Voigtlander Vito BL issues

[Thmaga]

I've had my Vito for a good while, but it's only seen a handful of rolls of film since I've had it.

I dev'd a roll of FP4 that's been half shot in there for a while, frame spacing is erratic, some frames overlapped, others are totally black on the neg, all in all a bit of a mess! I can't really remember much about the previous roll I shot, but I did have some usable shots.

I just just ran a test roll through it, and it advanced and cocked the shutter perfectly for the length of 24exp roll of film I have knocking about as a test.

I noticed some of the sprocket holes had ripped a bit on that roll (It's probably been through a few cameras now) so I've just grabbed a roll of Truprint junk film to run through again.

The camera is tearing through the sprocket holes as I advance the film, even if I'm gentle with the lever, not every time, but maybe 1 in three, I can hear the pop and open the back and its torn through.

The shutter on this model is cocked the via a sprocket above the film gate.

Any ideas?

Could the film tension be too low causing it not to engage properly on the sprocket?

Nothing torn on the FP4 roll, but maybe its slipped across the sprockets there.

 

[Mr Badger]

It might just be seizing up due to the oil or grease hardening, in which case you could send it for a 'clean, lubricate and adjust' but even using a 'cheap' camera technician, that will probably cost more than the camera is worth. So unless it's of sentimental value or you don't mind spending money, then a CLA is probably out of the question. Other than checking that nothing visible is jammed in the works, there's not much else I can suggest.

 

[NickT]

If you have a dummy roll of film, try it with that. First of all, pull the film out by hand to confirm that the cassette and pay-off spool are free to move. After that, realising that it's the teeth that engage with the sprocket holes, that do the pulling from the cassette, check the sprocket holes for signs of tearing.
If there is a tear on the edge nearest take-up, then there is drag from the cassette; if the tears are on the edge nearest the pay-off, then the take-up spool is having to drag a stiff sprocket mechanism. I've always thought that there was a direct geared connection between the take-up spool/winder and the sprocket hole teeth roller but I could be wrong.

 

[Thmaga]

It might just be seizing up due to the oil or grease hardening, in which case you could send it for a 'clean, lubricate and adjust' but even using a 'cheap' camera technician, that will probably cost more than the camera is worth. So unless it's of sentimental value or you don't mind spending money, then a CLA is probably out of the question. Other than checking that nothing visible is jammed in the works, there's not much else I can suggest.

It is quite stiff to advance the sprocket by hand, I have another Vito B here which is similarly stiff, but I suppose both are about the same age and neither likely to have had a CLA.

Back to using the Rollei 35 then perhaps?

 

[Thmaga]

If you have a dummy roll of film, try it with that. First of all, pull the film out by hand to confirm that the cassette and pay-off spool are free to move. After that, realising that it's the teeth that engage with the sprocket holes, that do the pulling from the cassette, check the sprocket holes for signs of tearing.
If there is a tear on the edge nearest take-up, then there is drag from the cassette; if the tears are on the edge nearest the pay-off, then the take-up spool is having to drag a stiff sprocket mechanism. I've always thought that there was a direct geared connection between the take-up spool/winder and the sprocket hole teeth roller but I could be wrong.

I did put a dummy roll in, cassette is spinning freely, I think it is the sprocket that's causing the issue.

The shutters don't cock on this unless there is a film in, so I don't think its directly geared to the take up spool.

 

[john.margetts]

I would squirt a small amount of lighter fuel onto the sprocket wheel and sit there and rotate the wheel for a while, perhaps repeat a few times.

The alternative is to take the top plate off and apply the lighter fuel directly but in my experience camera makers use too many sneaky springs for comfort.

 

[Mr Badger]

I've just had a look at the BL I have, and the sprocket wheel is very stiff to move to the right, but easy enough to move the the left (when the rewind knob is popped up), so they're all probably like that. The only thing I can suggest is try to make sure the film sprocket holes fit properly over the sprocket wheel teeth and don't slip out and move across the teeth when you close the back of the camera. Perhaps try it like that with your test film (at a point beyond any tears that might be in it) and see if that's any better?

 

[Thmaga]

I've just had a look at the BL I have, and the sprocket wheel is very stiff to move to the right, but easy enough to move the the left (when the rewind knob is popped up), so they're all probably like that. The only thing I can suggest is try to make sure the film sprocket holes fit properly over the sprocket wheel teeth and don't slip out and move across the teeth when you close the back of the camera. Perhaps try it like that with your test film (at a point beyond any tears that might be in it) and see if that's any better?

I did take some care to line it up, it seems to slip much more with the back open as if the pressure plate is needed to keep things in place.

 

[Mr Badger]

I did take some care to line it up, it seems to slip much more with the back open as if the pressure plate is needed to keep things in place.

Judging by how stiff the sprocket wheel seems to be, I'd think it's almost certain the camera back needs to be securely closed and locked before trying to wind on. I've not had sprocket tearing problems with mine so far, but I can see how it might happen if the film is trapped between sprocket holes and sprocket wheel teeth when closing the back... whether that would lead to the problem repeating itself after the holes finally line up with the teeth, I don't know. Best of luck with it anyway.