GS-1 Crank is acting weird

[revdocjim]

I ran my first roll of film through my Zenza Bronica GS-1 today. I'm still hunting for a standard lens but have managed to find a 50mm and a 150mm. I'm also hunting for an AE finder.

But I decided to give it a whirl anyway with the waist level finder. I removed the speed grip since it just doesn't look right with the WLF.

Everything seemed to be working fine except the crank is acting strange. Sometimes it would work normal; which means after taking a shot you just give it one full rotation and it stops and you are ready to go. But then other times it would just keep turning and turning. The frame counter window showed that the film was only being advanced one frame, but for some reason the crank just kept going around and around. It felt exactly like it does when there is no film in the camera and you don't have it on "multiple exposure".

I was not using the MLU function or the multiple exposure function... just shooting in the normal mode. But if I kept cranking it, or stopped a bit and then tried it again, eventually it would stop.

Any ideas as to what is going on?

 

[Tony-S]

Assuming the winder is ok, it sound as if the gear on the back is not properly seating with the gear on the camera body.

 

[revdocjim]

Yes, that must have been it. I ran another roll through it and had no problems at all.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Tony-S]

My 6x6 back is a bit of a pain with that connection, so I give a bit of a press on the back where the gear is.

For your standard lens, you should consider the 110mm macro, unless you need the f/3.5 aperture. The one thing I dislike about this camera's lenses are the MFDs. I bought an extension tube so I could get closer.

 

[revdocjim]

Thanks Tony. If I could find a good deal on the 110 I would probably go for it, but so far very few PG lenses have turned up at the used stores I frequent. I'm also still looking for the AE finder since my intention is to use this camera with the speed grip as a handheld 6x7. I also have the Mamiya RB and the Asahi Pentax 67 but they are definitely tripod cameras so the appeal of the GS-1 for me is portability. Do you use the AE or WL finder? What are your thoughts on finders?

 

[Toffle]

There is sometimes a problem with the latch plate (drop plate?) inside the back, which does not engage properly, resulting in the film just winding through the back without setting the frame counter. (sorry, I forget the name of the part, but mine went on me while I was on vacation and left me with no MF work from that trip) Apparently it is a very easy fix for a camera tech, but nothing I would have known to do myself.

 

[Tony-S]

Do you use the AE or WL finder? What are your thoughts on finders?

I only have the AE Finder and it does the job. It's metering is pretty good, but anymore I only use negative film. I shot a roll of Velvia 50 in Yosemite last may, but I cheated and used my digital to chimp the images before making the exposures.

I also use the Speed Grip when I'm not on the tripod, but its shutter release is really sensitive. There have been a couple of instances in which I inadvertently fired off a shot, so I'm pretty careful about it now.

 

[revdocjim]

There's nothing wrong with using a digicam as a light meter/polaroid back. I do it all the time! I know the purists scoff, but it's pretty hard to beat when you consider that it gives you a live histogram and all. My RB and my Wista 4x5 require an external meter and for now so does my GS-1. Oh, I also have an old Bronica C which obviously has no meter either. Actually I've been looking at tiny little digital cameras primarily for this use as a DSLR is bulky. Unfortunately the P&S variety only stop down to f/8. The Sony NEX, Oly Pen and Lumix all get kind of big with a zoom lens. And the real bummer is that the NEX only goes down to ISO 200...