How much wear and tear is acceptable

Derrel · Jun 1, 2019

It has been about five years or more since I have photographed using a 35 mm single lens reflex camera with Manual rewinding of the exposed film. The last 35 mm single lens reflex that used was my F3 HP, which has power rewinding using the MD-4 motor drive.

As has been said here in this thread before, to rewind a roll of film, one presses in the tiny baseplate mounted rewind release button, and then cranks the film back into the canister. As I recall one does not have to continuously hold this small rewind release button in, but only at the very start of the operation.

compur · Jun 1, 2019

pocketshaver said:
rewind button, look at the bottom of a FTB, its the little button in the triangle next to the Canon Japan engraving. Gotta push it in, in order to rewind the film

We know what a frigging rewind button is. Are you kidding or what?

What is confusing is that first you said it, "sticks inside the camera body after being pushed" and then you said it "stays out until pushed in. and it pops out instantly."

Derrel · Jun 1, 2019

The Canon FTB camera was introduced in March 1971, and the FTB new-style model was released in 1973, so this camera is already fairly old, and it's not surprising that there are some minor inconveniences with it

For a camera that you paid only $13.50 plus shipping for, I don't think it's reasonable to worry too much about minor operational issues.

One of the biggest problems with purchasing older equipment off of eBay is well illustrated by your predicament. It is possible that the seller did not even know about the back popping open when the camera is turned up Side down.