Sinar Zoom I - what am I doing wrong?

[Bipin]

I bought a Sinar Zoom I today in what appears to be great condition. I only have access to the Sinar Zoom II instructions; I've never seen them for the Zoom I, though I've heard there's little difference. In any case, I've been able to load the film correctly and the advance lever stops when "EXP" is reached in the little window. However, after pressing the reset button (marked "18" in the manual) to free up the lever and advance to the next frame after an exposure has been made, the advance lever does not stop. It just keeps going and going until I reach the end of the film. What am I doing wrong here? If anyone could provide some help, that'd be greatly appreciated!

 

[Dan Fromm]

Did you swing the changeover lever to "EXP"? This is the lever below the reset button. It can be set to LOAD for loading and EXP for exposing.

 

[Bipin]

Did you swing the changeover lever to "EXP"? This is the lever below the reset button. It can be set to LOAD for loading and EXP for exposing.

I did, yes. I've done all of the following:

• Press reset button, load film, close back and lock the latches, wind film until it reaches "EXP" in the counter where it stops, moved lever from "load" to "exp", made an exposure (opened and closed blinds with back in camera), and pressed the "reset button" located on the axis of the "load/exp" lever.

• Press reset button, load film, close back and lock the latches, wind film until it reaches "EXP" in the counter where it stops, pressed reset button, moved lever from "load" to "exp", made an exposure (opened and closed blinds with back in camera), and pressed the "reset button" located on the axis of the "load/exp" lever.
  
• Press reset button, load film, close back and lock the latches, moved lever from "load" to "exp", wind film until it reaches "EXP" in the counter where it stops, made an exposure (opened and closed blinds with back in camera), and pressed the "reset button" located on the axis of the "load/exp" lever

• Press reset button, load film, close back and lock the latches, moved lever from "load" to "exp", wind film until it reaches "EXP" in the counter where it stops, pressed reset button, made an exposure (opened and closed blinds with back in camera), and pressed the "reset button" located on the axis of the "load/exp" lever.

With all of these cases, the winding lever only stops automatically when I reach "EXP". As I continue winding the film from exposure to exposure, it does not automatically stop despite the counter moving. If I understood the instructions correctly, the first case listed here is the correct one, no? The winding lever will not release if I don't press that "reset button" but at the same time, it seems to prevent counting. I should mention that I've tried this on all formats from 645 through to 6x12. The leaves do open to their correct positions. Everything else appears to be working normally, except the winding stop, frame to frame. I should also mention that I am testing this with a roll of backing paper only. I don't have many 120 rolls to spare, and I don't imagine this would affect anything - like I said, the back does show that film is winding through it.

 

[Bipin]

A bit of an update; the back did indeed have issues: I was actually able to "fix" the roll film back myself; I actuated the knob which switches frame sizes and noticed a tiny piece of plastic fall out (looks like part of a 120 spool). I guess it was messing up the operation of the internal mechanism; the back now works flawlessly after having tested it with a couple rolls of film.

 

[coilman]

I'm having a similar problem.

Can someone help?

 

[andyvan]

I have just got one, with a sinar F2, follow the instructions CAREFULLY, it is quite delicate, and another two things the top questioner missed,1: the knob on the winder, MUST be down correctly, like say a spool pin on a MF camera back, this silver knob IS the same, you pre tension the film with this knob, BUT to insert the 'cartridge' you must lift this knob, it has a bayonet lock in the pulled position, you rotate to lock it there (to use two hands to load the film); But it must go fully HOME to wind-on correctly, as this is the connection to the film spool inside!! ; 2: the lever must STAY in LOAD until the counter says EXP. THEN flip the lever to expose!, NOT before, this, like the Process lever on a 545j polaroid holder clamps the orange roller inside to tension the film winding gears and counter to the film strip, so NO grip, NO movement, or slippage can occur, this is what to my reading, and a technical 'guess' (I have Autism, and an affinity for mechanics, and how they work) is why you roll all the way through!, Hasselblad v system A12 backs are the same, but ONLY stop when on camera, once past the first shot, the back stops ONLY by the crank-stop on the body, the magazine stop only stops loading with the "wind-on" process (even hasselblad instructions are CLEAR on this, but apparently these for the sinar are not), but perhaps use a youtube video to guide you, and use a CHECKLIST to be sure of every step, until you have it "as sure as eggs" in muscle memory!, as we all are fallible in this regard.
Also with the film winding, use the silver knob to TENSION the spool, another issue I just realised could be going on is the spool itself could have "let-go" the film backing paper leader, so tension medium, to hold the leader in, until enough turns are around the spool to lock it there, after all there is only a few cm of tapered leader to do the job, so give it a bit of turn until you feel it pull a little, then you are "locked" onto the spool, and the winder system can do its job for the whole spool length.

 

[andyvan]

one other issue, you said you used backing paper only, THATS the issue, the wind-on systems rely on the thickness here, what the roller is for!!, to sence when the backing paper ends, and the film begins, that's when the stop for each frame is engaged, NOT before!, the mech. stop is just the difference between "wind_on" and exposure phase of the loading process; the manuals also clearly state this back is for 120 ONLY, for this reason, the 220 has NO backing paper, only leader and footers to allow spool loading, and to cover the film while outside the camera. the 220 is too thin for the stop systems to work correctly; my suggestion is to find an expired roll of 120 in the camera store, and use that as "practice" and testing these holders, so there is film to enable these systems to work propperly.

 

[andyvan]

another point, the zoom 1 & 2 difference is, to my understanding just the darkslide style, the 1 has a plain slide on the end, like a lf holder, the 2 on the other hand is operated like a roller-door, by a knob on the reverse side of the primary controls, clockwise to open, anti-clockwise to close, PS this uses the format blinds, not a separate metal plate, so ONLY change formats with this when the blinds are closed (the format knob just operates stops on the darkslide opening mechanics).