Kodak XL342, any hopes?

[Nickademusss]

First of all thanks for your responses to the other question I posted about my cannon 8mm.

My next question is about a Kodak 342, it was a yard sale find, and was a dollar
But when you put batteries in it, a motor runs non stop, no matter what I do.

Anyone ever seen this issue? Any hope of fixing it or should it join the collection of camera decorations on the shelf?

[beamascope]

Sounds like either the switch has failed in in ON setting or more likely that the switch was left in the continuous run position at some point. I don't have one of these but while it's running see if sliding the switch forward/backward/left/right makes it do anything. Some cameras would go into continuous run if you slid the switch a certain direction after starting the camera to lock the switch on.

[Nickademusss]

It does have a switch to hold the release button down, but its not engaged, its also strange that even though i hear a motor running, the film advance and the shutter are not running, maybe broken beyond all repair?

[beamascope]

Since it only cost a dollar you might open it up and take a look. The screaming dork in me always wanted one of these when I was a kid because they reminded my of Luke Skywalkers "binoculars" from the 77 Star Wars film.

[Nickademusss]

your right they do look like the star wars binoculars, maybe I could make the prop out of it...... A little plastic a little fabricating and a nice looking prop!

I think I will take a peek inside might find something interesting.
I wonder if the unused film that was with it is any good?

[beamascope]

If it's Kodachrome don't bother shooting it but if it's ektachrome or black and white you might go for it.

[nickrapak]

If it's Kodachrome don't bother shooting it but if it's ektachrome or black and white you might go for it.

If it's Ektachrome, make sure it's 64T or 100D. Older Ektachromes are almost as unprocessable as Kodachrome.

[beamascope]

If it's Kodachrome don't bother shooting it but if it's ektachrome or black and white you might go for it.

If it's Ektachrome, make sure it's 64T or 100D. Older Ektachromes are almost as unprocessable as Kodachrome.

Good point.

[MartinBaumgarten]

The KODAK XL series cameras were well designed, could've used some manual over-ride features on them....but sadly, have a couple of poorly designed parts. The main thing that causes them to die is the neoprene drive gear on the motor shaft. This gear runs the shutter and film takeup core drive. Once this goes, with age, it crumbles into muck and only the motor will run, nothing else. The light meter will still work if it works.

The only way around this, and I have given much thought to this over the years, is to have a nylon or brass or plastic replacement gear made. [Sadly, this is also the case regarding their consumer 35mm slide projectors with the advance mechanism]. I figured with some mechanical surgery, I could modify them so they would run again, as well as have manual exposure settings on them....and maybe even manual zoom. Since the zoom is only motorized on these, the lens must in telephoto to use the dichroic superimposition focusing method.

Anyhow, they are cool, and worked great when they were new, shot steady movies owing to the design resting against the forehead and two handed holding method.............AND.......truly could shoot in very low light situations. That was mainly due to the separate viewfinder, the very fast lens, large shutter opening, and of course, nothing else to rob incoming light in the lens path. The cost to even resurrect one via having a new gear made (unless a similar one that's close enough could be found and made to work), makes the endeavor unpractical. Even so, I still have picked a couple of these up over the years with the intent of rebuilding them. Hopefully, Super 8mm filmstock will still be around when and if I ever get to it.

Lastly, don't throw it away! Safe it as a memento, decoration, or film prop.

[aj]

I am glad to see you here on this forum

Be careful when posting that the webform for input of a post has a limited time of valid login. Whatever the cause, like this pHpBB or proxies in the network.

So when typing and something comes and interrupts your work. Like a telephone call. Or the text is somewhat long it could happen that when you click SUBMIT the input is refused. Unfortunetaly the input is lost too in the process.

So better to type your text in a editor and and paste it from there.

[Nickademusss]

The KODAK XL series cameras were well designed, could've used some manual over-ride features on them....but sadly, have a couple of poorly designed parts. The main thing that causes them to die is the neoprene drive gear on the motor shaft. This gear runs the shutter and film takeup core drive. Once this goes, with age, it crumbles into muck and only the motor will run, nothing else. The light meter will still work if it works.

The only way around this, and I have given much thought to this over the years, is to have a nylon or brass or plastic replacement gear made. [Sadly, this is also the case regarding their consumer 35mm slide projectors with the advance mechanism]. I figured with some mechanical surgery, I could modify them so they would run again, as well as have manual exposure settings on them....and maybe even manual zoom. Since the zoom is only motorized on these, the lens must in telephoto to use the dichroic superimposition focusing method.

Anyhow, they are cool, and worked great when they were new, shot steady movies owing to the design resting against the forehead and two handed holding method.............AND.......truly could shoot in very low light situations. That was mainly due to the separate viewfinder, the very fast lens, large shutter opening, and of course, nothing else to rob incoming light in the lens path. The cost to even resurrect one via having a new gear made (unless a similar one that's close enough could be found and made to work), makes the endeavor unpractical. Even so, I still have picked a couple of these up over the years with the intent of rebuilding them. Hopefully, Super 8mm filmstock will still be around when and if I ever get to it.

Lastly, don't throw it away! Safe it as a memento, decoration, or film prop.

I wont throw it away, it looks great with the collection, I have several 16mm and 8mm oldies on the shelf, I saw a mushy gear when I started taking it apart, I may be able to find a replacement in my stock pile of old servo's and RC stuff, i will post if I find a good replacement.