S2 rewind problem

[Jan Van Laethem]

Hi,

I experienced a problem on a recent shoot with the S2 black dial. I tore the film apart somewhere half way the roll. Half of the film is still in the cassette, the other half exposed but ruined for lack of a changing bag.

I don't think I tried to wind on when it was already cocked. I did notice the resistance of the film was building up gradually from the first frames onwards. Previous films on the same day went through OK.


I ran another film through it at home. As soon as I have a couple of frames exposed, resistance from the rewind mechanism builds up and the take-up spool starts to tear up the perforations of the film.

Have any of you ever experienced something similar?

Thanks for any advice on this matter.

 

[sevo]

Sure it is the rewind mechanism (which consists of nothing more than a collapsible crank)? If so, lubing the bearing is all you'd need to do.

But it is far more likely to be the sprocket wheel - that is coupled to the transport and counter mechanism, where there are plenty of things that may come stuck. If the rewind collar is correctly locking on A and the counter isn't stuck, it probably means taking the camera apart...

 

[Jan Van Laethem]

Thank you Sevo for your thoughts. I've ruled out the sprocket wheel. I just tried the camera without film on the A setting : cocking the shutter and winding on all work fine. The frame counter also works OK.

However, when I put the camera on the R setting and try to rewind (even if there is no film to rewind), it gets really difficult. So much so that turning the rewind crank also engages the synchro dial and changes the setting from X to 1000.

How difficult is lubing the bearing ? I'm not very comfortable with starting to take things apart.

 

[sevo]

However, when I put the camera on the R setting and try to rewind (even if there is no film to rewind), it gets really difficult. So much so that turning the rewind crank also engages the synchro dial and changes the setting from X to 1000.

It is not the rewind then, but a failure to uncouple the winding gear. Could be as simple as gummed up grease under the A/R dial or in the sprocket wheel bearings, or something broken inside. I suspect the former, so that a good CLA would address your issue.

 

[Jan Van Laethem]

It is not the rewind then, but a failure to uncouple the winding gear. Could be as simple as gummed up grease under the A/R dial or in the sprocket wheel bearings, or something broken inside. I suspect the former, so that a good CLA would address your issue.

Interesting issues you brought up. I'm not really technically skilled, but I'll try and explain in more detail. When I select the R setting, the winding uncouples and the shutter logically can't be cocked, although the take-up spool does turn and the frame counter adds an "exposure". I guess that is totally normal and is the same on my other S2 that doesn't have this problem.

But, now I've noted that turning the dial from R to A is really straight forward but turning it from A to R is harder, especially towards the end.

So I guess I should check for grease or dirt under the A/R dial. Do I have to dismount it to do this ?

 

[Highway 61]

It is not the rewind then, but a failure to uncouple the winding gear. Could be as simple as gummed up grease under the A/R dial or in the sprocket wheel bearings, or something broken inside. I suspect the former, so that a good CLA would address your issue.

Nope. It can't. Just because the problem builds-up even when the camera back is off and there is no film in the camera (as far as I know for having carefully read the problem description - or I've missed something).

My guess is that this is a very simple problem : the set screw holding the rewind crank on the rewind shaft has come loose (or got lost). Then, after several rewind operations, the rewind crank has got tightnened too much onto the rewind shaft. As a result the rewind crank is in contact with the synchro dial and the rewind unit is braked a lot when winding the film or when rewinding.

The fix is :

- remove the camera back
- hold the rewind fork with a piece of wood (no metal not to harm it)
- unscrew the rewind crank a bit so that there is a 0.5mm gap between it and the synchro dial
- tightened the rewind crank set screw (if the set screw is still there, it may very well have got off !).

 

[Jan Van Laethem]

My guess is that this is a very simple problem : the set screw holding the rewind crank on the rewind shaft has come loose (or got lost).

Yes, you did read the problem description correctly. It was just as you described : the rewind crank was in contact with the synchro dial and this braked the rewind unit. So, I followed the steps you gave and that fixed it within seconds.

Now, just to be on the safe side, where is/are the set screw(s) you refer to ? When I flip up the rewind crank, I can see two screws that are visible through the gap as you turn, 180 degrees opposite one another. One of these was just a little bit loose.

Thanks Sevo and Highway 61 for your help. It saved my camera a trip to a repair service.

 

[Highway 61]

Yes, you did read the problem description correctly. It was just as you described : the rewind crank was in contact with the synchro dial and this braked the rewind unit. So, I followed the steps you gave and that fixed it within seconds.

Now, just to be on the safe side, where is/are the set screw(s) you refer to ? When I flip up the rewind crank, I can see two screws that are visible through the gap as you turn, 180 degrees opposite one another. One of these was just a little bit loose.

Thanks Sevo and Highway 61 for your help. It saved my camera a trip to a repair service.

I was speaking of the (lone and VERY small) set screw which holds the rewind crank unit onto the rewind shaft, not of the screws which hold the synchro dial onto the camera top cover. You can see this screw when you unfold the rewind lever. It's perpendicular to the rewind shaft.

So by reading your last post I guess that the problem wasn't with the rewind crank having got too much tightened on its shaft but with the synchro dial having got not tightened down enough ?

 

[Jan Van Laethem]

I was speaking of the (lone and VERY small) set screw which holds the rewind crank unit onto the rewind shaft, not of the screws which hold the synchro dial onto the camera top cover. You can see this screw when you unfold the rewind lever. It's perpendicular to the rewind shaft.

So by reading your last post I guess that the problem wasn't with the rewind crank having got too much tightened on its shaft but with the synchro dial having got not tightened down enough ?

Yes, I see the screw now. This one didn't need any adjusting, so it may well have been a combination of both : the synchro dial not tightened down enough and the rewind crank too tight on the shaft.

Anyway, the rewind is now as smooth as the proverbial butter.