Praktica BMS strange behavior after 36 exposures, keeps winding.

[brainmonster]

I recently finished a roll with my Praktica BMS which I just got. I loaded the film in a few days ago, and I was sure that I engaged in the take up spool and carefully made sure the film sprockets were engaged in the black plastic nubs on both sides which move the film along, and it was winding along before I closed the back.

I finished the roll, and once it hit 36 exposures on the frame counter, it kept winding. And shutter kept clicking. I must have shot about 10 additional shots after 36. WTF is going on with this?

I pressed the film rewind button and spun the rewind lever to rewind the film - I didn't encounter the normal resistance, I think, that I should. I didn't feel any indication that the film "finished" rewind usually the rewind lever gets easier to turn after it's done.

But I opened the back, and the film was indeed fully rewound and the leader was retracted into the cannister.

I can't think of any possible explanation for this. Any ideas? The only thing I can think of is that the film came loose at the very beginning of the roll, and I got no shots at all. But I was sure that the film was engaged and winding before I closed the back.

I tried putting in another roll, put on the lens cap, and shot 36 blank frames and at the end of the roll, the film stopped as normal and I couldn't wind any more, and when I rewound it I felt the normal resistance which I didn't feel earlier until it was finished.

The battery cover did come loose a couple of times when I was using it over the course of 3 days, but I don't think it needs a battery to wind the film.

I guess I might see once I get the film back from the lab tomorrow.

 

[AgX]

You wrote "it kept winding". However it is a not self-winding camera. Or did you install the winder ??

In any case: if the film is transported, you will see the rewind cranke turning whilst you advance by means of winding-lever. The same if a winder is installed.

 

[brainmonster]

You wrote "it kept winding". However it is a not self-winding camera. Or did you install the winder ??

In any case: if the film is transported, you will see the rewind cranke turning whilst you advance by means of winding-lever. The same if a winder is installed.

There's no winder for this model...I'm not sure if the winding crank was turning while I was winding the film. I guess I will see tomorrow when I get the film back from the lab if there's any images on the film...

 

[MattKing]

There's no winder for this model...I'm not sure if the winding crank was turning while I was winding the film. I guess I will see tomorrow when I get the film back from the lab if there's any images on the film...

When I load film in a 135 camera, I tighten the rewind crank before closing the back. Then, as I wind the film to the first frame, I watch to ensure that the rewind crank turns in response.
Once you do it a few times it becomes a habit.

 

[foc]

Sounds like the film never wound on in the first place.

Follow MattKing's advice above and you won't go wrong again.

I think everyone that ever used a 35mm camera must have made the same mistake at least once.

 

[MattKing]

I became really good at giving that advice diplomatically when I was working selling 35mm film cameras..

 

[Donald Qualls]

I've had a variation of that: my Kiev 4 doesn't seem to turn the rewind knob, even when the film is manifestly advancing (i.e. I can feel and hear the film movement, but the knob stands still). However, the film counter wheel is freely resettable, and the Contax grip puts my thumb right on the edge of the wheel -- with the result that I never really know how many exposures I've made since last load.

Last roll, I went so far as to go into my darkroom, open the camera back, and feel the takeup spool to verify the film was in fact advancing (it was), then closed it up and finished the roll. Current roll, I can't do that, as I've loaded a cassette in place of the spool -- but because I can feel the film movement in the advance knob and, in a quiet enough environment, hear it, I'm pretty confident that I'll soon come to the end of the 36 exposures.

 

[ic-racer]

Next time you might want to wind up a few frames before closing the back to see if the take-up mechanism is functional. One thing I like about some of the Rolleiflex 35mm SLRs is that the counter is tied to the sprockets. So, if the film is not moving past the sprockets, the counter does not advance. Another nice feature is that you can see the counter count-down as you rewind the film.

 

[John Koehrer]

As suggested, it may be operator error. When you get you film back it's going to have two or three inches of totally fogged film
and nothing but edge markings on the rest.

FWIW, Those are ALWAYS the best shots on the roll. Ask anyone.

 

[Donald Qualls]

FWIW, Those are ALWAYS the best shots on the roll. Ask anyone.

It's a law of nature.