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  #1  
Old 25th September 2012, 08:34 AM
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Default Zero 2000 loose film problem

I've had a Zero 2000 pinhole for years and regularly suffer from this problem: the film winds too loosely on the take-up spool so there's a risk of light ingress when I unload the camera.

Adding friction to the loaded spool could cause scratches as the film gate is not smooth so that's not the answer. I always wind the film several turns beyond the end to try to tighten the wind before unloading but still some films don't get wound tightly enough.

Has anyone else had the issue and if so, how did you fix it? I don't want to be messing around with changing bags as I have sweaty hands!
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Old 25th September 2012, 09:06 AM
Mark Snowdon Mark Snowdon is offline
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Hi Richard,

I too have the Zero2000 camera and experience the same problem. I have not tried to modify the camera, instead I take a changing bag with me and if I find that the film is loose (this happens only 50% of the time), I then put an elastic band round it and either put it in one of the black plastic containers you get Adox 120 film in, or wrap the film in aluminium foil. I find the film only unrolls itself if you leave the camera on exposure 11 or 12 for some time.

Not much help but at least you know that you are not the only one experiencing this problem.

I also have the Zero6x9 pinhole camera and the same happens with this one also.

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Mark
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Old 25th September 2012, 10:21 AM
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I have three Zero 2000's and have suffered from this myself over the years, my only solution is to use the whole film in one session. The longer the film is left in the camera the more it unwinds over time. If I have no choice but to leave the film in the camera for a period of time I also use the 120 film canisters and make sure I don't squeeze the roll when extracting it.

Somebody I know over on another forum glues a strip of foam just where the film sits although it does make winding on quite stiff.

Paul
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Old 25th September 2012, 12:46 PM
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Ah well, I'm glad it's not just me! It only happens about half the time, the last time was a roll of Acros I'd exposed fully in the space of no more than half an hour so it wouldn't have unwound in that time, it just didn't wind on tightly enough in the first place. The roll of APX100 I'd used in the previous half hour was fine . Naturally, the best shot was the one most light affected. I enjoy using the camera, I just wish it was more reliable!
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Old 25th September 2012, 01:11 PM
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OK, I just tried an experiment; I tried running a roll of film through the camera with the back off. It's obvious that especially at the start of the roll the film is not winding tightly at all because the little piece of springy metal that acts as a tensioner is not touching the film backing paper. Once the tensioner does start to contact the film it starts to wind more tightly. On this occasion, inevitably, the film ended up quite tightly wound onto the spool (another old roll of APX100). I then tried bending the tensioner and ran another roll through - this one wound more tightly at the start as well and finished up wound as tightly onto the spool as do rolls through my Mamiya 6 but of course the wind-on knob is now a fair bit stiffer.

The acid test will be the next roll of Acros I use in earnest, and I'll report back on how that goes in due course.

If you want to try bending the tensioner, remove it from the camera to do so and when you put it back be very careful not to overtighten the mounting screw as it's a fine thread into wood and could strip very easily.
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Old 25th September 2012, 01:37 PM
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Richard

Forgot to mention about the spring tensioner... I never unscrew it, just gently bend it inwards everytime I load a new film. I suppose over time this might loose its springiness though... I suspect it wouldn't be hard to replace it with something else though?. I have one of the very early models and comparing it with my newest the spring does seem to be slightly thicker.

Here's a couple of links to flickr discussions about keeping the film flat and keeping the film tightly wound http://www.flickr.com/groups/zeroima...7624861043732/ http://www.flickr.com/groups/zeroima...7600859733048/

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Old 25th September 2012, 02:09 PM
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Thanks Paul, those are useful. I must admit though when I saw "fat rolls" I thought I'd stumbled on a dieting site . The insulating tape on the film gate is a good idea, that ought to obviate the scratch problem I could see occurring if the feed spool was tensioned. Mine is one of the first batch too. For now though I'll see whether the increased tension on the take-up side does the trick.
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Old 26th September 2012, 07:47 AM
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On my Zero 6x9 it has a tensioner on on both sides. I think I read that you only had the tensioner on the wind on side. If you could get or make one add it to the other side. I have found the film is quite stiff when winding on and so far have not had any scratches.

If I have miss read then I put it down to ealy morning day dreaming
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Old 26th September 2012, 08:13 AM
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Hi Mitch

No, you didn't mis-read anything . Does your 6x9 have just plain wood edges to the film gate or have they put something nice and smooth there (like tape for instance)?
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Old 26th September 2012, 05:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RH Designs View Post
Hi Mitch

No, you didn't mis-read anything . Does your 6x9 have just plain wood edges to the film gate or have they put something nice and smooth there (like tape for instance)?
I have just checked. Wood, the corners have a very smooth rounded edge to them almost silky to the touch. I find winding it on has a very tight feel to it even more so once the film is in front of the exposure chamber.
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