Canon New F-1 rewind issues (again)

About 10 years ago, I had my F-1 serviced because the rewind mechanism failed to engage. I really haven't used the camera much after getting into medium format, but when I pulled it out to show to my son, I tried to get the film out and the rewind knob will again not engage when pulled out and turned. Yes, the "R" rewind lever near the shutter release has been activated.I suppose it's possible that KEH didn't really fix the original problem.

 

Has anyone had this issue?

Sorry if I'm asking a stupidly obvious question, but are you folding out the crank on the knob? The knob won't engage if the crank hasn't been folded out.

Why are you pulling the rewind out??? Press the button near the shutter and turn it and then turn the crank. That's it. Pulling the rewind up will pull the forks out of the cassette. You only pull the rewind up to in-load

 

PS - The New F1 needs to have the crank folded out. The F1 and the F1n will rewind without that. but it's pointless not to.

 

If all else fails, and I assume you have the New F1, you still can use that tiny button on the bottom, the one the motor drive uses for re-wind.

Sorry, I'll clarify: no, I'm not pulling up on the rewind knob. Yes, I know to push the rewind button in and then turn the knob on the left side. It just doesn't engage. I've had and used the camera since the early 90s. I'm wondering if this is a known weakness.

None weakness I doubt, but I do know that Canon put a clutch in the rewind knob so it would disengage if caught on something (like a photographer's hair). My guess (and that's all it is) is that your problem is with this clutch.

Addendum to my previous note. I found an old 1981 Popular Photography review of the F-1N. In the strip down report by Norman Goldberg, he commented on the rewind knob clutch. It has a return spring that he felt wasn't "springy" enough. If the return spring failed, the rewind knob wouldn't work. This is what probably happened to your camera. Maybe time to send it off to Ken Oikawa.

Thanks,

Sounds like it could be the spring. I'll send it off...

an old 1981 Popular Photography review of the F-1N" Jim B."

It's actually the August 1982 issue on page 107 where this "Rewind" comment is made.

Always enjoyed those "Lab Report"s...

Jim and Gus,

Thanks for the explanation. While I've enjoyed having the F-1, I've found it has some confounding weaknesses for what it was supposed to be (Canon's top professional camera at the time, to compete with Nikon and others). For example, the battery compartment is inaccessible with the winder on. The winder has a cheap and easily-damaged plastic door. And the worst design sin: lack of an exposure lock in AE mode.

Are you talking winder or motor? Of course with the winder, you can remove the winder to change the battery in mid-roll. The motor is a different story. If I am going to used my motor, I always check the battery first.

 

Funny, I never have worried about an AE lock. If I'm going to "lock" the exposure, I just set to manual.

 

If you are going to compare to a Nikon F3, at least the Canon can be used sans battery at speeds other than 1/90th. (But I'm not taking anything away from a Nikon)

Every camera has its engineering quirks and foibles, and the F-1N is no exception. Pick your camera, and you’ll find people grousing about this or that. For me, the reason I sold my F-1N back in 1985 was because it lacked a mirror lock-up. I now own a F-1N (a long story, about three years ago I bought back the camera I sold in 1985) but I much prefer using my original F-1. Just feels better in my hand. But that too, has it’s quirks and foibles. Just the way cameras are.