Bronica S2 Film Back: Film Counter Not Resetting

[taotao]

I just recently bought a spare film back for my Bronica S2 and it just arrived today, but there's an issue: the film counter is stuck a little past 24 and it wouldn't reset even after poking at the reset pin at the film door. This means that the film back is essentially a paperweight since new film can't be loaded in and be detected by the film back. There was a thread on this from 2008 on rangefinderforum.com but the URL with the pictures have all been closed down and there isn't much information in the thread anyways. Does anyone know how to fix this?

 

[polka]

Please notice that the back is set to 12 poses (120 film) and that the counter passed 24. Why not try to set the back to 24 poses (220 film) ?
then poke as you did at some accessible reels and pins. The counter may then just jump back to 0 (it was maybe just sort of "confused"). Then you can set the back "back to 12". and go on...

 

[taotao]

Just tried that, doesn't seem to do anything. I tried poking at the reset pin and everything :/
The film selector switch doesn't do anything once film is loaded in, or when the film counter winds past 0, so...

 

[willIam wu]

Just tried that, doesn't seem to do anything. I tried poking at the reset pin and everything :/
The film selector switch doesn't do anything once film is loaded in, or when the film counter winds past 0, so...

Hey taotao,
I have just met the exact same problem as yours, wondering if you have solved it? Thx so much! Or you can reach me at williamwyh@live.com.

 

[reddesert]

When the back is wound past the 24th exposure the counter disengages from the winder so it just sits at that position - that is, the winder should freewheel.

When the back is opened the reset pin should spring out to be almost even with the flanges that make up the light seal channel. It is sprung by a fairly firm spring. If it doesn't spring out all the way then perhaps it is hanging up on something (look out for dents in the channel).

The Bronica S2 service manual PDF available at https://learncamerarepair.com/productlist.php?category=2&secondary=33 has some suggestions for diagnosing and repairing the "film counter doesn't reset to 0" problem that require looking at the internal mechanism. These are near the very end of the PDF, see pages 99 and 100 (of the original page numbers not the PDF pages).