film stuck in dead Yashica T4
 

I have a Yashica T4 (non "super") that has gone completely dead
due (I think) to some moisture exposure). I guess the non-super
really ISN'T weather resistant :-(

Anyhow, was gonna send it in for Yashica's flat-rate repair service
($90 or so) and see what they'll do. (It also under-exposes by a
stop and occasionally prematurely rewinds film).

BUT ... it now contains a half-exposed roll of film which I'd like to
salvage. Since there is no electrical activity, I went into a darkroom
and tried to open the back and remove and rewind the film by hand.
But I cannot get the take-up spool (the one with the exposed frames)
to rotate at all, so the film is just stuck. I tried depressing the
"early rewind" button, but apparently it does nothing without the
electronics activated.

Suggestions ? Thanks, John

film stuck in dead Yashica T4
 

wrote
I have a Yashica T4 (non "super") that has gone completely dead
...it now contains a half-exposed roll of film ...
the film is just stuck.

I have gotten the film out when there were only a few frames on the
take up roller [TUR]. The TUR is rubber and the film sticks
by friction.

I found if I fed film _into_ the TUR then the film would loosen
it's wrap and I could pull some out - more than I fed in. Had
to do it several times.

If there is 1/2 a roll in there I don't know that this technique
will work - the object is to get the first wrap on the TUR to go
loose.

If it were mine [IIWM?] I might see if I could take the sides or
bottom off the camera leaving the film compartment light-tight.
If lucky one could get at the clutch or pawl and release the
TUR so the film can be pulled out. I have no idea that this
will work or could work...

You might send a note with the camera to the repair service -
I am sure this isn't the only camera they have gotten with
half a roll of film stuck in it - they may be able to
save the film.


--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation
http://www.nolindan.com/da/fstop/

film stuck in dead Yashica T4
 

Thanks for suggestions, Nicholas. You give me an idea, which is to
cut
the film at the take-up roll, then push the cut end thru and kinda
unwind it
that way. But then I'm stuck with a raw piece of film I need to
somehow
get back into the cassette. Which I could probably just feed it back
into
an empty cassette by pushing it in carefully, but then who knows if
the
processing lab can deal with that. I guess I could just stick the
wound-up
half-roll into one of those plastic film containers - I guess it'd be
light-tight
enough - and then take that to the lab.

Thanks, John

Nicholas O. Lindan wrote:
wrote
I have a Yashica T4 (non "super") that has gone completely dead
...it now contains a half-exposed roll of film ...
the film is just stuck.

I have gotten the film out when there were only a few frames on the
take up roller [TUR]. The TUR is rubber and the film sticks
by friction.

I found if I fed film _into_ the TUR then the film would loosen
it's wrap and I could pull some out - more than I fed in. Had
to do it several times.

If there is 1/2 a roll in there I don't know that this technique
will work - the object is to get the first wrap on the TUR to go
loose.

If it were mine [IIWM?] I might see if I could take the sides or
bottom off the camera leaving the film compartment light-tight.
If lucky one could get at the clutch or pawl and release the
TUR so the film can be pulled out. I have no idea that this
will work or could work...

You might send a note with the camera to the repair service -
I am sure this isn't the only camera they have gotten with
half a roll of film stuck in it - they may be able to
save the film.


--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation
http://www.nolindan.com/da/fstop/