IXOO FILCA issues

[Jonathan-sv]

Hello,

I generally bulk load film, and have a bunch of IXMOO cartridges for my M series cameras, as well as a few FILCA. I have not had any issues with the IXMOO cartridges, but when I tried putting one of them in a 1935 IIIA, the film seemed to slip and bind some of the time. I assumed it was because the sprockets were not lining up with the holes in the film, so I tried a test strip of film in one of the FILCA cartridges. It would start to feed OK (this was junk film so I could take off the lens and watch the film advance) and it seemed OK for a couple of frames and then it seemed to get stuck. I thought that maybe the 'auf/zu' thing to close the bottom wasn't engaging the pin on the cartridge, so I left the bottom plate off and opened the thing by hand. Still had the same problem. This was ancient film and it had been wound tight on a cartridge for a while. I think it must of been on one of the IXMOO or FILCA when I got it.

In the end I took an empty Ilford metal catridge and re-spooled some film (good film, it was APX 400) and put this in the camera (with the bottom plate and everything). I watched the film advance through the lens opening, and it seemed OK so the Elmar went on. I'm up to 14 frames, and it doesn't seem to be having any slippage, strange noises, or anything like that.

I had assumed that the FILCA or IXMOO cartridges should have worked without any issue, but as far as I can guess, the film seemed to be binding when it was exiting. Does anyone else have experience with this? Some of these FILCA cartridges seem a bit odd, almost like the inner case is from an IXMOO. The spools that hold the film don't seem to be binding. Could the curling of the film affect how well it transports in the camera.

Jonathan

 

[Oldwino]

IXMOO is for the early M cameras. FILCA is for the Barnacks.

 

[Nitroplait]

I think I have 20 FILCAs and IXMOOs. Several have issues opening/smoothly smoothly. I only use the good ones.
These old brass cassettes is fun but inconvenient- reusing commercial cartridges is much easier and reliable.

 

[mshchem]

The IXMOO will work fine with the screwmount cameras. Make sure that the bottom plate has the cassette opening mechanism attached (bottom plate could have been swapped out ) Make sure that you have an original spool in the cassette. Back in the day some companies offered "daylight reloads" . No mistaking an original spool. Oxidation of these old things can be an issue, wipe them clean. Theoretically it's possible to apply a dry lubricant but I'd be careful.
Your bulk loader needs to be able to close the cassette properly.

 

[Jonathan-sv]

I finally developed that first roll of film and it definitely had problems. There were torn sprockets (on both sides of the film) and overlapping frames. The problem seemed to come towards the end of the roll, not at the beginning. Unfortunately, that IXMOO went back into a drawer with several others so I can't be sure which one it was. The spools are all original, and it cut the little point on the end and it locks nicely into the spool.