SOS Bronica Sq-Ai owner needs HELP

[Chuck (CA)]

My shutters arn't shuttering!

My Bronica's have been out of use for a bit...today I pulled them down....installed new batteries in two bodies...????

I'm getting a red check battery light in the AE finder...

Film advance knob keeps going round and round...why?.

I have a prism, lens, and film back properly attached to the camera body?

What am I doing wrong...completely re-read the owners manual....

Here's a stupid question....does the film back need to be loaded for the shutter to do anything....?

Thanks a million
Chuck

 

[bobfowler]

Remain calm!

Unless you have film in the back, the shutter will NOT cock and fire UNLESS you put the camera in "multi-exposure" mode. The exception is the 135 back, that WILL allow the camera to cock and fire when empty.

Oh yes, pull the darkslide or you won't be able to fire, regardless of the position of the multi-exposure lever (except with a Polaroid back, and you need to be in multi-exposure mode for that anyway).