Mags running sound

Heikki Repo · July 12, 2016

Just had my Eclair ACL serviced by Bernie. Since I originally sent my camera in for a ground glass work I didn't ship my mags. Now that I have my CLA'd camera with me and tested my mags with it I can't help but to wonder about one of my mags and how it sounds. It doesn't really sound bad, only ... louder.

What do you make of the difference between my mag #2 and #1:

Gregg MacPherson · July 12, 2016

Can you confirm that the sound recording setup, the film stock and the loops are identical for both? You probably nailed those? already but doesn't hurt to ask.

Does the take up door of the noisy one fit well? Gap(s) ? Does it have the same sound deadening as that on the other mag? Do both mags feel the same as you fit them to the camera? Does the noisy one feel looser? Just my thoughts, don't feel you have to reply to all those questions.

What did Bernie think? (my best question).

Heikki Repo · July 13, 2016

Bernie noticed immediately that I wasn't testing them with film. ;)

I'm shooting some tests today, I'll let you know as well how they sound. :)

Gregg MacPherson · July 13, 2016

Hey, before you shoot tests that are going to the lab, why not grab a recent short end and look harder at the noise issue.

Heikki Repo · July 13, 2016

I'm having an upcoming shoot so I need to shoot some tests to confirm other areas as working. Might as well test both mags at the same time :)

Gregg MacPherson · July 13, 2016

If you can test for the noise issue before you do tests that will go to the lab I think that would be most sensible. There's no reason not to do it. I thoght you might have done this as soon as Bernie replied.

Comparing the mags with film loaded may be imediately useful. So too, checking for the fit of the take up doors and the fit of the mag to the camera.

The door latches can be tweaked. At least I've done that quite easily on 400' mags.

And the fit to the camera also. Not all mags will fit the same. Some will have a different vertical dimension at the front, where it mounts to the camera. You may see it with your vernier. There is a steel fitting with two "teeth" screwed to the top of the mag. I don't know if the following is a legitimate fix, but years ago I shimmed under that so I had the same vertical dimension at the front of the mag, and latch force feel to my fingers.

Heikki Repo · July 13, 2016

Thanks Gregg, I'll consider doing the tests with my louder mag.

I have shot a short film with these mags without any problems in 2014. During that time I mostly used the mag #2 which is now the one that I'm wondering about.

Edited July 13, 2016 by Heikki Repo

Tyler Purcell · July 14, 2016

Run the magazine with test film and NO sides on it. To me, it sounds like you've got something skipping. Whether it's the pulldown mechanism or magazine, I think there is something more serious wrong. You can generally tell if something is wrong by watching how the film is tugged from the supply and pulled for the takeup. I bet you can see the problem pretty quickly with dummy film loaded.

Heikki Repo · July 14, 2016

With film both mags had a very healthy sound. According to Bernie it's normal for things get a bit too loose in these mags without film balancing out feed and take-up sides. I guess this case is closed :)