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Old 21st July 2022, 01:38 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Incorrect film wind on and spacing between frames

I have just bought a spare back for my Bronica so that I could use colour neg film at the same time as the other back has mono film loaded. I went out yesterday with a new roll of Kodak Gold 120 colour loaded and during the walkaround I used up that roll and processed it last night. Negative quality was very good however there were only 8.5 exposures on the whole roll.

Not only that, the 1st exposure instead of being close to the start of the roll was a full frame away. The 2nd exposure had a unusually wide spacing, the 3rd Exp was spaced even wider and the 4th wider still, so on and so forth, with the last exposure which should have been the 9th was only showing about half the image.

I know I fitted the film with the start mark exactly alongside the red dot in the film back, even so, I could understand that, I had made a mistake and the frame spacing been even, but there was this ever wider space progression until the last full frame and the very last 50% frame was so wide it was enough for a complete frame to fit between.

This morning I loaded an out of date Fomapan B&W into the new back and exposed 12 frames and developed it. The frame spacing was spot on with no variation between frames. It isn't the camera body either because I have not had the problem before with the original back nor was the new back showing a problem this time.

I am at a loss to explain what caused the problem from yesterday. The only difference I could detect is the Kodak Gold C41 film is on a stiffer base than the Fomopan and the wind-on was a bit 'heavier' until it became suddenly easier towards the end of the colour film. This I suppose would equate with just pulling the backing paper after the film had all been run through. I did not hear on feel anything that could have been the gears between the back and the wind on jumping or missing.

The attachment will show what I mean. Ignore the darker line through the middle of the film length this is an edge of my blinds behind and at the top it is a bit darker because that was in partial shadow.
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Last edited by John King; 21st July 2022 at 01:59 PM. Reason: Add another attachment
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Old 21st July 2022, 03:38 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
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The B&W film spacing is much better, but from your photo it looks like the spacing from around the halfway mark is not even. I had two SQ type cameras, and from recollection of using them with several different backs, the spacing should be even throughout. I would tend to think the new back is faulty. I am sure that I had read somewhere of the early SQ backs being prone to wear, a problem that was later cured. If I recall correctly, it was an issue with the driving cog wearing. I had an issue with uneven spacing in a different medium format camera. It was very annoying as you couldn’t be sure if or when it would occur. If you think the back could be at fault, perhaps you can return it for a refund?
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Old 21st July 2022, 06:07 PM
John King John King is offline
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I don't think it is the back, although sold as S/H, it was boxed, and in a sealed bag with the silica gel inside with all the instructions. To all intents and purposes it was new and was unmarked. I have put another colour film inside and plan to use it early in the morning - I want to catch some sunrise shots and it appears as if it going to be sunny until around 10am.

I measured the thickness of the Kodak film using a micrometer and found that it is .015mm thicker. Not much I agree but the last 120 film I used (3 years ago) I used is only around .001mm thicker than the Fomapan film but the thicker colour emulsion could be the reason for that.

The material the film base is made from appears to be a different plastic, very much similar to a polyester. Much more springy than the old film base and with a resistance to being flattened in a glassless film carrier or my flatbed scanner.

Tomorrow will tell I hope.
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Old 21st July 2022, 10:14 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
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I remember once putting a colour negative film in a Lubitel 166, and film advance was very difficult. Bronicas, however, were used extensively for wedding photography, so I would think that colour negative film was the norm. If I recall correctly, the problematic backs were the earliest version. I think the dark slide plastic was black, rather than grey. The latest models had the film speed dial on the rear surface, rather than on top. It sounds like your version is quite recent. Perhaps it was just an issue with this particular roll of film.
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Old 23rd July 2022, 08:04 AM
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photomi7ch photomi7ch is offline
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I have not come across the odd film spacing before I have a number of backs for the Bronica maybe as suggested the the wind on wheel has miss meshed or broken in some way.
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Old 23rd July 2022, 05:49 PM
John King John King is offline
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It is starting to look like operator error. Dooooh! Possibly incorrectly loaded film onto the insert.
I put another film though today and finished up with 12 perfectly spaced and exposed negatives. There was slight difference in the film border width with the 1st film but the edge strip is perfectly equal on this one. Well you live and learn. Winding the film through the camera this time was noticeably lighter that the previous one.
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Old 23rd July 2022, 10:26 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
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That sounds good, John. I hope the problem has been sorted. I have really enjoyed using my Bronica cameras.
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