Pentax K1000 film advance problems

[earthmanbuck]

Hi folks, it's been a while...good to see ya again.

I recently blew a roll of film on my favourite and most-used camera, my Pentax K1000—and it was a roll I took of my childhood home and hometown as I helped my dad move out this past weekend, so it's a bit of a bummer.

For starters, I had a helluva time loading the film due to the stupid spool in the K1000, which is really the only thing I don't like about the camera. It took me probably half an hour to get it through. I also tried first with a junk roll so as not to waste too many shots on the good one, and I "shot" about half the junk roll with the back open, just to make sure everything was working as it should, and it seemed to be.

When I loaded in the good film, I did 3 or 4 shots just to make sure again, and then closed the back. As I was shooting (this was all over the course of the same day), everything felt totally normal—no weird resistance or grinding sounds—and the counter was counting. But when I got to about 42 shots on a 36 shot roll, I realized something was wrong and rewound, and it came off so fast I estimate there could have only been max 4 good shots on there.

This has happened to me a couple times in the past, when I first started shooting, but that was a matter of me not feeding the film all the way through the spool. This time I did, and everything felt fine, so I'm a little stumped. Any ideas what went wrong and how I might be able to fix it in the future?

 

[limr]

Hi folks, it's been a while...good to see ya again.

I recently blew a roll of film on my favourite and most-used camera, my Pentax K1000—and it was a roll I took of my childhood home and hometown as I helped my dad move out this past weekend, so it's a bit of a bummer.

For starters, I had a helluva time loading the film due to the stupid spool in the K1000, which is really the only thing I don't like about the camera. It took me probably half an hour to get it through. I also tried first with a junk roll so as not to waste too many shots on the good one, and I "shot" about half the junk roll with the back open, just to make sure everything was working as it should, and it seemed to be.

When I loaded in the good film, I did 3 or 4 shots just to make sure again, and then closed the back. As I was shooting (this was all over the course of the same day), everything felt totally normal—no weird resistance or grinding sounds—and the counter was counting. But when I got to about 42 shots on a 36 shot roll, I realized something was wrong and rewound, and it came off so fast I estimate there could have only been max 4 good shots on there.

This has happened to me a couple times in the past, when I first started shooting, but that was a matter of me not feeding the film all the way through the spool. This time I did, and everything felt fine, so I'm a little stumped. Any ideas what went wrong and how I might be able to fix it in the future?

This happened to me with one of my K1000s. If I remember correctly, the rewind button was stuck, which meant the film never actually advanced even though it felt like everything was working properly.

 

[compur]

This has happened to me a couple times in the past, when I first started shooting, but that was a matter of me not feeding the film all the way through the spool. This time I did, and everything felt fine, so I'm a little stumped. Any ideas what went wrong and how I might be able to fix it in the future?

My suggestion is to watch the rewind knob as you advance the film. If it doesn't revolve then you know something is wrong and can fix it before shooting further. The usual reason is failing to make sure the film leader is securely "grabbing" the spool before closing the back.

 

[dxqcanada]

I made a habit after loading and winding to the first frame to watch the rewind knob (as compur stated) and then I turn the rewind knob to make sure film is properly attached to the pickup spool.

 

[earthmanbuck]

Thanks for the responses, everyone! The rewind knob did seem to be advancing, at least for the first few, but it is possible I wasn't paying attention from the point when it stopped advancing. Good tip.

I made a habit after loading and winding to the first frame to watch the rewind knob (as compur stated) and then I turn the rewind knob to make sure film is properly attached to the pickup spool.

Just to clarify, what do you mean by turning the rewind knob? Like just giving it a turn in the rewind direction to make sure it's locked in?

Also, I think there might be something to the "rewind button getting stuck" theory limr had; is there a DIY way to fix this?

 

[dxqcanada]

Yeah, turn is as if you are rewinding ... you should encounter a lot of resistance, meaning the film is actually caught by the pickup spool.

If the rewind button is stuck, then you might just be able to take off the bottom plate.

Pentax K1000 with bottom cover removed

 

[Derrel]

SNIP>when I got to about 42 shots on a 36 shot roll, I realized something was wrong and rewound, and it came off so fast I estimate there could have only been max 4 good shots on there.

This has happened to me a couple times in the past, when I first started shooting, but that was a matter of me not feeding the film all the way through the spool. This time I did, and everything felt fine, so I'm a little stumped. Any ideas what went wrong and how I might be able to fix it in the future?

Later Pentax camera uses a multi-slotted film takeup spool..."Magic Needles" wasn't it? It was prone to faulty loading--much more so than standard single-slotted film takeup systems used by other brands. Perhaps bend and then forcefully crease the film leader a bit, to make SURE the film will be wound-on tightly. And as compur suggests after loading, WATCH the rewind crank to make absolutely sure that the film is indeed, advancing through the camera, as it is being shot.

 

[compur]

This might help:

 

[earthmanbuck]

Thanks again guys. When I first got the K1000 I basically just stuck it in the slot (sometimes with a crimp but sometimes I didn't even need it), and it worked probably 9/10 times, though on a couple rolls it didn't take. Took me a while to figure out it has to go all the way through—d'oh! That video compur posted is the one I watched to help me get it this time around, but it did seem to be working properly before I closed the back and started shooting.

Anyway, weird. I'll take all your tips into account next time I shoot with it!