RZ film not advancing - can't fire shutter

[bobt99silver]

Hello,

I just got a used Mamiya RZ67 camera and I'm having a problem with it.(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I put a roll of film in, I use the cocking lever to advance to frame 1, and the shutter will fire, then not fire again. The cocking lever will advance repeatably, but the film doesn't advance - from looking at the arrow on the top of the film back the film is not advancing.

The darkslide interlock seems to be working properly -

I've worked the mirror up cable socket, and that doesn't seem to be the problem.
I believe the T switch on the lens is in the proper position - the N is exposed.

When I put it M position for multiple exposure the shutter will fire fine, and the mirror stay down afterwards until cocked again - so I'm thinking it's in the linkage between the camera and the film back not advancing the film.

I've looked over the manual and posts here and can't find a solution.

I'm thinking it's some kind of operator error, but I haven't found it.

Regards
bob

 

[Photo Engineer]

Bob;

I don't have my Mamiya here in front of me, but there is a lever on the right side that allows double exposures by disabling film advance. You probably have it in that mode. Just click it to the other position and cock the shutter and it should go back on the second cocking of the shutter. Now, I may have mistaken the details because I have both a Bronica and an RZ, and get them mixed up unless they are sitting right in front of me, but that is the gist of what is probably going on.

Look down on the camera and use your right hand to find the small lever.

EDIT: I should be more specific. That lever has 3 positions, R, nothing and M. Make sure that you return to the center position with no letter over it and recock the shudder a few times. IIRC, you usually waste 1 frame after the M setting is used before you get back to normal operation.

I do see that you are aware of this, so this knob or feature may be broken.

PE

 

[vlasta]

"R-M lever - For normal operation lever is aligned with central index mark.
"M" - for making multiple exposure set it to M.
"R" - turning lever to R unlocks and permit rotating the revolving back."

 

[bobt99silver]

Thanks for the responses.

I have read on the R M lever, and when I'm trying to use the camera, I have it in the center normal operation position, and the film does not advance. I can put it in the M position and the shutter and mirror seem to operate normally.

Thanks Again
bob

 

[Photo Engineer]

Bob;

Sounds like you have a problem.

PE

 

[polyglot]

Try rotating the back and then working the lever. Mine is occasionally flaky where the cocking lever doesn't couple properly with the back when in the horizontal position but does fine in the vertical position. Pushing the cocking lever in towards the body slightly while working it sometimes causes it to catch and drive the back properly.

As a workaround, you can cock the body and then manually wind the back using its knob; once wound, it will release the interlock and you can fire again in non-M mode assuming the camera cocked OK. In other words, run it like an RB.

Edit: if that workaround doesn't work for you, you will know that the interlock release in the back has also failed. Try another back.