Leica R9 winder problem

[pascal_meheut]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi,

I have a Leica R9 in very good condition and it came with the winder. At first, everything was ok and then the winder stopped working.

So I removed it and enjoyed the camera. But I prefer the handling with winder in place. So I tried another one and it turns out it does not work neither so the problem must be with the body.

The contacts are clean and once the winder is in, the camera works, i.e. receive power. But that's all: no motorized film advance nor rewind.

Is there something I can try? I guess there is no way for the body to be serviced nowadays?

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by pascal_meheut

[Stuart Richardson]

Most of the winder problems I had on the R9 were to do with syncing, but it seems like that is not the case here. My only suggestion would be to replace the batteries if you have not done so already and clean the battery contacts (not just the winder contacts). I have had situations (in the Hexar AF for example) where the camera was receiving power, but would not work. The issue was that the battery was low enough not to work on the more power intensive operations (like winding), but had enough power to power the body itself. If you have tried everything else, this is worth a shot, but otherwise I don't have much advice. Sorry!

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[masjah]

Check that the multiple exposure slider on the camera hasn't been moved across when mounting the winder? (Long shot I know, but worth checking.)

[pascal_meheut]

Thanks. Just after I posted, I unscrewed the winder, screwed it again whilst pressing on the part where the contacts are and it worked. By doing so, I remembered it happened to me in the past but it was a long time ago, when you could buy R8 & R9 new and they were my main cameras.

[PLH]

I have a similar problem.  Battery voltage is good, contacts clean etc., and have tried it on two bodies.   Won’t wind the film lead at the beginning of a roll or mid through a roll of film.  And won’t rewind the film at the end.  

I did notice the driveshaft for the take up spool will not budge forward or backward, with or without the rewind switch engaged.  Not sure if this is normal?

 

[pascal_meheut]

22 hours ago, PLH said:

I have a similar problem.  Battery voltage is good, contacts clean etc., and have tried it on two bodies.   Won’t wind the film lead at the beginning of a roll or mid through a roll of film.  And won’t rewind the film at the end.  

As I said above, I managed to make my new winder working by mounting it with the body turned off and pressing on the sides of contact whilst screwing. Even like this, it is still touch & go. When it works once, it works fine as long as do not remove the winder.

22 hours ago, PLH said:

I did notice the driveshaft for the take up spool will not budge forward or backward, with or without the rewind switch engaged.  Not sure if this is normal?

Are you talking about the driveshaft on the winder? Not the ones on the body?

[PLH]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The drive shaft, or ‘flange’, in the winder. Right hand side   It is stiff and puts a lot of drag on the spool when advancing the film with the camera’s advance/shutter lever.

I have been searching for outfits that may be able to service a R8 winder.  Have not found any.

[pascal_meheut]

Same here then: it will not budge.