Problem with my R3A "Advance Lever!"

mob81 · 03-07-2010

Just bought the R3A and loaded the first ROLL. However, the advance lever stuck and the shutter release can be pressed but not working "can't take a picture?!"
I removed the film "A roll wasted" and removed the battery and still the same issue "don't want to put another roll of film to be wasted until the problem solved.

Can someone tell me what to do.

Thanks in Advance

Ranchu · 03-07-2010

That sucks.

Sounds jammed = the interlocks of the wind mechanism have gotten out of order somehow. Generally an easy fix at a repair shop, it's called resetting, they find the interlock that is causing the trouble and disengage, then reingage it.

mob81 · 03-07-2010

Oh man, There are no rangefinder repair where I live!!!!! I searched before.

I'll search again, hopefully I'll Find someone

nimcod · 03-07-2010

Now ill say now that this method defiantly isnt the safest and may well be a bad idea but, this happened to my r2a when i first got it, and in an annoyed mood i banged the camera on the base with the heel of my hand (fairly hard) and it caused a mechanism to release inside and fire (what i think was the 2nd set of shutter blades/curtains) or something. and i was able to use the camera fine ever since.

i am now wondering if anyone else has done this, or if i am the only one to have being stupid enough to hit it in annoyance!

now obviously the best plan is to send it off to a repair man, and he would un jam your camera, and in the long run this would probably be the safest and most sensible method

gliderbee · 03-07-2010

Have a look at this tread:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=86415

It might help. There's also a reference in there to another thread that might help.

Stefan.

mob81 · 03-07-2010

I searched but no luck!!!!!!!!!!!!! "only very few knows what a rangefinder is!!"
(I'm thinking of jamming the damn thing into something) "I hope I won't"

I'll look for other possible solutions.

ruby.monkey · 03-07-2010

Hang on - if you've just bought the camera then the first thing you should do is contact the vendor.

gliderbee · 03-07-2010

Have a look at this tread:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=86415

It might help. There's also a reference in there to another thread that might help.

Stefan.

mob81 · 03-07-2010

It seems like it's ready to take another shot "when the film advances (so the advance lever is blocked from advancing)"

but the shutter can be pressed but no action??!!!

I looked to those links mentioned but no solution

gliderbee · 03-07-2010

What does the shutter look like :

Uncocked ?

or cocked ?

Stefan

Quote:

Originally Posted by mob81

It seems like it's ready to take another shot "when the film advances (so the advance lever is blocked from advancing)"

but the shutter can be pressed but no action??!!!

I looked to those links mentioned but no solution

mob81 · 03-07-2010

Stefan Thanks a lot (now I understand what you guys mean by "cocked and uncocked"...I'm not English native speaker)

it's cocked "2nd picture"

gliderbee · 03-07-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by mob81

Stefan Thanks a lot (now I understand what you guys mean by "cocked and uncocked"...I'm not English native speaker)

it's cocked "2nd picture"

Then it's indeed ready to take another shot. Just to eliminate the obvious: the R3A has a shutter lock: it _is_ unlocked, right (red dot showing) ?

Did you try to advance the film before the last exposure was finished ? It seems to happen with quite some people, esp. when taking a picture with the lenscap on ...

BTW, I'm not an English native speaker either, so don't take me as a reference for correct English

Stefan.

mob81 · 03-07-2010

It was going perfect until the 16th frame where it all happened!!! now I can't advance and the shutter button is pressed nothing happens "if the red dot is away "the camera is off" the shutter button can't be pressed!!!!!

even there is no LED indicating anything when I press the shutter now "after the problem occur"

by the way, I removed the FILM "wasted a whole roll"

is there a fix to this issue "it doesn't seem major but I can't fix it with my limited knowledge "

gliderbee · 03-07-2010

Well, I would try this (with a good fitting screwdriver, these things are generally intimidating, but easier than it looks at first ...but it's your camera).

I don't know if your camera is new or bought secondhand ? Opening it yourself might void your warranty if it's new ... Maybe it will get unstick by just wiggling the filmsprockets a bit ?

from another tread:

"I just took of the bottom. Giggled the wheels a little bit and the shutter unstuck quite easily.
Second problem: I could advance the lever, but the curtains would not advance and the shutter would not cock. I stared at the mechanics for a bit, pushed and pulled some things, and then I saw what was wrong: there's a big metal arm that stretches all the way across the bottom (about 10 cm) and it needs to grip a button - it came loose. It took quite a bit of force to make it pick in again, but it's done, et voila, I fixed my Bessa!
Everything works as it should again, couldn't be happier and I saved myself a lot of money!"

Stefan.
__________________

mob81 · 03-07-2010

The filmsprockets is loose (I scroll it few times and nothing happened)

do I need to open the bottom plate "is that what does the poster you quote meant"

gliderbee · 03-07-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by mob81

The filmsprockets is loose (I scroll it few times and nothing happened)

do I need to open the bottom plate "is that what does the poster you quote meant"

Yes, I would open the bottom plate and have a look, but again, if you bought the camera new (did you ?), it might void your warranty (I guess).

Take the batteries out first. You did put them back in, right (not meaning to offend you; could happen to everybody in the stress of the situation) ?

Stefan.

mob81 · 03-07-2010

Yes I bought it new from friend of mine "he bought it from adorama few days ago" and the battery is on.

I contacted adorama.com and voigtlander.de
and i'll wait for the replay.

If I'm sure opening the bottom plate will make it work, I'll open it and hell with the warranty! because if I send it back to the states or even to Japan to Cosina it'll take too much time!!

Ranchu · 03-07-2010

Try putting it in a manual shutter speed, rather than auto. Maybe you tried that. Might work?

HelenOster · 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by mob81

Yes I bought it new from friend of mine "he bought it from adorama few days ago" and the battery is on.

Let me know if there is anything I may be able to do to help

mob81 · 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by HelenOster

Let me know if there is anything I may be able to do to help

Thanks for your offer
I sent an e-mail

Brian Puccio · 03-08-2010

You know the rewind knob? Don't actually rewind it and don't pull up shaft, but flip up the little part called the rewind crank (part 14 in the manual) that's normally down and see if it advances then. I've heard of Bessa's having the rewing fork (part 28 in the manual) not spin freely to allow the film to advance and flipping up this allows it to start moving again.

mob81 · 03-08-2010

dear brian,
the shutter is cocked so the advance lever won't advance until a shutter releases!! that's what I understood

mob81 · 03-08-2010

I'll check the battery (buying new one after about an hour) "it could be it!!! it's R3(A) after all"

I hope this is it!!!!! IF SO I'LL FEEL HAPPY MOSTLY AND STUPID AT THE SAME TIME.

Brian Puccio · 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by mob81

dear brian,
the shutter is cocked so the advance lever won't advance until a shutter releases!! that's what I understood

Sorry, I misunderstood you. I thought the advance lever wouldn't advance and you were ready to take another picture. My apologies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mob81

I'll check the battery (buying new one after about an hour) "it could be it!!! it's R3(A) after all"

I hope this is it!!!!! IF SO I'LL FEEL HAPPY MOSTLY AND STUPID AT THE SAME TIME.

I remember when I first got my R2A, I didn't have any batteries, I thought I could at least make sure it mechanically worked until I got to the store to buy a battery. It wouldn't go, I needed a battery for it to work. If your battery isn't giving enough, this could be it.

mob81 · 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Puccio

Sorry, I misunderstood you. I thought the advance lever wouldn't advance and you were ready to take another picture. My apologies.

I remember when I first got my R2A, I didn't have any batteries, I thought I could at least make sure it mechanically worked until I got to the store to buy a battery. It wouldn't go, I needed a battery for it to work. If your battery isn't giving enough, this could be it.

no need for apologizes My first few posts indicates what you understood "I didn't know back then"

But thanks to Stefan I understand that the shutter is cocked "So the advance lever mostly won't be the problem"

Man I wish it's the battery

"I have the batteries but hopefully it's out of juice"