So I dropped my C220...

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Carl Hall

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Hello all :)

I'm currently on a long weekend in Paris and for the first time ever I decided to leave my digital SLR at home, and the only camera I've brought with me is my Mamiya C220. It's a big step for me! :D

I accidentally knocked my camera bag off the bed yesterday with the C220 in it, but as its a beast of a camera I thought nothing of it and just picked it up. I started shooting some film and was surprised to find that I only got 11 photos from a roll instead of the usual 12... On closer inspection I can see that I've broken the winding knob on the side, which is now cracked and doesn't turn quite as smoothly.

I'm certainly no expert with the internal workings of cameras, but I'm guessing that there's a device inside which changes the amount the film is wound on for each shot, depending on how far through the roll you are, so that the spacing is consistent throughout the roll as the roll diameter changes? Sounds like I might have broken this bit too!

Now on to my actual question :) My main concern isn't the damage to the camera (expect a "how can I fix this" thread when I return thigh :) ), or that I'm only getting 11 photos per roll, but that I'm going to get ruined films back from the lab when I get home!

Do you think it's wise for me to carry on using the camera? Am I likely to just get bad spacing between shots or could every roll be totally ruined? I guess I'm lucky that the C220 has a leaf shutter in the lens and no meter as its less for me break :D

Any advice is appreciated :) I've added a photo of the damage but it's a crappy iphone photo so it's not too clear!

Cheers,

CarlView attachment 28839
 
Without actually using the camera I'm only guessing but could it be that the winding knob is slipping slightly as you're winding it on? Plastic knobs on cameras are usually fitted to splined bars so they grip but with the crack it's probably lost tension so the wind on mechanism isn't completely winding so you're getting at least one overlap at the end. The only thing I could suggest is to grip the winding knob tighter as you turn to see if you can make it wind properly.

Good luck
Steve
 
Flipping eck that's unlucky.

I'm no expert Carl but if you haven't damaged the lens or shutter release there isn't much else to go wrong with a C220. Before you load another film just check the mirror is still in the right place and the lens is sitting correctly but I would think it is just a spacing issue.
Hope it all works out ok.

Andy
 
Film and Conventional... Our motto should be ' F & C, always someone there for you ' :D
 
stevelmx5 said:
Without actually using the camera I'm only guessing but could it be that the winding knob is slipping slightly as you're winding it on? Plastic knobs on cameras are usually fitted to splined bars so they grip but with the crack it's probably lost tension so the wind on mechanism isn't completely winding so you're getting at least one overlap at the end. The only thing I could suggest is to grip the winding knob tighter as you turn to see if you can make it wind properly.

Good luck
Steve
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my thoughts a well ,,,i wouldnt use the handle , firm grip on the plastic and a steady deliberate wind on and see if that gives you the 12.
good luck anyway , hope its a simple fix when you get back. Andy
 
My C330 had a complete failure of the film counting mechanism which I managed to fix myself after some googling. I'll try to find the link for you. It did involve removing the leather cover on the side and a lot of little screws but nothing really technical.
 
This 11 instead of 12 thing isn't coming together in my head.

If its knob slippage....oooerr.......its not winding the film the correct distance, the frames will overlap and you'll get more shots on the roll, not less.

Could be that it is just the counter, the transport is fine but the counter says its the end of the roll at 11 so you lose a frame every roll, or it could be borked to hell and back, either way, its all you have, if it was me I'd carry on shooting, shoot b/w and hope there was no light leak.
 
joxby said:
If its knob slippage....oooerr.......its not winding the film the correct distance, the frames will overlap and you'll get more shots on the roll, not less.
Click to expand...

I don't think so. If it slips, you will just need to turn it more until it stops. The number and spacing of shots shouldn't change.


Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
I don't think so. If it slips, you will just need to turn it more until it stops. The number and spacing of shots shouldn't change.
Steve.
Click to expand...

You're right, its tough to say what's wrong with it without using it, how do we know its only shooting 11, is it the counter stopping at 11 or did we count manually, do we even know its winding on at all
 
joxby said:
You're right, its tough to say what's wrong with it without using it, how do we know its only shooting 11, is it the counter stopping at 11 or did we count manually, do we even know its winding on at all
Click to expand...

we don't really - though how long it takes to spool through the film at the end of the roll might be a clue if it was 11 or 12.

Personally I'd just keep shooting with it, as it's a holiday trip, and hope that it's just something minor with the counter - I know i'd sooner have a couple of rolls of wasted film than miss one shot that i'd have to travel abroad to re-shoot... of course, I still have the attitude that "film is cheap, missing a shot could be priceless" which came from shooting on film for wages a long time ago...
 
I've dropped Rb backs on occasion and the counter tends to go awry or the multi exposure lock thinks it's been tripped. Given you've got your slr and is known good. I'd be inclined to at least take both.
 
Oops.
 
stevelmx5 said:
'fraid not :0(

" for the first time ever I decided to leave my digital SLR at home"
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I thought he meant in his hotel, but actually your probably right.

My reading comprehension is really bad at the moment... Too tired me thinks.
 
Boulevard Beaumarchais has the best selection of used camera shops. About 1.5km north east of Notre-Dame.
Best to check them all out though :)
 
best to open the back, check shutter fires, then look at what happens when you wind on
I don't know if that camera has a window to check number on the roll

but if it winds, light tight and shutter fires, then you will get photos
 
Thanks for the help everyone, it's reassuring to know that I'm probably still going to get some shots from the trip! :) I decided to carry on using it anyway as all I have to lose is a few rolls of film!

I'm not sure if it makes a difference but it does seem that the films winding on properly. After I get past the final shot the film does free up pretty soon after as it pulls off the original spool. I haven't actually counted the shots though, I just read 11 as the roll ended.

Hopefully I'll get the film developed and it'll come back with slightly bigger spaces between frames (or perhaps a bigger gap at the start or end??)

The last two rolls I shot (Provia 400X and HP5) both somehow gave me 12 shots... Even though previous rolls of Provia and HP5 (and also Portra 400) gave me 11! Perhaps my cameras magically fixed itself? :D

Really surprised that the camera even broke to be honest! It only fell from bed height whilst in a camera bag. Before now it's been on the passenger seat in my car with no bag and was thrown into the footwell when I braked hard (missed my turning :D ), and it survived!

Oh well, I'll dev my HP5 on Wednesday and see what comes out, then I'll post the E6 and C41 films off to Darkroom UK if they're alright.

Thanks for the super speedy and helpful replies everyone, much appreciated (y) :)
 
Carl Hall said:
Really surprised that the camera even broke to be honest! It only fell from bed height whilst in a camera bag. Before now it's been on the passenger seat in my car with no bag and was thrown into the footwell when I braked hard (missed my turning :D ), and it survived!
Click to expand...

So maybe the knob was weak from previous bashing around?
 
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