Zeiss Super Ikonta B - No space between exposures

I have obtained a very clean Zeiss Super Ikonta B manufactured in

1938. I have put two rolls of Astia transparency film through the

camera and a very funny thing is happening. The exposures on the

film are running together with no defined separation between each.

Looking at the film on a light box shows what appears to be one

continuous length of exposed film with an excessive amount of unused

film on the end (as would be expected if each shot is flush up

against the next). Does anyone have an idea what the problem might

be?

Second, the camera only has an indicator which allows 11 exposures

not twelve, even though this is a 6x6 camera. Sorry these may be

obvious questions but I am new to this type of camera.

Bruce

I have the Super Ikonta B as well. I will answer the simple question first. Yes, the camera is designed only take to 11 shots on a roll as the counter indicates. There are various methods that people use to bypass the interlock mechanism to get the 12th shot but I don't bother with that.

I can only speculate on your film spacing issue. The interlock on the Super Ikonta B is quite a complex arrangement of gears that is prone to corrosion. Officially, you should be able to load a roll of film; advance it to #1 with the aid of the red view window; set the frame counter to 1; the counter will advance as the film is wound (The later model Super B's will stop at the next frame...the earlier designs need you to watch) . This also prevents you from mistakenly making a double exposure since the shutter won't fire until the film has been advanced.

I would expect that your problem is either slipping of the takeup spool or a problem with the gearing of the frame counter.

You'd probably want to take a roll of paper backing and after

loading and setting to the first exposure, mark the left of the

frame and advance with the back open. If the teeth of the

advance mechanism were bad, it wouldn't advance the film

correctly, but you should be able to feel this when you wind.

You'll definetly see it.

Getting two more exposures per roll is very easy, you just have to

know how to do it. Once you get the advance figured out drop a

line and I'll give the simple instructions.

Thanks for the response. I have used up a roll of film to test the camera with the back open. Here is what I found:

I was not winding the film on to the take up roll far enough. It takes 6 1/2 complete turns of the crank (after the arrow appears in the red window to have the film in place for the first exposure.

I can now load the film, wind until I see the arrow through the small red window, continue winding for 6 1/2 complete rotations and then set the counter to one. I can then take 11 exposures, wind a last 1 1/2 turns, take the 12th exposure by triggering the shutter using the exposed linkage, and finally wind up the remaining roll and remove.

I am test exposing a roll now. We will see if the distance between the frames is better.

Bruce Varner

The camera works fine now! It helps if you load the film correctly. By not rolling enough of the film onto the takeup roll, the first few exposures were not spaced correctly.

Bruce Varner