Rolleiflex 3.5f still scratching.

ToddB · May 11, 2015

Hey guys,

still annoyed by Rollei scratching negs on on left side holding camera lens out about 1/4 inch in. Just making sure of a couple things on pressure plate setting... The 2 1/4x 2 1/4 should be visible and NOT covered for proper position.. Correct? Is there to spin the bottom roller to examine it? I believe it's the feeler roller. I looked at all the other rollers, no burs. I read on line, that you can roll through a crap roll of film and the examine it with light and magnification. :confuseds.. I should mention the scratch fades in and out through the roll.

piu58 · May 12, 2015

I recommend: Sacrifice a spool of film, move it halfway through the camera, open the camera. Then mark which places of the camera a near which parts of the film, and remove the film. Look to where the scratches are present. You know then which part of the camera is responsible.

Richard S. (rich815) · May 12, 2015

Send to Harry!

Seriously, he won't be that expensive to solve this issue and will examine to see if anything else is a problem or problem waiting to happen. Life is too short to be frustrated with this kind of problem from such a terrific camera. Send it, have it fixed and put in perfect working order then enjoy years and years of trouble-free shooting with one of the most wonderful cameras in the world.

summicron1 · May 12, 2015

looking at my 2.8 E model you have three rollers that could be doing it -- two on either side of the frame are easy to check because, well, there they are.

The third is the inner one of the two that make up the film feeler mechanism -- if it is intermittently binding, well, I dunno how you check that unless you take the camera apart.

Which is where someone who knows what he is doing comes in.

and, yeah, the 2 1/4 by 2 1/4 should be showing, although it not showing would not cause these scratches because all that would me is the pressure plate is pushing harder on the film but it contacts the paper, not the film.

Pioneer · May 12, 2015

The Rolleiflex 3.5F is a truly awesome camera. I realize that it will cost money, and you may not have it right now, but your best option is to send it to a competent Rolleflex repairman. Harry Fleenor is a great option but there are also others.

While we all wish we were capable of tacking all our own repair problems, it just ain't so. We all need a pro once in awhile.

jimrohrer · May 12, 2015

Todd, I had the same problem on my MX-EVS. It turned out to be a barely visible hairline crack on one of the film rollers. I sent the camera to Krikor to replace the roller and problem solved.

ic-racer · May 12, 2015

Is the scratch on the emulsion side or the base side of the film? Does the scratch show in prints? If you have the option of condenser or diffusion printing heads sometimes diffusion minimizes scratches effect on the print.
Base side scratch: make sure the pressure plate is smooth and at the correct setting. Make sure the film sensing rollers spin freely and are clean.
Emulsion side scratch: make sure the rollers that straddle the film gate are clean and free spinning.

Are you sure the camera has the correct back and pressure plate?

If all else fails try to get your money back from the seller.

ToddB · May 12, 2015

Thanks guys, I really wanted to take this camera with me to Greece next month. I don't how any repairman get it back to in time. I this camera re-hauled by Harry last year, it set me back some bucks. I'll try blowing a roll through it and see if I notice anything. The camera runs perfectly and is spotless. Harry did and amazing job, I don't blame home for overlooking this problem, after all... The only way to see it is to shoot a roll for testing.

ToddB · May 12, 2015

Thanks ic-racer.. I'll check. Returning is not an option. I've have it for a while. I found this camera on a card table at a yard sale from an old guy for 40.00 bucks.

Todd

gone · May 12, 2015

And I thought I got a seriously good deal on a whole bunch of Minolta SLR lenses and a Schneider 180 Tele Xenar Saturday. If Todd decides to sell his camera he should make a lot more than I ever will, even after he paid for that CLA, and he would only have to deal w/ one buyer (I will have to deal w/ over two dozen).

It is taking me forever to clean all this gear up, ck to see that everything works right, take pics, type up seller descriptions, etc so that it can be sold. I if I was getting paid by the hour, it really wasn't that big of a score. Next time I get one of these "opportunities" I'll just keep going :}

I like piu58's idea. This isn't an internal or complicated issue, more like tracking down a bellows leak. W/ some patience, good light, a magnifying glass and that test roll, I think the op has an excellent chance at finding the problem.

Richard S. (rich815) · May 12, 2015

If Harry worked on it last year give him a call explain your situation and that you're leaving soon. He worked on one of my cameras that then had a minor issue a few months after I got it back, I sent it back to him, he fixed it and had it back to me in about a week and a half.

Dan Daniel · May 12, 2015

Richard Sintchak (rich815) said:
If Harry worked on it last year give him a call explain your situation and that you're leaving soon. He worked on one of my cameras that then had a minor issue a few months after I got it back, I sent it back to him, he fixed it and had it back to me in about a week and a half.

Yep, this is what you should do. Remember that Fleenor started working on Rolleis when they were being used heavily by professionals. Repairs weren't some 18 week boutique service with concierge and artisinal film spools. One of the reasons he can survive with 10 week turn-arounds is that for most of us these days a Rolleiflex is an option, not a necessity. But when need be, I bet he can get a camera back in time for a trip. Even without an upcoming trip, he turned around a minor tweak on a repair job for me inside of a week.

Be prepared to send him some film with the scratching on it so he can see where it is happening.

dpurdy · May 12, 2015

One thing you might try is putting the scratched film back in the camera and see where the scratch lines up. Remember the image is upside down in the camera.
Dennis

ToddB · May 12, 2015

Hey guys,

I emailed Harry about situation and my trip. Let see what comes back. Keep you posted.

http://flic.kr/p/sEVJ99

Above link is one of the photos on my Flickr page you can see the slight single line scratch about a 1/4 inch in on the right.

Todd

ToddB · May 12, 2015

Talked with Harry.. He can't promise a return before June 19th.. That's Okay.. I'll look at Negative tonight and see if I can line up the scratch.

Todd

ToddB · May 12, 2015

I took the advice from members to match up negative to 3.5f. It was very easy due to notches in top right for film opening. I notice there was a shiny reflection the size of a pin head just past feeler top roller on metal flange on top edge. No... I didn't take 4 grit sandpaper and sand it off. I gently took a exato knife on it edge and ran it over point. Then I blew out the camera really real. Oh.. Did I mention that point matched to scratch on negative frame perfectly? That has to be it!

Richard S. (rich815) · May 13, 2015

ToddB said:
I took the advice from members to match up negative to 3.5f. It was very easy due to notches in top right for film opening. I notice there was a shiny reflection the size of a pin head just past feeler top roller on metal flange on top edge. No... I didn't take 4 grit sandpaper and sand it off. I gently took a exato knife on it edge and ran it over point. Then I blew out the camera really real. Oh.. Did I mention that point matched to scratch on negative frame perfectly? That has to be it!

Cool. Give it a quick test before you go obviously, and hope for the best!

ToddB · May 14, 2015

My minor surgery worked. Shot a color roll of my kids 9th grade class this morning, gorgeous images nothing.. No scratches. This insanity is over. I'd like to know how a bur got on that flange in the first place.

Richard S. (rich815) · May 14, 2015

Great news!

abcxyz · May 15, 2015

Nice Todd

Rolleiflex 3.5f still scratching.

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