Remove dark slide from a detached S2a back?

Is there a way to remove a dark slide from a detached Bronica S2a back? The back I had to remove was broken, my other back is ready

to go on but I only own one dark slide; I would locate out another one but would really love to use this on an upcoming trip. My Bronica

body will not accept a back without a dark slide attached. Much help is appreciated!

Hi, continuing from your other thread, I know you have the darkslide style with a slightly concave leading edge. Mine use

the other style, with two tabs on the leading edge.

 

On my style, it's possible to release and remove the dark slide, but . . . you will not be able to put the darkslide back in, nor

will you be able to put that back (without a properly inserted darkslide) onto the camera.

 

With this warning, look on the back of your camera while the back is removed. On the upper left side is a small pin,

sticking out about 1/16 inch (1 or 2 mm). This presses into an opening on an attached film back, releasing the darkslide

latch. With a removed back, you can use a small tool, such as a toothpick, to directly press against a small pin inside of

that opening; this will release the latch, allowing you to remove the darkslide.

 

Since I've described how to get into trouble, I should describe how to make things functional again (at least for my backs).

Before removing the darkslide, carefully study the position of the upper latches (inside of the two slots on the magazine)

and how they move as you squeeze the darkslide in that last tiny fraction of an inch. After the darkslide is removed the

upper latches also move out of position. You'll have to press (and hold) the latches back into the original position before

inserting the darkslide. (Easier if you have 3 or 4 hands.) If you don't do this the darkslide won't catch the internal fabric

screen and won't be able to release the latches on the back; in other words you can't put it back on the camera.

 

Best of luck.

Thank you Bill! I just acquired a brand new grip and brand new S filmback. It's the shorter, notched kind you described and was pictured in the other post. I am new at Bronica after all these years. Shot a few rolls and haven't seen them yet. This back was still in the Bronica plastic inside package, and still in the pretty red, gold, black, red felt lined box... but I couldn't remove the darkslide. I guess I've never tried to without the backs being attached to the camera body. I didn't know you couldn't remove them with the back off the camera, but DUH! ... makes perfect sense on why it's there... to protect from ignorance or stupidity! Lol. I was able to depress the button (of which you spoke) with a fork and remove the darkslide. I thought maybe someone forced a larger one in there and it was now stuck. Ta da! Works like a charm after all these years. Thanks again.