Bronica RF645 problem - question to users

[ooze]

Hi,

After loading a roll of film and winding to frame #1 I can't fire the shutter. The electronics seem to work OK and the display in the finder shows the "X", which you can usually only see when there is no film in the camera. So, I think the camera doesn't detect the film. I have opened the back, rewound the film and tried it again, still no good. Tried another film and had the same problem. The film transport stops properly at frame 1 though. I did press the Multiple Exposure button to get rid of the "X" and could fire the shutter, but then I couldn't advance the film (as it should be).

Has anybody had a similar problem? Do you know a solution?

Thanks.

 

[Graham.b]

Hello, this might seem like a silly ask, but when you loaded the film, did you wide on the film to the red line before shutting the back. I do have a RF645 and as to date no issue's. I have also put several rolls through her.

Graham

 

[ooze]

Hello, this might seem like a silly ask, but when you loaded the film, did you wide on the film to the red line before shutting the back. I do have a RF645 and as to date no issue's. I have also put several rolls through her.

Graham

Yes, I loaded the film properly. I bought the camera new about 4 years ago and it has seen constant use without any problems up to now.
I also replaced the batteries with fresh ones. Still, the problem persists.

Does anyone know how the camera detects the presence of film? There seem to be tiny LED's in the film chamber but I'm not sure.

 

[Graham.b]

Another thought, you have not in pushed the 120/220 switch in the camera on the pressure plate. Grabbing at straws but a thought.

Graham

 

[gpena]

Is the lens mounted properly?

 

[kraker]

Does anyone know how the camera detects the presence of film? There seem to be tiny LED's in the film chamber but I'm not sure.

I'm not sure myself, but I always notice a very distinct 'click' when I start winding a new roll of film, so I was/am under the impression that it is something mechanical. LEDs? That's another possibility.

As to your problem... Can't help you right now, but I'll be watching this thread; if I think of anything, I'll post it.

 

[Brook Hill]

I had the same problem and took the camera back to Intro 2020, the Bronica agents at Slough in October last year. I could of posted it but I live fairly close. They said the problem is due to a contact switch which connects when the winder arm is pushed right forward which tells the camera the film is wound on. The man there got the shutter to fire in the multiple exposure mode using the button the back which I think over rides the the "winder completion switch" . It cost me £49 and it was done in a day. I thought it was excellent service.
Tony

 

[ooze]

OK, an update for the interested. I took the camera to an excellent technician I know, who also takes care of my Leica and other camera gear. He saw the problem, then played around with the camera and did something with the ME button at the back...and suddenly the camera was fine again! I couldn't believe my eyes, because I had pressed the ME button myself. But thinking about it now, I think you have to press ME once (to get rid of the "X"), fire the shutter, and then press ME again and fire the shutter once more. This then releases the lock. Then he explained to me the problem and it sounded almost the same as what Tony wrote above. Basically, there is a mechanical switch which can get stuck if the camera has been sitting idle for a longish time. I hadn't been using the camera for a couple of months indeed. And if there is something else wrong with this switch it apparently can cause inconsistencies in the frame spacing.

Moral of the story: use your camera(s)!

By the way, it cost me nothing and was done in a couple of minutes

For the next half hour I showed him prints I had taken with the Bronica and a Hasselblad, because I knew that he had a genuine appreciation of film and darkroom. He loved them and we talked about how film+darkroom is so much better than digital

 

[Prospero]

Hello all.

Bumping this thread because I seem to have the same problem, but no amount of firing the shutter using the ME button allows me to advance the film or makes the X go away when not using ME.

Can anyone tell me where this switch is that is prone to sticking?

thanks

 

[ooze]

I can't help, I'm afraid. The problem I had back then recurred and the camera has been unusable for almost 2 years now.

 

[TimVermont]

Have either of you tried using a paper clip wire to push in the emergency drive release? (The small hole on the back just under the "bend" in the wind arm.) Then take a full stroke on the winder to see if it resets the switch. Good luck!

 

[Prospero]

Thanks very much for that advice - it seems to have worked!

NB: I had to press the release button a few times before it unlocked.

Edit: Have just run a roll through and can confirm it appears to be fixed. Many thanks.

 

[TimVermont]

Great! I will also say that once I trained myself to always take a full continuous wind stroke instead of a couple of shorter ratcheted strokes this problem went away on both my bodies.