Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
Photo Analysis
Shots are hit or miss with this old Minolta film SLR
Page <prev 2 of 2
Feb 12, 2022 16:22:26   #
revcor Loc: Bay Area, CA
 
StanMac wrote:
The spinning of the rewind crank is due to the film in the canister unwinding within the canister. The film is wound onto the spool quite tightly when rewinding. Releasing pressure on the rewind crank allows the film to try to straighten out within the spool, relieving that tension. When you reach that resistance, continue until the end of the film is pulled out of the takeup spool in the camera. No damage will occur to the film within canister where your images are. That "speckled stuff" is the sealing foam for the film door. Yours is long past due for replacement and could allow light to get through the hinge area or around the film door flanges. See my earlier post about a camera repair service that will refurbish and repair your camera.

Stan
The spinning of the rewind crank is due to the fil... (show quote)


Interesting that's more than I understood previously about what goes on during rewinding! It was a verrry noticeably stronger resistance than I've felt with the other handful of rolls though, to the point where it felt like I was going to break either the crank handle, the film itself, or the teeth on the take up spool. I have read various cautions against forcing things against a lot of resistance (albeit generally in regards to the film advance lever) so I was hesitant to roll the dice. When the store got the film out there was a sharp crease across the very end, so it seems like it may have experienced some unexpected complication at some point during its tenure in the camera haha. I will definitely get the light seals done—I'm tempted to give it a go myself because I am pretty handy, but i would also think prudent the full inspection/assessment/CLA you mention. There's one (that I'm aware of) camera repair guy who actually does the work himself here in the Bay Area, Karl Christoffersen, he works out of Seawoood Photo in San Rafael. This is of note because I've been told most places offering repair services actually contract it out and ship your camera to some other place for it, and I'm generally much more inclined towards someone doing work locally barring any difference in quality. But this Zach's place is a business you recommend? You've had good experiences with them?

And my apologies for the slow rate of reply I promise I will read and reply to everybody who has offered any input! I'm in the middle of moving and the last few days have been incredibly hectic so I've been trying to check in on this thread as often as I can

Reply
Feb 12, 2022 17:10:14   #
burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC
 
revcor wrote:
Interesting that's more than I understood previously about what goes on during rewinding! It was a verrry noticeably stronger resistance than I've felt with the other handful of rolls though, to the point where it felt like I was going to break either the crank handle, the film itself, or the teeth on the take up spool. I have read various cautions against forcing things against a lot of resistance (albeit generally in regards to the film advance lever) so I was hesitant to roll the dice. When the store got the film out there was a sharp crease across the very end, so it seems like it may have experienced some unexpected complication at some point during its tenure in the camera haha. I will definitely get the light seals done—I'm tempted to give it a go myself because I am pretty handy, but i would also think prudent the full inspection/assessment/CLA you mention. There's one (that I'm aware of) camera repair guy who actually does the work himself here in the Bay Area, Karl Christoffersen, he works out of Seawoood Photo in San Rafael. This is of note because I've been told most places offering repair services actually contract it out and ship your camera to some other place for it, and I'm generally much more inclined towards someone doing work locally barring any difference in quality. But this Zach's place is a business you recommend? You've had good experiences with them?

And my apologies for the slow rate of reply I promise I will read and reply to everybody who has offered any input! I'm in the middle of moving and the last few days have been incredibly hectic so I've been trying to check in on this thread as often as I can
Interesting that's more than I understood previous... (show quote)


A good 'CLA' will include replacing mirror foam dampener parts, replacing seals around the camera back, checking for light leaks, lubricating the shutter, mirror, and auto-aperture mechanisms, checking all gears, then checking and/or adjusting all shutter speeds for consistency and accuracy, checking the batteries UNDER LOAD, cleaning the contacts in the battery compartment as needed, replacing batteries if needed, checking lens diaphragm action, lubricating lens focus helicoids... As someone else said, it is not cheap, but it will usually result in excellent performance. It sounds like that camera has been sitting for a long, long time.

Reply
Feb 12, 2022 18:55:22   #
StanMac Loc: Tennessee
 
revcor wrote:
Interesting that's more than I understood previously about what goes on during rewinding! It was a verrry noticeably stronger resistance than I've felt with the other handful of rolls though, to the point where it felt like I was going to break either the crank handle, the film itself, or the teeth on the take up spool. I have read various cautions against forcing things against a lot of resistance (albeit generally in regards to the film advance lever) so I was hesitant to roll the dice. When the store got the film out there was a sharp crease across the very end, so it seems like it may have experienced some unexpected complication at some point during its tenure in the camera haha. I will definitely get the light seals done—I'm tempted to give it a go myself because I am pretty handy, but i would also think prudent the full inspection/assessment/CLA you mention. There's one (that I'm aware of) camera repair guy who actually does the work himself here in the Bay Area, Karl Christoffersen, he works out of Seawoood Photo in San Rafael. This is of note because I've been told most places offering repair services actually contract it out and ship your camera to some other place for it, and I'm generally much more inclined towards someone doing work locally barring any difference in quality. But this Zach's place is a business you recommend? You've had good experiences with them?

And my apologies for the slow rate of reply I promise I will read and reply to everybody who has offered any input! I'm in the middle of moving and the last few days have been incredibly hectic so I've been trying to check in on this thread as often as I can
Interesting that's more than I understood previous... (show quote)


The crease was caused by the film leader being retained on the takeup spool by being inserted into a slot on the spool. Over time, the film, which is under tension on that spool, just pressed a crease into the end of the leader.

Zacks Camera Repair has CLA's and repaired close to two dozen cameras for me ranging from 70 year old medium format folders to late model film cameras and a few vintage lenses as well. I highly recommend them. Check them out at zackscamerarepair.com

Stan

Reply
 
 
Feb 12, 2022 21:23:49   #
MrPhotog
 
revcor wrote:
Now I don't know what exactly this speckled rubberized stuff is supposed to look like, but can I assume this is not an example of its ideal peak-functioning state?


You can remove the rubber that has stuck to the camera door. It isn’t doing anything helpful there. An alcohol swab should do the trick. Whatever remains in the groove ( light baffle) should be sufficient to keep out light.

Reply
Feb 12, 2022 21:32:24   #
MrPhotog
 
revcor wrote:


. . .Would heat have a similar visible effect on film by any chance? I haven't let any film get hot but I definitely haven't been keeping it cold, it's been in the varying temperatures of a house so 65-75ºF.


Yes. Heat would have a similar effect, but it would have to be considerably over room temperature. Since only the first few frames were significantly affected, it would have needed to be a fairly high temperature for a short period of time, as the inside film in the cassette did not get affected. And it would have to be even heat on all sides, or you would see the effect as patches of heat-affected film on the hot side blending into unaffected film on the shadow ( or cooler) side.

I didn’t see evidence of that in your pictures.

Reply
Feb 19, 2022 16:00:13   #
flyboy61 Loc: The Great American Desert
 
Bayou wrote:
With a film camera of that age, do check the foam light seals that you see inside the camera when you open the back. They tend to crumble with age and can allow light leaks, and are relatively easily replaced.


What he said!

Reply
Feb 22, 2022 12:25:59   #
rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA
 
I don't think it is due to a light leak, as this usually won't affect the entire frame uniformly.

One possibility is that not the camera, but the lens is the culprit - that the aperture blade mechanism has become stiff and the blades are failing to open up to proper aperture, resulting in underexposure. Were you using the same lens for all the underexposed shots?

Reply
Page <prev 2 of 2
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
Photo Analysis
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.