mike_gillespie Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Having read the on line owners manual i followed it to the letter re loading the film, but i notice the auto stop doesnt kick in, i presume i can use it like any other roll film camera by just going to the next number through the red window. I dont mind doing it, but wonder why it wouldnt stop like it should, the counter is on 1, maybe the roller that actuates it is not working? Also i notice the film became quite tight as i got closer to number one on the film (harder to turn the knob) Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuzano Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 May I assume you are respooling film to fit the camera. Sorry if this is obvious, but the medalist is not a 120 roll film camera. If I recall correctly you need to buy or respool to 620 reels. Kodak set their own precedent with the 620 roll film for their Folding cameras, and I seem to recall that the Medalist was 620. That must have been a real treat for the Navy, after buying all those Medalists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_meyer3 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 There is a roller in the film compartment that has a sticker next to it saying not to turn that roller. I suspect that if the roller were turned it would screw up the film advance counting. I imagine it has been turned in your camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_supplee Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 You cannot simply go to the next number as the film wind wheel also sets the shutter cocking mecanism. It has to lock into position. This is the proceedure for new roll. *Counter must be set on zero. *Load film making sure it tracks correctly onto take up spool. *Close back and wind until #1 JUST appears in right side of red window. *Now depress and turn counter until #1 appears in upper half of little counter window. Make sure this locks into position. *Advance wind knob turning clockwise. It should only move about 1/8 turn and then stop. You should hear a little click. *For the FIRST shot only, you have to cock the shutter using the lever directly below the viewfinder window. If you have followed these steps and it has not worked, I would set the counter back to zero (this disengages the cocking mechanism), and roll the film all the way through. Then take out the film and re-roll it back to the first spool. Cock the shutter using the lever again and fire shutter just to make sure everything is back to square one. Then try reloading. Don't move the roller with the little teeth on it. With the door open it should be disengaged anyway, (as it is controlled by a little button just above it that presses it in when the back is closed), but this is what Kodak recommended. Hope this helps. Let us know what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_gillespie Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 I already have the film in the camera on 1 in the red window, why cant i just cock the shutter at each frame manually? I really would rather do that than re roll the film again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_supplee Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 You can do that. You just have to use the back lever to cock the shutter. I think what is wrong is that your anti double exposure lever is not catching the wind knob detent. That is why it will just keep turning. After this roll you should get it in to someone to check out. These are great cameras when everything works right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_supplee Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 You also have to advance each frame a little further than the last, as the number system is set for 120 rolls, and you are rolling onto a 620 diameter. It is hard to tell how much, I notice after about the 3rd frame I can't see the numbers any more. You might end up with pictures slightly on top of each other by #8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_gillespie Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 I cant see that Craig, arent the numbers the same distance apart on the backing paper of 120 or 620? The neg size is the same isnt it, 6X9cm? What has it got to do with the spool diameter? Im confused on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_supplee Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I have never had a roll of 620 to compare side by side, but it just stands to reason that the numbers would have a slightly different spacing due to the 620 spool being smaller in diameter. All I know for sure is that even if you start the Medalist at 1 in dead center, as you advance the film, the next numbers increasingly move to the left of the window until you don't see them anymore. I also checked my Medalist repair manual, and it says that the safety lever (double exp. prevention)spring needs to be replaced, or at the least adjusted. I don't know if you do your own repairs, but even if you don't, having this manual really gives you a great understanding as to what is going on in the camera. I got mine from photobooksonline.com. Less than $20. Well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_shriver Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Number spacing is the same on 120 and 620 film. While I don't know the Medalist, I know that in the Kodak Monitor Six-20 the auto-stop is done by measuring the linear travel of the film, by running it over a roller with sharp little teeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_supplee Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 The Medalist has a roller on the take up side with small teeth on top and bottom also. I just did a test roll marking the wind knob with tape, and it starts out taking about 2 1/2 turns to set the 2nd pic, ending up with only about 1 1/2 turns or less by the time you get to pic #8. And #8 passes the window by quite a bit. Very strange. I would think that by shorter turns it would keep the film in the same position every pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_gillespie Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 Strange is right, but just think of the numbers being dead center of the negative, as the size of the neg never changes, the number should always be in the red window for all pics no matter what the diameter of the film spool is, it just might take more turns (or less) to bring the numbers up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_supplee Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Or if the revolutions of the winder did not change, the film no's should get further apart as the film gets to be a bigger diameter on the spool. I put a tape to the numbers tonight, and they are all at approx. 3 5/8 for the 6x9 setting. I looked at the neg gaps on my last Medalist roll, and they all look identical for spacing. I know there are a series of cams on the wind knob shaft, that must be where the ratioing takes place. Smarter people than me these camera designers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick_van_Nooij Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Mike, You won't have any problems just winding the film to the next number in the red window and then cocking the camera manually. I have to do this on one of my medalists; it had part of its guts removed probably after it jammed...leaving a useless framecounter. The other one is not quite so trustworthy when it comes to the auto-stop. So I pretty much end up doing the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_gillespie Posted January 26, 2008 Author Share Posted January 26, 2008 Thanks Rick, thats what i figured , im used to doing it on all my medium format cameras (except my 4 rolleis). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 When Kodacolor came out during WW2 in 620; the rolls were only 6 shots on a 2x3 camera like the Medalist; instead of 8 shots. The extra was a control for the processing lab. The Medalist's gearing and double exposure mechanism under the left side knob often gets gunked up with old grease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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