Film jammed in an arri 16s

[Jan Weis]

I'm kind of suprised it even happend, I wasnt expecting it. Well here's the story:

 

About two weeks ago I load my arri 16s with some Plus-x 7231 film and shot approximately one third of the 100 ft roll, then a couple of days ago I shot the 2nd third of the roll and now today when I was shooting the last 33ft of the plus-x rolls the unexpected happend. The film jammed.

 

I dont understand how this could have happend at the end of the film, its something I'd expect to at the begining but never the end.

 

Can anybody explain why this happend, was it just a fluke?

 

 

P.S. yes I did make sure that the claw ''caught'' the film correctly in the gate.

 

 

Please enlighten me.

 

/Jan

[Jon Kukla]

Well, film jams do occasionally happen from time to time. If it's just a one-off, I wouldn't worry too much about it - could be a bad perf or maybe something accidentally got jarred. It's when it happens again within a short period of time that the concern usually begins...

 

I don't know if there's enough info provided to really know, but if the camera is still within your access, I'd definitely have a play with it with some junk stock, maybe run the camera with the door open to see what's going on; is there any unusual play? Beyond that, have a pro check your loading procedure and get a tech to take a look at it. But again, there's not much info to go on.

 

Was the rest of the film okay? Did the developed film look fine? Any strange noises? What did it look like inside when you checked the jam? That sorta stuff might help us get a better feel for the situation.

[Tim Carroll]

Jan,

 

Oh no, hope there wasn't anything on the film that got ruined with the jam.

 

Have you opened the camera and seen how it jammed? And what is the serial number of your 16S? Is it the newer style like the picture below:

 

Or is it the older style like the picture below:

 

Did the film jam at the gate? Did it jam in the sprockets? Or is the camera still closed and you do not know where it jammed?

 

How was the camera kept between when you loaded it and when it jammed? Humidity and heat can effect the film, both being bad for it.

 

When was the last time the camera was serviced? It could be that the movement timing is getting to the point where it is marginal, and with fresh film it still works okay, but when the film has been exposed to heat or humidity and changes slightly, the movement jams up.

 

Could you provide a bit more detail?

 

-Tim

[Jan Weis]

''Oh no, hope there wasn't anything on the film that got ruined with the jam.''

 

thankfully I managed to save 2/3 of the roll (the most important parts)

 

 

As you can see I have the one of the newer models number 12111 to be exact. The Jam occured in the

gate I persume since the film started looping in the red marked area until it jammed completly.

 

 

 

''How was the camera kept between when you loaded it and when it jammed? Humidity and heat can effect the film, both being bad for it.''

 

It was kept at home at aproximately 25-30 degrese celsius or 77-86 F

 

 

''When was the last time the camera was serviced?''

 

I dont think it has ever been serviced, and if it has, it must have been years ago. The previous

owner kept it in his collection for years without using it. The camera looks as though it was barely used.

 

''Was the rest of the film okay? Did the developed film look fine?''

 

I havent had a chance to develop it quite yet but I will try to. I thinkl I saved most of it

by simply cutting the jamed film in the dark and placing the the film which did end up in

the 2nd roll into the plastic case the 100ft rolls come in.

 

 

 

Thanks for the answers I hope it was just pure bad luck and that nothing's wrong with the camera!

 

/Jan

[Tim Carroll]

Jan,

 

You really need to have that camera serviced. The lube on the fibre gears is probably completely dried out and the movement could certainly use a rebuild. From the serial number, that camera was made in the 1960's, which makes it forty years old. Glad to hear that it is in such good shape, but the lubes they used were not designed to last that long.

 

When you get the film back, see what the perfs look like at the end of the film, right when it jammed. Seeing how the perfs are ripped may give a better idea of what went wrong. But whatever went wrong, you still need to have that camera cleaned, lubed and adjusted. That camera will easily last another forty years, if you take care of it. They are fantastic little machines.

 

-Tim

[John Pytlak RIP]

Sometimes, it you leave film threaded in a camera for several weeks, the tighter loops take on some "core-set". And at higher humidities, the gelatin emulsion can pick up some extra moisture, making the film a bit more sticky in the gate. On startup, the combination could cause a bit of sticking as the film goes through the gate.

 

I agree that an older camera that has not been used in years should be serviced and relubricated.