Pentx 645N repairs

[LimeyKeith]

Anyone know of a UK repair shop for the Pentax 645N? Asahi Photo Technical in Brentford don't do them and Harrow Technical have ceased trading due to retirement according to their website.

 

[R.Gould]

Try Newton and Ellis in Liverpool, very good and reliable repairs, I ave used them for my Classic cameras, and to date have not heard anything bad about them, and they will repair any camera modern and old,I have tried to insert a link but seemingly

 

[LimeyKeith]

Try Newton and Ellis in Liverpool, very good and reliable repairs, I ave used them for my Classic cameras, and to date have not heard anything bad about them, and they will repair any camera modern and old,I have tried to insert a link but seemingly

Thank you. I contacted the company and the guy that deals with these cameras is on holiday until May 14th so no further action can be taken until then - but hope springs eternal as they say.

 

[pentaxuser]

LimeyKeith, let us know what happens please. I also have a P645N which is currently in full working order but it is always nice to know which repairers can handle which makes of cameras - just in case

pentaxuser

 

[LimeyKeith]

LimeyKeith, let us know what happens please. I also have a P645N which is currently in full working order but it is always nice to know which repairers can handle which makes of cameras - just in case

pentaxuser

Problem solved. I was given a tip to press the 'Auto Wind' button on the bottom of the camera which I did and the camera whirred back into life - brilliant.

 

[pentaxuser]

Problem solved. I was given a tip to press the 'Auto Wind' button on the bottom of the camera which I did and the camera whirred back into life - brilliant.

The only button on the bottom I know of is the mid-roll wind-up one which I think is what you are referring to. I always thought its only function was to rewind film while in mid-roll. I was certainly unaware that it "rectified" any problem. Just out of curiosity what was the original problem that pressing the mid-roll cured?

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[johnha]

Problem solved. I was given a tip to press the 'Auto Wind' button on the bottom of the camera which I did and the camera whirred back into life - brilliant.

The only button on the bottom I know of is the mid-roll wind-up one which I think is what you are referring to. I always thought its only function was to rewind film while in mid-roll. I was certainly unaware that it "rectified" any problem. Just out of curiosity what was the original problem that pressing the mid-roll cured?

The original thread with the tip was from here: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/48-pentax-medium-format/40937-645n-err-lcd-yikes.html

 

[LimeyKeith]

The original thread with the tip was from here: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/48-pentax-medium-format/40937-645n-err-lcd-yikes.html

You are quite correct John, in my jubilation at getting it working again I had completely forgotten where it had come from.

pentaxuser: you are correct, it is called the mid-roll wind up button but it does not re-wind the film, it winds it all on to the take-up spool. The original problem was the steadily displayed code ERR and the camera becoming totally unresponsive. The manual refers to a blinking code of Err - which indicates the camera may be defective, contact an authorized repair shop. I cannot find any reference to my steady code ERR anywhere.

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks for that. Useful to bear in mind. No-one seems to know why this works but clearly it does when you have a static Err on the LCD. I am a member on the Pentax forum now but wasn't in 2008 when this problem was posted. Hopefully it is a rare issue as I can't recall seeing it mentioned since I joined quite a few years ago. Mind you most there are using digital Pentaxes now

pentaxuser

 

[LimeyKeith]

Latest news:

Since my original problem with the camera I shot a further five films - two of which jammed with the same error as before and which were cleared by the same method.

While sitting looking at my films and notes I realised that the two films that had jammed were both Fomapan 200 - then I had a light bulb moment and quick look through my neg file showed that the original film was also a Fomapan 200!!! I had one roll of this film left so I loaded it up and went out to shoot - which it did for five frames before the dreaded ERR was displayed. I have no concrete explanation for this, the film and backing seem to be approximately the same thickness as FP4+ according to my primitive caliper gauge so I don't think that is the cause but one thing I have noticed is that this is probably the springiest film I have ever used - it would make good tank track suspension imho! Could this cause extra drag on the winding mechanism and perhaps trigger some sort of overload mechanism, I really don't know but for my camera and Fomapan film - never the twain shall meet again.

 

[pentaxuser]

So the camera had been free of this problem until Fomapan 200 went into it. What were the other 3 films and how long had the camera behaved faultlessly before the Errr... problem ?

I might have considered Fomapan film for mine but I'd like to try and work out how sure I can be that Foma film is the sole problem

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[LimeyKeith]

............. What were the other 3 films and how long had the camera behaved faultlessly before the Errr... problem ?

There were two FP4+ and a T-Max. I can only relate my experiences and of course you have to make your own decision but for me, 'if it looks like a dog and barks like a dog - then it's a dog'. I like Fomapan 200 and will continue to use it in my folders and TLR's but definitely not in the 645.

Oh, by the way, in case you were wondering, it is the standard 120 insert that was being used, not a modified 220 insert - which I have used many times without any issues - but that's not a debate I intend to get into.

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks for the quick reply Keith. Useful info about your use of the 220 insert as well. In my thread on 120 v converted 220 inserts I may be chasing the impossible, namely how many rolls can be put through a converted 220 before there is even the remotest chance of a problem. If I use say 12 rolls in a year and the "safe" limit is, say, 360 then that's 30 years and I will be long since departed this world If I were using 12 rolls a month instead of a year and I was only 25 years old then that is a different case altogether and there is cause for concern

Anyway back to the Foma just once more if I may. What I am trying to get to, is how long has the camera been faultless prior to these 5 films of which 2 were Foma?. If it was dozens of rolls in the past then the case for it being a fault of Foma film is much greater than may be the case if your P654N is relatively new to you and only these 5 films have gone through. In the latter case it might be that the problem is already there but that for some reason Foma film has a slight difference which tends to bring the problem out

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[LimeyKeith]

I have probably put about thirty or so films through the camera so in the great scheme of things it isn't a good representative sample considering the age of the camera but it's good enough for me.

I don't think you will ever find satisfactory answers regarding the 120/220 conversions or the ERR problem because there doesn't seem to be enough experienced users still active and commenting in the film world and forums on which to base a judgement but hope lives eternal as they say.

As an aside, from my engineering perspective I am sure that the designers of the camera would have anticipated the possibility of a wind-on overload and would have made provision to detect it and introduce a cut-out device to protect the motor and drive train - the ultimate 'fail safe' if you will - and perhaps lhe undocumented ERR error code refers to this.

One further thing to add which I forgot to mention - each time there was a jam I removed the insert from the camera before pressing the wind-on button - I certainly wouldn't risk it with the loaded insert still in the camera. I wound the remainder of the film on to the take up spool by hand in the changing bag and to be honest I didn't feel any excessive resistance but my arthritic fingers and hands aren't that sensitive any more. So, that's the state of play as of today, make of it as you will and if any of you do get the dreaded ERR code and trust you will report back so that we can enhance the knowledge bank and keep these great cameras running.

 

[Billy Axeman]

Thanks Keith for all the info.

Regarding the wind-on button, it is generally good design when a system is reset to it's initial state at appropriate moments (for hardware and software). So, in this case a logical moment is after the film is wound to the end, when the last frame is shot, and the wind-on button is the manual alternative.

I wonder if the Fomapan 200 is also thinner or thicker than usual, apart from the excessive curl, contributing to the problems for this camera. Another variable is the exact width of the film/backing paper.

p.s. To be sure, you are using the official 120 magazine, aren't you?

 

[LimeyKeith]

.....seem to be approximately the same thickness as FP4+ according to my primitive caliper gauge.....

Oh, by the way, in case you were wondering, it is the standard 120 insert that was being used, not a modified 220 insert - which I have used many times without any issues - but that's not a debate I intend to get into.

Absolutely sure Bill, my 220's are only now rarely used and then only for colour but as I said, I have never had an issue with them.

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks Keith. based on your figures it does suggest to me while they may lack statistical significance, Foma rolls or at least the Foma 200 rolls may cause difficulties for the P645N

pentaxuser