Nicca / Tower LTM Tower/Nicca

[tennis-joe]

I shot a roll of film with my Tower/Nicca lever advance camera and the photos appeared to only expose 1/2 of each picture. After checking the camera with a white paper behind the lens where the film would advance it appeared the full frame was being exposed. I am wondering if I didn’t have the smaller shutter speed set at 1/25 that caused it?

 

[tennis-joe]

1/2 frame

1/2 frame

I was checking the inside of the camera again and I found a tiny piece of film, about 2mm in a corner of exposure frame. Maybe this small piece of film was hindering the shutter? Hopefully this was the problem. I guess I will have to shoot another roll to find out.

 

[jorgef2002]

Tower/Nica.

Tower/Nica.

Hello Tennis Joe,that happened to me once,but my problem was that I had the camera speed set for flash, I hope you find the problem saludos.


Jorgef2002:bang:

 

[Peter Jennings]

The film chip was probably the culprit. I have a Canon 7s whose second curtain would never close completely. Something was blocking it somewhere but I couldn't see anything. After taking it mostly apart I finally noticed something jammed inside the second curtain drum. It was a tiny piece of black painted metal sheet - probably a light baffle from some part of the camera that had come loose. After extricating it, the shutter ran perfectly. These shutters really are delicate mechanisms. It doesn't take much to foul them up!

Best of luck

 

[p.giannakis]

Hopefully, the small piece of film was the cause. If not, then you have one shutter curtain running faster than the other ( Google 'shutter curtain capping').

 

[Luddite Frank]

I once had a film-loading catastrophe with a black-paint 1933 Leica III, where the leader got "split", with part of it winding-onto the take-up spool, and the other part diverting past the framing gate, and getting rolled-up into one of the shutter blinds...

After a frame or two, the wind-on bound-up completely, and I had to investigate.

It involved my first time disassembling a Barnack, and removing the shutter-crate from the body... 😱

I was able to extricate the damaged film, and clear all the chips from the shutter area, get it back together, and the camera has seemed to function okay since.

I am VERY careful with my leader-trimming ever since, making sure not to leave any ragged edges, notches, or "slits" that could catch & tear.

(My Nicca III needs new curtains, so it's waiting to go to the camera doctor.)

Good luck with yours ! 😎

 

[tennis-joe]

I will find out March 1 when I get the roll developed. There are hardly any more processing color film and one close shop only processes on Thursdays. I put a business card behind the shutter where the film goes and snapping the shutter exposes all of the white card. The suspense is killing me to see if that was the problem. If not then I will get the camera repaired.

 

[Livesteamer]

I had a variation of Luddite Frank's Barnack film disaster. I had shot a roll of color film with my 1934 Leica II. I had trimmed the leader with my Ablon and after shooting the roll had rewound the film all the way into the cassette. I took it to the local camera store and when they fished the leader out only the cut down portion of film came out. The top half was tearing and staying in the film cassette. They killed half my roll before they stopped and called me. They said my camera was tearing film but that was not the case. I got the cassette in a changing bag and was able to salvage half the roll.

Lesson. Cut the leader very smoothly and if possible, do not rewind the leader into the cassette. Joe

 

[css9450]

Lesson. Cut the leader very smoothly and if possible, do not rewind the leader into the cassette. Joe

Hmmmm, and you had used the template to cut it too...

I just trim mine freehand but sometimes wonder if a sharp corner where the curve is supposed to be could introduce a tear in the film. Similar to the way concrete floor slabs crack if the floor is poured in an L-shape. Note to myself: Cut with a gentle curve next time.

 

[farlymac]

Yes, that curve near the canister is best done freehand with a razor blade, as it is a stress point. The outer edge near the canister also needs to be curved or it will catch on the felting, and possibly the camera film gate.

I have a Prinz model cutting guide, but I don't particularly care for it as it doesn't have the same cutting slot of the ABLOM. Therefore, I just draw a guide on a piece of card stock, and freehand the cut with an Xacto knife.

Sorry to hear about your troubles, tennis-joe, I understand about the lack of photo labs. My Nicca IIIs broke a shutter curtain on the second roll I put through it, but no problems with the film itself. You just have to be careful in the preparation. Film chips though can happen in any film camera, especially towards the end of the roll when some folks tend to forget how many exposures they have left, and give the winder a good crank. I'm always checking any new addition to my film group for chips and seals.

PF

 

[Livesteamer]

I think farlymac has stated the essence of the problem. However you cut the leader, it needs to be smoothly done. In another thread there was some discussion whether modern film stock is a bit more brittle than in the past. I think it is but that's just my opinion. Joe

 

[Luddite Frank]

Steamer- I wonder if the film bases of today are thinner ?

Through the life of 35 mm "cine" films, we have gone from cellulose-nitrate, to acetate, to polyester, to ... ???

After my black III disaster, I invested in a decent quality pair of Revlon cuticle scissors, from the drug store. These have slightly curved blades, that are snug-fitting, and well-ground, and have a "tight" pivot joint that prevents the blades from "spreading" and pinching the film / material being cut.

They have their own special little pocket in my Screwmount travel kit.

I also try to prep several rolls at a time, when I can sit at a table or desk, and do a careful job, so that I don't have to do it on my feet, in the street...

 

[tennis-joe]

Nicca/Tower shutter

Nicca/Tower shutter

The small piece of film seems to be the problem I shot another roll and the photos came out okay. Used a Nikkor 50/2 LTM and then uploaded some to my collection. Had to add contrast and reduced the size to get them on the blog. This was just a quick roll to test the camera and I had them put on a disk to look at them. The lens is of quality and from the period. Now I need to shoot more creative shots.
🙂