Rolf-Werner
Hello everyone,
I reckon there are a few of you here who still have experience with old cameras. I’ve got an Ikoflex (a twin-lens camera from Zeiss Ikon) that I used to take lots of photos with ages ago. I’ve just dug it out again, and I’ve got two questions straight away. The other question will go in a separate thread, though...
So, the question: how far do I need to advance the film so that it’s at ‘1’ at the start? I spent quite a while fiddling with it yesterday, but I’d completely forgotten how fiddly it was – it’s amazing what you forget over the years :-)
This is as far as I’ve got: at the bottom of the side (not at the back in the middle) is the peephole where you have to wind it to the right spot. If you want to wind it all the way through in one go, you have to hold down the shutter release. Right?
Once you’re at the right point, do you keep holding the shutter release and use the knurled wheel to set the counter to the position between ‘12’ and ‘1’?
Then let go of the shutter release and keep turning until it reaches ‘1’ and clicks into place?
That’s a bit imprecise; sometimes it does end up going all the way to “2”... So you have to be careful to hit exactly the right spot between “12” and “1”.
I used to do quite a lot with the camera back then, and I’m surprised I can’t remember any problems with threading it. But maybe I’ve just forgotten the trick?
So the question is: how far into the viewfinder do I need to turn it, and is there any other procedure for pre-winding?
Thanks for any tips. I’ve ordered the CHS 100 for the Ikoflex – I’m really looking forward to it!
Oh, and here comes the third question, but I’ll start a separate thread for that too...
Regards
Rolf
Rolf-Werner
I’ve just found a PDF of the user manual online, and it turns out my camera has a slight fault: the transport lock can’t be disengaged past the 12 o’clock position. That’s why it didn’t work as intended... But there’s a workaround; I just need to work out how far I need to turn it:
With the shutter release button held down, go to 11 or thereabouts, then wind the film in; you should then be able to get it to just before the 1.
If necessary, hold the shutter release button down and use the knurled wheel to turn it back to 12, then try 10 next time... A bit fiddly, but it should do for a start.
Rolf
