how to load a Leotax TV2 camera

spoolman · Oct 2, 2015

I just picked this camera up two days ago and I haven't been able to get it to work with film loaded. I figured out the Canon take up spool that came with the camera but once I had the film loaded, I couldn't get the shutter to fire and the film advance lever just kept winding on.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Doug

summicron1 · Oct 2, 2015

Is that little lever with a tiny handle sticking up just to the left of the film advance knob and in front of the shutter button pointing to the front of the camera?

If so, turn it 1/4 turn clockwise back towards the advance knob and shutter button.

That is the re-wind release for the film advance mechanism. If it is pointing forward, the camera does what you describe because that way the film can be rewound. But turning it back you set the camera to advance the film.

spoolman · Oct 2, 2015

summicron1: that was the first thing I looked for before loading the camera. It was in the rewind position but when I turned it the other way, the film advance still wound on without stopping. Maybe I didn't load the film right?
With the Canon spool, there is a small metal tab riveted to the spool body with just enough space to fit the film under it. But the film always wound emulsion out. I tried to do it with emulsion in but I couldn't get it into the camera. Also, I noticed that the spindle is spring loaded and you have to push down on it and twist to lock it into the camera. Maybe I put the spool in upside down but I haven't tried it that way for fear of breaking something.

Doug

Xmas · Oct 2, 2015

spoolman said:
summicron1: that was the first thing I looked for before loading the camera. It was in the rewind position but when I turned it the other way, the film advance still wound on without stopping. Maybe I didn't load the film right?
With the Canon spool, there is a small metal tab riveted to the spool body with just enough space to fit the film under it. But the film always wound emulsion out. I tried to do it with emulsion in but I couldn't get it into the camera. Also, I noticed that the spindle is spring loaded and you have to push down on it and twist to lock it into the camera. Maybe I put the spool in upside down but I haven't tried it that way for fear of breaking something.

Doug

It is a Leica copy and winds on film emulsion out...
You need to down load the manual and read it trying to get it to work any other way is likely to involve damage...
Edit Is the rewind control a lever or the surround collar to the release on your camera?

spoolman · Oct 2, 2015

It is a surround collar.

Doug

summicron1 · Oct 2, 2015

Hmmm. If the camera is set properly it should wind, cock and fire whether film is in it or not. The take-up spool goes into this camera just the same as a Leica that it is a copy of -- with the knob on the outside/top/whatever so you can grab it when you want to pull the spool out again. And, yes, the film goes under the spring on the take-up spool emulsion side out.

This is not a film issue.

When you turn the lever or collar or whatever to rewind the film it physically pulls up on a gear inside the camera that normally engages the drive wheel that pulls the film through the camera. I wonder if what is happening is that that gear is dis-engaged and, through age and the workings of evil spirits, is not re-engaging again.

If so, the ministrations of a good exorcist is in order -- or someone who can clean/lube those things. Youxin Ye would be my first choice.

Great cameras, worth fixing just because they are relatively rare collectibles.

spoolman · Oct 3, 2015

Thanks for the advice summicron1. This model is new to me and I guess I made a few incorrect assumptions about how it works. From my research, I found that there were not al that many cameras made by this company. The one I have has a serial # in the 30000 series and from what I have found out about them is that the total production of all models was approx. 50000 cameras.

Unfortunately, I know of no one who can exorcist the demons from it. When I have sufficient funds to do so, it will be off to Youxin Ye for service.

Since this camera came without a lens, would either a Jupiter 8 or Industar 61 work properly with it?.

Doug

summicron1 · Oct 3, 2015

Probably, it should focus with a jupiter or industar just fine and they aren't bad lenses.

Xmas · Oct 3, 2015

Does the wind on set the shutter and fire without film in it?

spoolman · Oct 3, 2015

Yes it does.

Doug

Xmas · Oct 3, 2015

Whoo Doug

Please remove take up spool and try inserting a finger into the take up spool area to check the sprocket shaft will transfer some torque note the gears are not on a 4x4. If there is torque you need to trim the leader for the Barnack 22 to 23 long leader.

Film pre 1970 always had the long leader...

Then load the spool with film attacked and cassette back into the camera.

You need to fire two blank frames and set the counter to zero.

http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page345.htm

tessar · Oct 3, 2015

Mike Butkus has a manual for the Leotax F, which as far as film loading goes, is probably the same as the TV 2:
http://www.cameramanuals.org/pdf_files/leotax_model_f.pdf

how to load a Leotax TV2 camera

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