Topic: Always check your equipment

[02Pilot]

I went out to shoot a few photos between bouts of torrential rain this afternoon. At the last minute I decided to take my Ciro-Flex TLR, as it hadn't been out in quite a while. I loaded up a roll of FP4+ and headed out - as I shot I had a feeling that there was something not quite right with the shutter, but there wasn't anything I could do until I got home, so I proceeded to shoot up the roll.

When I did get back home, I pulled the film out and checked the shutter - the blades weren't moving at all. Great. Thankfully the Alphax shutter is stupid easy to open up, so I dug in and cleaned it up. A little Ronsonol and some graphite powder on the blades and all was well again. I took the opportunity to clean up a little haze that had accumulated on both lenses as well. With some difficulty I rerolled the FP4+, which I can only assume is still blank; I will use it as a test roll to make sure all is now well.

Not a major disaster, but certainly an annoyance, especially since it could have been avoided by simply testing the shutter before I loaded the film. Guess what my new standard operating procedure is....

[tkmedia]

I always test the shutter if I had not used the camera in a while. Even if I have film loaded, I rather waste a shot on something unimportant than lost of an amazing shot or roll due to equipment failure.

[02Pilot]

Yeah, I should have known better. Part of the problem is that the Alphax is a self-charging shutter, and when you actuate it it feels like something's happening even if it isn't. The Ciro-Flex was one of the first, if not the first, shutter I serviced, and in looking at it now I see that I didn't do a great job. The blades were not as clean as they should have been, and there were some remnants of old lubricants remaining as well. It's been properly sorted out now (the powdered graphite on the blades seems to be a virtual necessity if you want to get leaf shutters truly running right), so I'm hoping it doesn't jam up on me again, but it happens.

[Francois]

I have an Alphax shutter which is stuck in the open position.
I'd have to take it all apart to fix it... not fun.

[02Pilot]

I have an Alphax shutter which is stuck in the open position.
I'd have to take it all apart to fix it... not fun.

It's really, really easy to take apart (as shutters go). Unscrew the front element, remove the two screws that hold the cover plate, lift off the plate and the one beneath it. Take out the two longer screws and remove the cover, along with the shutter speed ring and you're in. Super simple shutter, lots of room to work compared to most. I had mine apart, cleaned, and back together in under an hour.

[Francois]

In that case, I might have to give mine a go. Mine was fitted to a Polaroid so it's slightly different than the one on the Ciroflex.

Did you ever take yours apart down to the shutter leaves?

[02Pilot]

Never needed to. My usual approach is to get in and apply a little solvent to see if things loosen up. If they do, I'll service the shutter and clean the blades in place. If not, I dig deeper.

Check this link for a detailed tear-down: http://pheugo.com/cameras/index.php?page=alphax

[Francois]

From memory, the insides of mine look a lot like that with a few minor differences.
I'll have to set an afternoon off to give it a good clean and fix what binds.
I'm quite attached to it since it came with a gloriously luminous 75mm f/1.9 chunk of heavy glass.

[mcduff]

OK I have never done anything this stupid before -- well, that involved a camera! 

I was shooting the M645 and noticed the winding was funny. Instead of stopping, opening it up in the dark, seeing what was going on, and rerolling the film, I proceeded blindly ahead. I process the film and nothing is on it (OK the numbers and ilford info is on it so it was processed correctly).

What did this fool do??? I think I loaded it backwards!!! I.e., had the backing paper at the front. Haha. what an idiot. I have never done that before. 

Perhaps I will get out a crayon and draw some of the photos that I was going to submit for the "its the weekend" posting!

[Francois]

If you have the same talents I have for drawing, this could prove to be somewhat interesting!

[tkmedia]

The m645 is darn easy to load as it has a easy to understand pictograph on the film insert. Its other inserts I often forget.

[mcduff]

The m645 is darn easy to load as it has a easy to understand pictograph on the film insert.

Well that is why I am particularly proud of my screwup. I don't really know what I was thinking as it is really easy to load. I would say I could load it in my sleep, except that is what I think it did this time and was not pleased with the results!!

[Late Developer]

Unless you're prepared to accept such snarl-ups, don't even think about buying a Hasselblad. The backs don't have any diagrams and, unless you're fully conversant, it is very easy to load film back to front. Done it a few times and can't remember laughing it off......

[Francois]

Maybe you should use some of that thin Dymo thermal tape (or just use a paint pen) and write EMPTY on the proper side.

[tkmedia]

Maybe you should use some of that thin Dymo thermal tape (or just use a paint pen) and write EMPTY on the proper side.

exactly what I was thinking of . But knowing which side is empty is only the first step. Some inserts it's hard to tell which "way is up".

[Francois]

That's when an arrow is handy
Actually, if it's written in the proper orientation it should automatically say which way is up.

[mcduff]

Oh ya Francois, there is lots of good info on what way it should load. This is not me whinging about poor design - esp for the M645 which is great to load. This is me stating I can apparently be a complete idiot, haha. Tho I try to convince my wife and kids that I counter this condition with occasional moments of brilliance ;-)

[Francois]

I guess I should welcome you to the House of the Klutz

[tkmedia]