R3a Skips Frames

[jho]

I have a VC R3a which is wonderful except for the fact that it occasionally skips a frame.

This happens when I wind the film advance lever and the film advances but the shutter won't fire. I have to wind again to get the shutter to fire and thus skipping a frame.

If I open the back and watch as I wind the film lever I can see both the take up spool advancing and the shutter curtain loading. Am I correct to assume this is a electrical problem?

This used to only be a occasional problem but now it is happening many times per roll so it has become quite frustrating.

Any advice on what is going on or how to fix it? Any input would be great. Thanks!

 

[mfogiel]

It looks more like a mechanical problem caused by hasty winding. Slow down when you wind and make sure the movement is continuous from start to end. The shutter typically won't fire when it "feels" that the frame winding is incomplete.

 

[jho]

It looks more like a mechanical problem caused by hasty winding. Slow down when you wind and make sure the movement is continuous from start to end. The shutter typically won't fire when it "feels" that the frame winding is incomplete.

I've tried this, no amount of smoothness or slow deliberate winding seems to help. 🙁

 

[CalvinT]

Hi jho

Have you had it fixed ?

Can you check your negatives --> was it every third frame that was skipped when it does it ?

You can also check by firing your the camera without film.

 

[B-9]

I know this thread is old,

But!

I've found in my short time with the R2m that the rewind knob likes to creep out of its position and can actually jam itself between the knob and body. I thought my R2m kicked the bucket last night as it wouldn't wind on and shutter wouldn't release. Noticed the rewind lever and released the film to settle it. Works fine now.

Maybe some tape is in order, I do hold the camera in portrait a lot which is what I'm sure caused the issue.

Likely not the same issues the OP is having but worth documenting. I can't be the only one!

 

[Steve M.]

Try a little lighter fluid into the area around the shutter button, then press the button like the devil was after you (a lot). That camera has an electrically operated shutter, so my guess is corrosion somewhere. Try cleaning the battery compartment too and maybe a fresh set of batteries. I used to own one of those w/ a Summar mounted on it, and the AE and AE lock made shooting fast and a lot of fun.

 

[Robert Lai]

Get it serviced. Something in the winding mechanism is slipping, as if a setscrew had worked loose. The shutter will not fire because it's not fully wound. And it's not fully wound because the winding gears are slipping.

Make sure the film rewind button is fully out, and not pressed in somehow.