GX680 Film Holder Counter Problem

Ari · Apr 4, 2020

Hey everyone,
I have a GX680III camera with a GX680 film back (120 format).
Everything works fine with the film back: the film advances properly, and at the end of the roll, it winds the spool, as it should.
The problem is that when I turn off the camera, the counter will reset to 1 when I turn the camera on again. This doesn't cause any related problems, just that the display doesn't indicate the actual frame count.
I've read that the batteries may be the likely cause of the problem, but I can't find them.
Is there a second secret battery compartment I'm missing? Any other steps I can take to troubleshoot this?
Thanks

itsdoable · Apr 5, 2020

The film back has separate batteries to power it when detached, or when the camera is powered off.

Ari · Apr 5, 2020

Thanks, but where are those batteries?
This is a 1st-gen GX680 film back. The camera is a III, but the film back is older.
I've read that the batteries for these backs are not easily accessible, but can they be replaced once accessed?

Ari · Apr 5, 2020

After more searching, this came up: https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/gx-680-batteries-in-the-film-back.337252/
I'll see if replacing the battery works to eliminate this harmless but annoying problem.

removedacct3 · Apr 5, 2020

Ari said:
Thanks, but where are those batteries?

Have a look at this video. He shows you have to change the battery of a 1st-gen film back. Good luck!

Ari · Apr 5, 2020

Thank you!

Roger Thoms · Apr 5, 2020

The battery is not to hard to replace although it is soldered in. The hardest put for me was getting the smooth headed screw out of the center of the iso dial. The gentlemen in the video covers it pretty well. I was able to remove the screw on my two backs using the Super Ball method. If that hadn’t worked then I would have tried the his forceps method, but that would have been a last resort as I'm sure I would have chewed up the screw.

Roger

Ari · Apr 5, 2020

Thanks, Roger.

sixby45 · Apr 7, 2020

Yep I second the above - I've done 4 backs now, and the battery replacement requires just a screwdriver, and some sort of solder / or liquid solder, and above all the correct batteries with leads attached. I highly recommend purchasing a few of these batteries with the leads, as this will make it much easier to curl them around and solder them regardless of method. I've had a few backs with real weird operation problems, which all went right back to normal operation after battery replacement. Hope this helps! And go ahead and order another old back or two to try it out

Ari · Apr 7, 2020

Thanks, Rick; I bought some batteries on Amazon, correct size and voltage, but they're bare cell type, they look like regular cell batteries, no leads.
I found the correct battery type and switched my order.
Thanks again!

Roger Thoms · Apr 7, 2020

Ari, not sure if the ship to Canada, but I bought mine here. https://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/s...toreId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=263898

I’d try eBay too.

Roger

Ari · Apr 7, 2020

Thanks, Roger; I managed to find an Amazon listing for the same price as Jameco, shipping included, and a bit closer to home.
No rush, I'm still using the back, and I've ordered a IIIn back as well, just because the lockdown has me spending money on unnecessary stuff now.

Roger Thoms · Apr 7, 2020

I alternate from being very frugal to buying things I don’t need. Overall I’m spending less right now. At least with camera gear I can always sell it. Have fun with your battery replacement. I found it very satisfying to get my two backs working properly again.

Ari · Apr 7, 2020

Cheers, Roger.

sixby45 · Apr 8, 2020

Glad to see it getting some love, its probably my favorite Giant "medium" format camera these days - I find that the lenses are some of the sharpest around, and I actually prefer my GX680 to the 6x6's I've used but mostly since I also love the GW690 rangefinder series. Very satisfying to shoot with, and always elicits some fun responses from my portrait sitters.

I'm also working hard to stay off Ebay to keep away from all the fun stuff available from Japan.

Ari · Apr 8, 2020

Agreed, a wonderful and unique camera. I've replaced my 4x5 with the Fuji, and use it for architectural/urban photos, which it does very well.
I still keep a Pentax 67 for portrait work, the Fuji lenses are too sharp and clinical-looking for that kind of stuff, but YMMV. A matter of personal taste and preference.
Keeping my purchases sane as well, though it's tough.

Ari · Apr 23, 2020

Battery finally arrived today, I'm working on getting the back open.
I think the soldering will be the easiest part of the entire operation.

Roger Thoms · Apr 23, 2020

Ari said:
Battery finally arrived today, I'm working on getting the back open.
I think the soldering will be the easiest part of the entire operation.

Once you get past the neat little Fuji screw that lacks any kind of a slot or other recess for a screw driver or pin spanner it should be smooth sailing.

Roger

Ari · Apr 23, 2020

I got it off quite easily by using a small piece of velcro. The velcro's strong glue made it easy to twist the screw, it came off quickly.
What I didn't know was that the piece underneath that also had to come off.
Mine jumped out after some coaxing, but luckily, it didn't break.
Next time I'll know.
Thanks

Roger Thoms · Apr 23, 2020

I'll have to remember the Velcro trick, that’s a new one to me.

Roget

Ari · Apr 23, 2020

Didn't have a rubber ball; I tried a pencil eraser, but couldn't get enough purchase and it was slippery.

Ari · Apr 24, 2020

Success! After putting everything back together, the film back powers on and loads film as it should.
Next test is to see how it cycles through the roll, check the spacing, and what will happen when I turn off the camera mid-roll and turn it back on.
I'll post again if something's amiss with any of those things.
Thanks to everyone for your advice and help!

Roger Thoms · Apr 24, 2020

Ari, I'm betting everything will work fine, and it will be nice to have the counter working again.

Roger

Ari · Apr 24, 2020

Thanks, Roger!

Ari · May 9, 2020

The back with dead battery is working 100%, thanks to all for your help.
When I finished the roll, the film hadn't wound properly, it was a little loose, not too much, and not near enough to fog the film, as you can see. Here's the roll shot on the repair back with the 65mm lens:

What still amazes me most, after all this time, about the GX680 system is its versatility. You can shoot anything with just one lens: macro, portrait (to taste), landscapes, architecture, etc.
I shot all of these hand-held, using a good strap. When I wasn't too wobbly, the Fuji lenses rewarded me with blisteringly sharp images.
Here's a second roll shot with the 120mm lens on a IIIn back:

GX680 Film Holder Counter Problem

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