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Ziranger
Tinkerer
Username: Ziranger
Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 05:50 am: | 
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Dear fellow enthusiasts
I recently purchased a Zeiss Ikon Contina IIa from the popular auction site. When it arrived, it was in a pretty good state, even comes with a responsive light meter! (From what I read, it is quite rare).
However, I then discover a major problem, the film winder is stuck. I can move it half an inch, then it seems like it is blocked. Finally I can swing the winder completely with a bit of repeated action (the frame counter moved with it) but the shutter stays shut all the time.
Every time when I fully swing the winder, I can hear a "click" sound with all the film loading gears moving, though the shutter remains shut. I can depress the picture taking control button, but I can't feel any "click" as seems the control button and the winder are not connected.
I am a newbie in Rangefinders, maybe I didn't release some knobs, but did I get a dub? Is this the end of my newly acquire interest? Can someone shad some light on this?
Thanks in advance. |
Adrian
Tinkerer
Username: Adrian
Post Number: 103
Registered: 08-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 06:13 am: |
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I'm not sure from your description if you are trying with film in or not. I'm not familiar with this model, but the earlier Continas needed to be wound with a film in to trip the shutter, in common with many German cameras of this period. To replicate the effect, I guess you rotate the transport spools by hand until you hear a click.
This site might also help? http://www.photographic.co.nz/cameraworks/cameras/zeiss_ikon_contina_IIa/Default .htm
Hope some of that helps,
Adrian |
Charlie
Tinkerer
Username: Charlie
Post Number: 110
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 07:36 am: |
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My Retina I workrd like that. It prevented you from "taking" 36 pictures only to find the film had never moved. Something I've done on several occaisions since then with newer cameras (including 72 "pictures" with my half frame camera}. |
Ziranger
Tinkerer
Username: Ziranger
Post Number: 2
Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 02:09 am: |
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Thank you Adrian and Charlie.
I put in a roll of film as advised and rotated the spool, but still no click. The only click is when I swing the film winder lever. Now I am not sure if that click is from the frame counter of the shutter itself. Anyway the shutter stays shut and no effect at all when pressing the picture taking button.
Adrian's link suggested opening the camera, without any knowledge of the inner working, I am quite hesitant to open it up. Do you think it is the only way to get my camera working again? And how hard is it to get it open and put it back? |
Rlc
Tinkerer
Username: Rlc
Post Number: 27
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 01:30 pm: |
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Zranger: I have my Model IIA Contina (527/24) at hand. It is not neccesary to have film installed to cock the shutter. When winding you should see the winding spool and the sprocket spool advance in unison. You will hear a very slight click when winding as the shutter is cocked.
When the shutter release button is pressed you should hear another click as the shutter is released. This click is considerably louder than the winding click.
On the shutter ring there are three settings marked V,X,and M. The V setting is for the self timer or delayed shutter release. In this position you should hear a buzzing sound when shutter button is pressed. This sound is the delayed release escapement running. It lasts about 10 seconds and then the shutter operates.
This allows you to enter the scene before the picture is taken.
The X position is for Electronic flash. This is the position you should be using for normal shooting.
Check to see what position this lever is set at. I am wondering if it is set at "V" and the delay escapement is not running due to congealed lubricant. This is a rather common problem with the Prontor-SVS shutter, as it was with mine before I cleaned and lubricated the escapement.
Hope this may help. Richard. |
Ziranger
Tinkerer
Username: Ziranger
Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 03, 2007 - 09:35 am: |
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Thank you for your advice richard. I've checked the shutter setting and make sure it is the not at the timer position and it still does not fire. Finally I gathered enough courage to open up the camera.
The link Adrian provided showed the camera's top part was removed, me, however was unable to get the top open. I then had a run at unscrewing the four screws inside film compartment which saw the whole lens/shutter component detached from the body. From that open I learned that the shutter is engaged through a small brass gear, which was control by a set of sliding "teeth" linked to the film winder. Upon further investigation it was found that this set of sliding "teeth" was supposed to be sliding in a straight line motion through the lever when winder action is applied, in my case, the lever was sliding out instead of sliding straight and jammed. Playing with it for a bit, I was able to make it return to its straight line motion and it fired the shutter after the reattachment. I fired the shutter with joy for a while. All was good.
Until the next day when I was ready to take the camera out, it was jammed again! Like before! I took it apart, did the same and it fired. Though this time I could only fire it for a couple of times before it was jammed again! I suspected either it was the little brass gear of the shutter causing the mis-alignment of the sliding "teeth" or it's the winder/lever gear that causing this problem.
Does anyone had a similar problem or a solution to it? I would like to take a look at the winder/lever gear but I had trouble opening the top compartment. The repair article of this site suggested using a friction screw drive on the winding knob, which I still couldn't get it open. I am frustrated. Any advice would be good advice!
Thanks in advance! |
Jfry541
Tinkerer
Username: Jfry541
Post Number: 2
Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 11:15 pm: |
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This sounds too familiar. I did the exact same thing on that same camera. I too need to open the top plate but cannot figure out how. I put a post on here asking how but with no luck. I encountered the same shutter problem as well, and still do not know how to fix it.
Sorry I'm no help, but at least there's empathy.
Jonathan |
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