Help Please

Jake.Bryant

Jake.Bryant

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Jake
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I have a Praktica TL1000 that I got from a charity shop just before Christmas. It's been working perfectly up until January. I tried to change the film for the second time and now the film won't load properly. I can't cock the lever to make the film go round and go onto the next frame. I can't take any pictures until the problem is sorted.

Thanks

Jake
 
Jake - is the film in the camera? Take it out - if it hasn't wound on then you've no need to rewind, & you won't fog it. Where are you, by the way?

With no film in the camera, experiment a bit with rewind, winder, shutter release etc if you haven't done so already.

It could be a gonner (not worth paying to repair). At least you'll have donated to the charity! In which case maybe someone'll give you a substitute.
 
When you say you cannot cock the shutter, do you mean the lever just does not move or it moves but the film does not advance?

Silly question, you say this is your second film......did you load it or was it in there when you got it?

Here is a google page part way down a link to a PDF of the manual in case your issue is something not related to damage but 'user' error.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=p...roid-motorola&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

Hope the helps and it not now just a door stop.
 
Hey guys,

The lever to wind isn't jammed or anything, you can move it freely without any friction. Before there used to be some as the film would wind, now it's not winding at all.
I've been following videos on how to load the film and I think I'm doing it right, it's just not locking in place and turning.
I loaded the film myself.
 
Jake.Bryant said:
Hey guys,

The lever to wind isn't jammed or anything, you can move it freely without any friction. Before there used to be some as the film would wind, now it's not winding at all.
I've been following videos on how to load the film and I think I'm doing it right, it's just not locking in place and turning.
I loaded the film myself.
Click to expand...

Right, so the lever swings freely. Have a look as follows - with the back open and no film in when you action the lever can you see any movement of the sprocket wheel to the immediate right of the shutter box? I surmise you will not but if you try to move the sprocket wheel does spin freely either way?

Next now look at the rewind release button on the base of the camera, is it level with the base of the camera and if you press it (which you must have done to rewind the first film) do you feel spring pressure?

Based on your feedback I am trying to determine if it is in effect stuck in the rewind function. If so and not resolvable with simple "repair" you might be able to work out yourself........sorry to say you now have a paperweight or doorstop :(
 
As I said, take the film out. Is the rewind release button on the base of the camera (in an indent towards the right) depressed flush with the base of the indent, or proud as it normally should be? Next, & with the camera back open, operate the lever wind, & see what turns. Do the same, applying a bit of finger pressure to the toothed reel. Is it engaged?
 
droj said:
As I said, take the film out. Is the rewind release button on the base of the camera (in an indent towards the right) depressed flush with the base of the indent, or proud as it normally should be? Next, & with the camera back open, operate the lever wind, & see what turns. Do the same, applying a bit of finger pressure to the toothed reel. Is it engaged?
Click to expand...

^^^ we agree ;)
 
Of all my cameras those early Prakticas IMO have the crappiest film loading system...if the wind on lever is slipping that is connected to the film spool then there is not much you can do other than DIY (well once I had an idea of using super glue :eek:).....but as the camera is not working properly you have nothing to lose dismantling and trying to repair and the tiny screws are always handy for spares.
 
excalibur2 said:
Of all my cameras those early Prakticas IMO have the crappiest film loading system...if the wind on lever is slipping that is connected to the film spool then there is not much you can do other than DIY (well once I had an idea of using super glue :eek:).....but as the camera is not working properly you have nothing to lose dismantling and trying to repair and the tiny screws are always handy for spares.
Click to expand...

Agreed - even if the winder mechanism DOES work, they're prone to ripping out the sprocket holes on the film - usually half way through a roll - leaving you with half a roll of exposed film and half a roll in the can - and unable to change the film unless you've got a dark-bag to open the camera and hand-wind the film back into the canister with. Mine got so bad it basically shredded something like every third roll I exposed...

Frankly I was actually slightly relieved when I dropped mine from a bivi-ledge 2/3 of the way up the Aig.Du Midi, and watched it bounce twice in a vertical KM or so...
 
What did you use for knocking your tent pegs in after that, Mark?

Jake, if the rewind button is stuck in, try clicking your fingernail off the edge of it so its spring has a bit of a run up - has worked for me on slightly stuck buttons in the past. A TINY drop of suitable lubricant applied to the button/hole with the end of a toothpick/cocktail stick might ease the way too but don't use too much.
 
Would help if we knew your location, I'm sure someone local to you could help, maybe even donate another body fo you to use, I have had a few Praktica,s over the years and the rewind button does sometimes stick, I prefer my Zenith,s and Pentaxes.
 
TheBigYin said:
Agreed - even if the winder mechanism DOES work, they're prone to ripping out the sprocket holes on the film - usually half way through a roll - leaving you with half a roll of exposed film and half a roll in the can - and unable to change the film unless you've got a dark-bag to open the camera and hand-wind the film back into the canister with. Mine got so bad it basically shredded something like every third roll I exposed...

Frankly I was actually slightly relieved when I dropped mine from a bivi-ledge 2/3 of the way up the Aig.Du Midi, and watched it bounce twice in a vertical KM or so...
Click to expand...

Well I think camera designers realised the problem of stripping the film (and it is my opinion) as I've found that on my cameras the wind on lever has enough grip to turn the film onto the spool but if you jam the spool then the wind on lever slips...you can try this with the back open.
I'm guessing there is something like a simple clutch system that a camera engineer can fix easily. And with your problem it would seem the mechanism never slipped so stripped the film.
 
@Jake.Bryant

Hi Jake,

I have a very nice Fujica STX-1 with the Fuji f1.9 50mm lens which I could send you if you can't get the Praktica working.
It was given to me by another member for my son to use in his photography A level but he no longer needs it so it is sitting forlornly on a shelf waiting to be used.
If you PM me your address I'll pop it in the post for you, I think it has an unused roll of black and white film in it as well.

Andy
 
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