Re: [Leica] R8 Winder Woes

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@islandnet.com>]

David Strang wrote:

>Hopefully, someone can cheer me up! I got the Mototr WInder for my R8 tonite
>at 4pm. I put the batteries in the winder and attached it and NOTHING!
>When I attach the winder with the camera ON, the motor works. If the camera
>switch is turned off and then back on, NOTHING..KAPUTT!. Now if I drop a
>roll in, the camera jumps to life and functions, until I shut off the
>camera. When I switch the camera on, NOTHING..KAPUTT!
>
>Is this normal for this winder? Seems like a problem to me! Anyone out there
>seen anything like this?>>>>>>>

Hi David,

First thing.  try cleaning the contacts on winder and camera body.  I know
you wouldn't think you'd have to do that on a new machine, but!

Just in case....don't leave the thumb advance leaver out, even the tiniest
bit as this shuts off the winder allowing manual advance. It's supposed to
do this and is not a problem.

Final suggestion, well second final.... take the winder off, clean
contacts, plus camera body contacts.. take battery out clean
contacts......open the instruction book and follow it to the letter while
re-loading, battery, locking winder in place and try it again....but don't
do anything other than the exact instructions.

FINAL!  take the winder back to the dealer and if they have another,
exchange! Then load the new winder with them as witness, just as the
instructions indicate.  I'm not saying you didn't do that originally, but
by doing it exactly as the book says you eliminate every possiblity of
missing some tiny thing. And the dealer is your witness.  Actually there
are no tiny things to miss, as I just threw the batteries in locked it on
the camera body and away it went. Clean and simple.  That was the second
winder!

By following the book in this manner you have more ammunition for getting a
new winder without any screwing around.  Besides some of us did have
start-up glitchs with winders and had them exchanged. However the second
one has run constantly since I got it about three years ago.

I trust this might help, but let me say the winder is truly an advancing
convenience and not something I'd use shooting sports, particularly ice
hockey. The winder isn't made for any other action then flowers gently
swaying in the breeze!  Fast action in hockey, the winder will drive you
crazy as it isn't made for fast film advancing as a motor.  I mean it's
really slooooooow! :)
ted

Ted Grant
This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant