I've been having some issue with my Canon 1014 AZ-E for a while now. I know it has a known issue with the power connection between the battery compartment in the handle and camera, but that's not my problem -- the camera is getting power fine. The issue is that sometimes it simply doesn't move the film. It's running, I can stick my finger in and feel the claw move, but sometimes it doesn't move film. Only sometimes. Other times it works perfectly fine.
My second, and related, question: Many years ago, probably closing in on twenty now, there was someone who manufactured metal pressure plates to slide behind the film that provided more uniform pressure and kept the film tight against the gate better than the cartridge's own plastic pressure plate could. It's my assumption that the issue with my 1014 is that the film isn't pressed far enough forward for the claw to engage it (because one thing that helps is pulling the film out slightly so it bulges forward before inserting it). Does this person -- I don't remember who they were -- still make it or does anyone else?
My second, and related, question: Many years ago, probably closing in on twenty now, there was someone who manufactured metal pressure plates to slide behind the film that provided more uniform pressure and kept the film tight against the gate better than the cartridge's own plastic pressure plate could. It's my assumption that the issue with my 1014 is that the film isn't pressed far enough forward for the claw to engage it (because one thing that helps is pulling the film out slightly so it bulges forward before inserting it). Does this person -- I don't remember who they were -- still make it or does anyone else?