New RZ67—exposure detection/film advance only works properly in portrait mode

[kodachrome64]

I just got a used RZ67 kit. I really like this camera.

I was out shooting my first roll of film last night and encountered a problem: when the back is in normal (landscape) mode, the exposure detection (don't know technical name, but the red bar that indicates film has been exposed) only works intermittently. I see the red bar flash for a split second but it does not stay. Then the camera cocks but the film does not move. If I switch into 'M' mode and re-cock and shoot a few times it will finally take. The weird thing is that if I rotate the back 90° it works perfectly.

I have switched the camera into emergency mode so I could watch the pins to make sure they are both popping out when the shutter is tripped, and they are. I can't see any physical reason this should be happening, nor do I know of any electrical connection that has a bearing on this. It doesn't seem like the back is at fault if it works when turned to portrait mode.

Has anyone ever had this issue? Is there any adjustment or something I can check for? I've searched the forums and internet in vain for this specific issue. Everything else is working perfectly on the camera and it appears to be in very good shape. I can send back to KEH if necessary but obviously I'd rather not if it's something silly that I've overlooked.

 

[kauffman v36]

1st. check battery. 2nd. check your lens to see one of two things, the cable release socket didnt stay petruding out of the lens, and two that its not set on T. idk how these would cause your problems but i was having some weird and similar problems about a month back and the camera had the most randon behavior ive ever seen.

 

[EdSawyer]

Try a different back if you can - there is a mechanical and electrical interface between back and body that changes when the back is rotated.

 

[kodachrome64]

Thanks for the suggestions. I put in a new Energizer battery and that wasn't it. The same behavior occurs in "emergency" manual mode, so I'm guessing it's not electrical. It appears to have the same pin mechanism that the RB has. Unfortunately I don't have another back. Is it likely to be the back since the back works if it's turned the other way? I ask because it appears to use the same linkage on the back either way.

I had the same problem on my RB and I always had to use the manual slider to trip the exposure indicator. The RZ doesn't have one of those so it's more of a pain.

 

[kodachrome64]

I have been running a roll through that I sacrificed, then running it again.

It's real frustrating because I can go through a whole roll and it will work, then I load the roll up again and it won't!

It seems no one else has ever had this problem.