Mid Roll Change (Dynax 5)

I have recently bought a Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 5 as I have recently

got interested in photography.

 

I knew about mid-roll changes in SLR cameras but I don't know whether

or not what I know is entirely true!

 

I have heard that mid-roll change involves rewinding an unfinished

film, inserting a different film, and then (if necessary) replacing

the original film to continue shooting from when you rewound. Is this

true? I ask this, as I recently was shooting on a colour film and I

decided to change to lack and white. I rewound the colour film and

put the new black and white one in instead. After shooting a few

photos, I decided to go back to the colour film. To my horror, after

replaing the colour film the counter read "0"!! I expected it to wind

on to the next unexposed frame but it thought it was a blank film! I

am sure that the camera is meant to automatically wind on, as in the

manual it states:

"Do not use infrared film in this camera. The camera's frame counter

sensor will fo infrared film." (Bottom Pg21)

I understood this to be the sensor that detects whether or not a

frame has been exposed or not. Am I incorrect?

 

I am unsure whether or not I am meant to press the shutter release

button to advance to the unused frames, but I didn't realise I might

have to this when I changed the film, so therefore I did not note

down the number of frames I had exposed as I expected the camera to

know!

 

I would be very greatful if anyone could help me with this problem,

as I would like to be able to change films when I wish!

 

Many thanks,

 

Peter Lloyd.

The camera has no idea how many shots you've taken. All it knows is contained on the bar code printed on the cartridge. It is up to you to set the camera to manual mode, keep the lens cap on, and shoot blanks till you're safely passed the exposures you made the last time the film was in the camera.

 

If you haven't noted the number of exposures, and really can't remember, I'd cut your losses and just get it processed, as is. Film is cheap, compared to the possibility of double-exposing.

The "frame counter sensor" is just to determine how much the film has actually moved when the motor is cranking away. It has nothing to do with exposed or unexposed film.

Thanks a lot for your help!

I will now make sure I make a note of the exposures I have taken!

 

Peter Lloyd

First off, I think you need to use the custom function (can't recall which) to leave the film leader out after it rewinds. Your "after replaing the colour film the counter read '0'!" bit made me think that the camera did not get the leader and assumed it was a fully-shot roll. If the leader had been out, I think it would have gone to 1. (In a pinch you might be able to fish out the leader, but that's a nuisance and risks damage.)

 

Anyway, once you set it to leave the leader out, shoot part of the first roll, make a note of where you were (what frame), rewind, shoot the second roll, and reinsert the first roll. It will go to 1. Now to be safe, put on the lens cap, set the shutter to 1/4000 s, and set the aperture to minimum (f/22 or whatever, depending on the lens). Now fire away to advance the film to where it was (frame 14 or 27 or whatever), and preferably one past that just to make sure there's no overlap. Now remove the lens cap, set the shutter and aperture normally, and finish your original roll.

Also when you reload you film, be sure to set the camera on manual focus. Otherwise it will try to focus on the inside of the lens cap(which it can't do and won't allow the shutter to fire \).

 

Tom

In addition to the last comment - I usually set to full manual mode, set shutter speed to max, continuous mode, manual focus. Keep eyepiece cap on (so light cannot enter through viewfinder) and click away till you reach the frame where you stopped earlier. Add one for safety :) Works perfectly.