Rolleiflex Automat - first roll is blank

Dan Daniel · Sep 1, 2011

There's not much to work out with the seller, really. If it was sold as having a CLA, well, someone missed on the adjustment part.

One factor for you and the seller to consider is that Arista EDU 400 film (Foma) has a pretty thick paper compared to most other 120 films, as I remember. I wonder if this could throw of the 'automat'ic counter system. Have you tried another film with a thinner backing paper?

I hope things work out well with the seller. It *is* a simple adjustment, once you remove the crank, the hinge/strap plate, the leather, and the side

John Koehrer · Sep 2, 2011

Dan Daniel said:
There's not much to work out with the seller, really. If it was sold as having a CLA, well, someone missed on the adjustment part.

Or, the seller incorrectly identified the camera.

DaveO · Sep 3, 2011

Thank you for the video on loading the Rolleiflex. I have been doing it right, but the reprint of the user
manual's picture is not very clear or sharp about the first rollers. I have the Rolleiflex 3.5F with the Planar lens.

DaveO

ic-racer · Sep 3, 2011

ic-racer said:
There is a problem with the film start sensing. Should be around 3 or 4 I believe.

The eccentric #8 on the diagram needs to be adjusted. You don't need a feeler gauge if you wasted some film that you normally use.

Here it is from the side:

pschauss · Sep 5, 2011

Thank you for all of the advice on this camera. The seller has agreed to take it back either for repair or a refund. I like the camera enough that I am thinking about having him repair it. I will not be able to get to the post office until next Saturday, so I have time to think about it. I have bought two Super Ikontas from him which look beautiful and work perfectly so I have confidence in him.

Jeff L · Sep 5, 2011

If you can get it repaired properly, you're likely to be very happy. I love my Rolleiflex.

R gould · Sep 6, 2011

Get it repaired and you will love using the camera and love the results, I have both a rolleiflex automat and a Rolleicord, which I had repaired, and there is nothing else in my collection of cameras which compares to them, or the results I get from them,
Richard

pschauss · Oct 5, 2011

I am going to try to adjust the rollers which sense the film starting point. What is the clearance between the two rollers supposed to be?

Dan Daniel · Oct 5, 2011

When I have done this, without the proper tool, I simply moved the cam until I got a roll of film to kick it into action. Make a scratch mark on the adjustment cam, loosen, rotate a bit. Run a test roll. If it doesn't work, try the other direction. If neither work, try a bit more movement on the cam.

pschauss · Oct 17, 2011

Thanks for all of the advice. I adjusted the cam for to put the film sensor rolller as high as it would go. That worked on the first roll, but not on the second, so I added a single layer of masking tape to the top roller. That has worked for the second and third rolls. You all were right to tell me to keep the camera. Here is a sample from the first roll.

Dan Daniel · Oct 18, 2011

Hmmm...did you try going the other way with the cam?

pschauss · Oct 18, 2011

I adjusted it to both extremes. It seemed to be tightest when the wide part of the cam was facing toward the actuating lever.

Dan Daniel · Oct 18, 2011

And how are you testing? I've cheated the lever that the back presses when closed with a shim. Then I can simply pull a piece of backing paper/tape/film through the rollers.

The reason I ask is that the couple of times that I needed to adjust this, I found that there was a mi-range area where it worked, but if I went either too far or not far enough, it didn't trip. Don't mean to harp, just something about using tape as a shim on a Rolleiflex is bothersome then again, with wear I guess a part(s) can go completely beyond tolerances.

pschauss · Oct 18, 2011

When I was adjusting it I used a piece of paper with a double strip of masking tape across it. I turned the cam until the paper + tape tripped the sensor. Then I replaced the cover and successfully loaded a roll of Arista Edu Ultra 400. When I tried a second roll, however, the sensor did not trip. That was when I resorted to the tape on the fixed roller.

When I have saved up a bit more of my "allowance" I will probably send the camera over to Krikor to let him work his magic on it. He did a fabulous job on my Rolleicord Va.

pschauss · Nov 8, 2011

Update. I'm not sure what I did, but I removed the tape on the upper roller and the film counter still senses the start of the film correctly. It has worked properly now for three rolls.

One thing that I did notice is that when I close the camera back (or simulate it by pushing on the lever which senses the camera back closing) the film counter resets to zero and the sensor roller comes up to contact the upper roller. You can actually feel it snap into position when you push on that lever.

Thanks for encouraging me to have the seller fix the camera instead of asking for a refund.

Rolleiflex Automat - first roll is blank

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