in if partially cocked.
It's a 50+years old camera, not quality materials. Really?
Better than A Leica M3 "11....." arrived New in box, no rangefinder...
Now that's quality control, with 3 signatures of QC.
Missing parts fitted by local agent. Most repaired camera and most used.
My Pentaxes made lots of money, Leica also but lots of services and repairs.
Pentax system never reqd. services.
It's a 50+years old camera, not quality materials. Really?
Better than A Leica M3 "11....." arrived New in box, no rangefinder...
Now that's quality control, with 3 signatures of QC.
Missing parts fitted by local agent. Most repaired camera and most used.
My Pentaxes made lots of money, Leica also but lots of services and repairs.
Pentax system never reqd. services.
Malcolm M
Well-known
Is it actually broken, or just unscrewed? If the latter, try retracing your steps and see if you can find the missing part. If the former, turn the stub using Mole grips.
Disappointed_Horse
Well-known
I can't really complain about Pentax QC; as noted, it's a 50-year-old (that I only paid about $20 for) and as far as I can tell has never been serviced. I have two other Pentax SLRs (a Spotmatic and a K1000) and they both function flawlessly, and I love the Pentax glass. (Although I have to admit this experience has me considering a plain prism Nikon F or F2 to have something as tough and reliable as cameras get.)
I did try to find the rewind knob/crank. Unfortunately, this happened on a beach which just happened to be covered with thousands of small round shells of approximately the same size as the rewind knob. My luck!
I'll see if I can get her open tonight.
p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; }
I did try to find the rewind knob/crank. Unfortunately, this happened on a beach which just happened to be covered with thousands of small round shells of approximately the same size as the rewind knob. My luck!
I'll see if I can get her open tonight.
p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; }
Well it is not very easy to tell what the problem is from the photo supplied, and I did take a look as best I could. I thought that perhaps the rewind shaft had broken. That's not a demanding part to make well if the materials used are half decent. If it broke, I am underwhelmed. On the other hand, if the knob has just come loose and fallen off—that's plain bad luck.An easy fix.. Rewind will not stay in if partially cocked.
It's a 50+years old camera, not quality materials. Really?
Better than A Leica M3 "11....." arrived New in box, no rangefinder...
Now that's quality control, with 3 signatures of QC.
Missing parts fitted by local agent. Most repaired camera and most used.
My Pentaxes made lots of money, Leica also but lots of services and repairs.
Pentax system never reqd. services.
Your "easy fix" makes no progress toward extracting the film, if the camera back is not removed/opened. If it is opened in the dark the wind lock won't be a problem. The take up clutch will unslip the film once its been snipped off the cassette and lifted clear of the sprockets. That's probably the easiest way to remove it, because without a rewind knob, even extricating the cassette from the body might be problematic in the dark.
charjohncarter
Veteran
If you get it to open, be careful not to close it until you decide what you are going to do with it.
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
It seems as if the knob has just unscrewed and come off, right? In normal operation, it’s a highly unlikely event but it could happen if a prior owner played around with it. In fact, to remove the knob (for example, as part of disassembling the camera for repair), it’s very easy to remove the knob:
1. Open the back
2. With rewind shaft still pulled up, insert thin pencil or other small stuff rod between the rewind forks
3. Turn knob counterclockwise against mild resistance at first
4. Unscrew
Then, the knob easily screws back on.
So, if you have a spare knob - or want to “borrow” one from another Pentax, that’s what you do.
1. Open the back
2. With rewind shaft still pulled up, insert thin pencil or other small stuff rod between the rewind forks
3. Turn knob counterclockwise against mild resistance at first
4. Unscrew
Then, the knob easily screws back on.
So, if you have a spare knob - or want to “borrow” one from another Pentax, that’s what you do.
Dwig
Well-known
... and also be very careful to not let the rewind shaft fall into the camera once the cassette is removed. There's usually a small spring loaded ball that snaps into a groove on the shaft. If the shaft is pressed down lightly (setting the camera down hard can do it) the ball might come loose and cause havoc if it rolls into the shutter.
In the over 2 decades that I ran camera shops I only saw a few cameras where the rewind knob broke off. Unscrewed knobs due to the user turning the wrong way were very very common. Broken off knobs usually were caused by impact damage to the knob that snapped the threaded portion off at the base of the threads. It was simple to replace the knob and shaft, taking care to mind the spring loaded ball.
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
If the same parts from a Spotmatic SP1000 will fit I can send you the Rewind Knob and Film Fork...
I have an old dead one here just waiting to be of some use...
I removed the knob and post to see what's all there and then reinstalled them...took less than a few minutes to do...
You will need a small exact-o knife blade to push back the spring part that keeps it in place...you will see it from the top side of the body...
I have an old dead one here just waiting to be of some use...
I removed the knob and post to see what's all there and then reinstalled them...took less than a few minutes to do...
You will need a small exact-o knife blade to push back the spring part that keeps it in place...you will see it from the top side of the body...
Disappointed_Horse
Well-known
A suggestion from a member on pentaxforums worked! I found a nut that fit on the threaded shaft that the rewind crank should have been screwed into. Between jiggering the nut with a pair of pliers and gently winding with advance lever, I was able to advance the film far enough to cock the shutter and release it. Then, using the tip of a machine screw I was able to push the rewind button on the bottom of the camera up enough to catch. A few minutes with a ratchet on the nut and I was able to wind the film back into the cassette. Then I took the camera into the darkest place I could find in the house just to be safe and used a pair of pliers to pull the nut up and open the camera. The film was fully wound back into the cassette! Success!
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Much appreciated!
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Much appreciated!