Harry Lime
Practitioner
Tom, have you ever been tempted by the idea of designing a spring powered Rapidwinder? Sort of a low profile MOOLY for M cameras?
Might be an interesting engineering challenge. I wonder if you could fit a spring
big enough in to such a small space to power the winder for a full roll of 36 exp.
The Robot camera was smaller than an M (square half-frameish?) and if I remember
correctly managed to pull this off with one 'charge' of the winder.
cheers,
HL
Might be an interesting engineering challenge. I wonder if you could fit a spring
big enough in to such a small space to power the winder for a full roll of 36 exp.
The Robot camera was smaller than an M (square half-frameish?) and if I remember
correctly managed to pull this off with one 'charge' of the winder.
cheers,
HL
Last edited:
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
Harry - Thou shalt check your inbox regularly! I did check mine and found your question today!!!
At one time as was working on a MOOLY winder for a M2. I had the drive without the shell and could probably make a case. The the inevitable happened - a friend showed up with a seadrenched MOOLY and needed the drive!
The biggest rpoblem with spring wound systems is that it is very difficult to keep a constant speed. The old MOOLY would do 12 frames on a wind up - the first 5-6 at a rapid rate and then slow down dramatically!
The Robot winders were better, but still would only do 19-22 frames per wind. The exception being the Luftwaffe Robot with the double spring.
The market and the cost of such a winder for modern cameras (or the old M2's) would be small and I doubt that one could be made within reasonable cost.
Nice concept though and if I ever find another MOOLY I will take up the challenge.
At one time as was working on a MOOLY winder for a M2. I had the drive without the shell and could probably make a case. The the inevitable happened - a friend showed up with a seadrenched MOOLY and needed the drive!
The biggest rpoblem with spring wound systems is that it is very difficult to keep a constant speed. The old MOOLY would do 12 frames on a wind up - the first 5-6 at a rapid rate and then slow down dramatically!
The Robot winders were better, but still would only do 19-22 frames per wind. The exception being the Luftwaffe Robot with the double spring.
The market and the cost of such a winder for modern cameras (or the old M2's) would be small and I doubt that one could be made within reasonable cost.
Nice concept though and if I ever find another MOOLY I will take up the challenge.
newspaperguy
Well-known
Not rangefinder, but somewhat on topic: Back in the late 50s/early 60s, I shot a lot of road races with a Practina FX with a detachable spring-wound motor drive. Worked well for the period, but as I dimly recall, was a PITA to keep adjusted/synced. Of course, this was a winder, not a full-sequence drive.
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
I have seen these winders but I have no idea how well they worked. looked really neat though!
maddoc
... likes film again.
I used my father's Robot (24x24 frame size) when I was 14 or so. The spring-driven "motor" was amazing quiet and lasted long. If I remember correctly, one complete 135-24 without "charging". Most amazingly was the crisp-sharp Schneider-Kreuznach lens (interchangeable but forgot the thread size ...)
Harry Lime
Practitioner
Hey, Tom. It was just one of those crazy ideas you come up with when you're day dreaming in a boring meeting at work...
But it would be interesting if it could be made to work.
I wonder how people would feel about not being able to shoot a full 36 frame roll on one 'charge'...
But it would be interesting if it could be made to work.
I wonder how people would feel about not being able to shoot a full 36 frame roll on one 'charge'...