Topcon Auto Winder S question

<p>Dear all, I have another Topcon question... I'm really trying hard to love Topcons as you can see, but I ran into trouble again. Yesterday the Auto Winder S arrived, which I bought for my other Topcon camera : a black Super DM. The winder is NOS and in mint condition and came with the base protector plastic, box, inserts and manual. I attached it to the camera and when switching the winder on it arms the shutter and advances the film, but the red LED stays on and then the shutter release button is blocked - no release possible unless I switch off the winder again. I tried different things to no avail. What does work is removing the camera battery cover : then the winder works perfectly, although the user manual doesn't say that the battery cover needs to be removed before attaching the winder!<br /> What happens though, is that (without the body battery cover) the meter occasionally gets no power : the meter needle drops to the extreme left and stays 'dead' until you tap the whole unit. When the meter does work, the needle has a tendency to behave wildly (jumpy). Maybe the meter gets too much power from the four AA cells in the winder?<br /> The supplied user manual seems to be the one for the Auto Winder (non-S version), but perhaps Topcon never printed one for the 'S' version?<br /> Can anyone confirm that the camera battery cover needs to be removed?</p>

<p>Getting the Topcon Auto-Winders to run smoothly can be tricky. I have the original Auto-Winder, not the S. I can use it with the meter battery cap on. But I find I need to attach it to the camera loosely, and then wiggle it around while leaning on the shutter button. I adjust the location until it runs smoothly, and tighten the screw.<br>

I also think that the adjustment of the contact in the camera is a bit critical, as it has to open when the camera is properly wound.<br>

The original Auto-Winder has a cut-out that disconnects the motor when there's too much torque, as when the camera contact doesn't open in time. The Auto-Winder S doesn't, and it is prone to burning out the motor if it sits there straining.<br>

The meter battery electrical circuit is totally independent of the Auto-Winder AA batteries.</p>

<p>Great info, thanks John. I will try that tonight.<br>

Could it be that the little 'winged' pressure spring of the winder forwards negative power to the meter when it touches the camera battery when the battery cap is removed, leading to a jumpy meter needle? I suppose that this spring-thing is 'earthed' since it is screwed into the metal top plate of the winder...</p>

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<p>"but the red LED stays on and then the shutter release button is blocked - no release possible unless I switch off the winder again. I tried different things to no avail. What does work is removing the camera battery cover : then the winder works perfectly, although the user manual doesn't say that the battery cover needs to be removed before attaching the winder!<br />What happens though, is that (without the body battery cover) the meter occasionally gets no power : the meter needle drops to the extreme left and stays 'dead' until you tap the whole unit. When the meter does work, the needle has a tendency to behave wildly (jumpy). Maybe the meter gets too much power from the four AA cells in the winder?" <em><strong>Benny S.</strong></em></p>

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<p>Wow, so many things to deal with here. I do own one of these "Green-S" Topcon Auto Winders, so here goes:<br>

These early "system" cameras had many weak links in the path to a proper working attachment (Very fussy).</p>

<ol>

<li>Put meter battery in and <strong>screw in</strong> it's cap.</li>

<li>Clean the outside of the camera <strong>battery cap</strong> with 'glass cleaner' along with it's grounding <strong>contact</strong> on the winder.</li>

<li>Using a Q-tip and 'cleaner', scrub the contact <strong>next to</strong> the rewind button on the camera & <strong>it's mate</strong> contact on the winder.</li>

<li>Clean the battery <strong>spring</strong> contacts in the winder magazine and it's mating <strong>solid</strong> contacts near the hinge.</li>

<li>Turn the camera meter <strong>switch to on,</strong> then follow <strong><em>John S.'</em></strong> advice on securing the winder to body.</li>

<li>Because it's a single shot winder (No continuous), use care not to hit the shutter release as it motorizes. This halts the cycle and you'll either need to manually wind the advance lever for a 'reset' or conduct a body-to-winder re-attach (I told you it was "fussy").</li>

</ol>

<p>Though the galvanometer is <strong>physically</strong> moved by aperture and shutter speed dial manipulation, don't let that confuse you that it's reading light. The meter must have it's button battery installed in order to operate and <strong>*</strong>read lighting conditions. Finally, you must have strong voltage coming from your winder batteries. Weak cells or contact resistance will keep the torque low and may not finish it's cycle (Causing the glowing red LED).</p>

<p><strong>*</strong>Many meter coils (galvanometer) at this stage of their 'lives', have picked up out-gassing contamination to the jewel movement. So like a fine watch, it usually requires solvent washing in order to avoid having to "tap" it for an accurate reading...</p>

<p>I think the "torque limiter" in the original Auto-Winder was really a circuit breaker. It would trip, and you could reset it by the red button on the bottom. There's no circuit breaker or reset button on the Auto-Winder S, leaving the motor armature winding as the "circuit breaker".<br>

You could ohm out the winder contact on the bottom of the camera, and see when it is "connected" to the camera body (battery cap ground). It should be open circuit when the camera is cocked, and close when the mirror returns to down after an exposure. (You may also have to release the shutter button to close the circuit.) It should open again when you finish winding the camera.</p>

Hi Gus, perhaps I should have said that the meter needle moves normally and accurate when the

winder is not attached to the camera.