Sankyo XL 400S Camera Question

[Richard Seccombe]

Hi,
I have a question regarding a Sankyo XL 400S Camera.
First I should mention that the camera came to me with all of the original packaging and manual and does not appear to have ever been used.
I loaded it up with 6 new batteries to try it's operation. I turned it on, checked battery status and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened and no transport noise. I opened the film door and found the small switch that tells the camera that film is loaded. When pressing that and pulling the trigger the capstan and pinch roller engage and turn perfectly but the main film drive spindle does not turn.
I don't have any film at this point to test it that way.
Is anyone familiar with this camera and am I doing something wrong? I would think the drive spindle would turn along with the capstan but don't know enough about it to be sure.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Richard

[Joerg Polzfusz]

Hi!

Do you hear a sound of a running motor when pressing the trigger? If yes, then I would assume that your camera is one of those that use a rubber belt to transmit the motor‘s movements to the spindle. And as your camera is more than 40years old, I think that the belt simply crumbled to dust or transformed into some slime. Other than that, it could be anything: oils that vanished, grease that turned to stone, rust/oxidation, capacitors/resistors/transistors that refuse to work after not being used for 40years, plastic gears that became brittle, …

Good luck!

BTW: there are many reports about not working Sankyo cameras here on the forum. Hence there might be a general problem caused by the age.