MP wind lock up in Paris. Help!

macmx

macmx

Established
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Jan 2, 2008
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Hi all,

I am on a trip and my MP has locked up. I finished my roll of film and wanted to switch to rewind mode when I noticed the "r" lever was stuck. The same goes for the winder. The shutter will not fire and the rewind knob will turn about 180 degrees back and forth. When I take the lens off I can see that the metering spot it slightly offset, so it looks like the camera did not wind.

To me, it seems like the film is extended to much out of the canister that it is now preventing the camera from being fully wound which in turn prevents me from rewinding the film spool. Is this really possible? I did the same runtime as always: when the camera would not fire wind after the last shot, I tried to engage the r switch like I always do but then it was stuck.

Any help is much appreciated as I am now roaming around Paris with no camera. Thanks!
 
A trip to Paris with no backup? ...

Hopefully a local will be able to direct you to an appropriate camera shop with a competent technician.
 
Did you try opening up the camera? I'd suspect that popping open the bottom (in a dark place of course) could free up the mechanism as the counter works in cohoots with the bottom plate. Counter is in cohoots with the wind-on, neck bone is connected to the jaw bone, etc. & etc. I'd give that a try anyway. Worst case you would at least get the film out so as to be able to look at things in good light.
 
Some nice folks at the Leica Shop on Beaumarchais. You might pop in there and see if anyone can help you.

There are quite a few Leica shops and camera retailers that deal with rangefinders, I'm sure someone can help you. At the very least you can pick up a fill in if need be.

Best of luck!

Kent
 
At night in the toilet in as much darkness as possible, remove the base plate and carefully try to pull out the canister a little or if not possible, try to cut the film after opening the back-door. Once the tension is gone you can first fully advance and then either rewind the film into the canister or if cut make a small roll that you can store in one of the small black plastic canister you hopefully have.

I had a similar thing happen to my Nikon SP after arriving at my trip destination.
 
Can you find a lightproof area where you can remove film by "feel" and rewind into cassette? Or worse case right film off and remove in daylight. Hope the problem then clears - probably just something out of sync. Good luck and enjoy Paris.
 
Odeon Photo in the sixth is a Leica dealer and has always been very friendly and helpful to me. Try them in the morning, today being Sunday they're likely closed. All this assumes you don't have a changing bag. Failing Odeon, There are lots of camera shops, many dealing in Leicas out on the Rue Beaumarchais (?). Working from memory here. Meantime, spend the rest of the day enjoying Paris!
 
If there's no camera shop open, in the dark wrap the camera in the folds of an overcoat and use the arms of the coat to access the camera. Open the camera and pull out the film. Rewind it into the cannister manually. High chance the camera will be fine.
 
I second Treb, Photo Suffren is probably one of the best Leica repair shop in Paris. The founder, Gérard Métrot, of this shop is the reference about Leica repair in France. Unfortunately, they're closed on monday.
If I were you, I would avoid the Boulevard Beaumarchais, also known as "Boulevard du Crime" by some photogs in Paris.
 
1) Open the camera and carefully remove the film. 2) Inspect it and try some test runs without film. 3) If this doesn't work, then take it to a repair guy.
 
Thanks for the replies. I tried to open it in the dark with no result. Any ideas as to how to remove the film? It's getting caught in the sprockets.
 
Do it in the light! Carefully cut out the film so that it doesn't harm the shutter curtains....its really not that difficult. At this point dont try to save the film.
 
macmx said:
Thanks for the replies. I tried to open it in the dark with no result. Any ideas as to how to remove the film? It's getting caught in the sprockets.
Click to expand...
Have ready a black film canister.
Cut or rip off the film from the cassette.
Try to loosen the winding of the film on the take up spool.
Then pull the film carefull downwards out of the camera.
Put it in the lighttight canister. (all in the dark)

It is fiddly, but should work... have done it one or two times... when the film was ripped off the cassette-spool...
 
Indeed, most of what can be said has been said. La Maison du Leica blvd Beaumarchais, Photo Suffren Blvd Suffren. Photo Odeon in the 6th doesn't exist anymore though. It's now located blvd beaumarchais (like any camera shop in paris) further up the boulevard after Leica and on the opposite side.
 
Okay so somehow, by trying to get the film off the sprockets, I managed to make the "r" switch move again and could rewind. Film saved! Success! The camera seems to be working fine now. When I removed the film, I was able to wind it the last little bit, so the metering spot was centered and I could fire the shutter. Will try a new roll tomorrow. Maybe CLA it when I get home.

Still have no clue what the problem was.

Thanks for all the replies and helpful advice.
 
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