Leica LTM Apropos of nothing much, but...

[Pfreddee]

...I have found out through practice and the use of Magic Words (taught to us by Sgt. Hughes, at Ft. Knox), that loading a Leica IIIc really is quite simple if you cut the leader longer, follow directions, and take your time. I already knew about cutting the leader longer, and the rest sort of fell into place with some practice (what a concept!!!). Makes me wonder what all of the fuss was about. ESPECIALLY the different contortions people used to get around the correct way to do things...

Just a thought. Or two.

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

 

[Beemermark]

You just have to be old enough to remember when all film had long leaders-.

I spend a little time at Fort Knox, worse weather in the country. monsoon in the morning, 100 deg and 100% humidity by 9:00 am, then monsoon at supper. Hope your enjoying it-

 

[Pfreddee]

Beemermark: Enjoying what? My camera, or the weather at Ft Knox in 1959? (That's when I went through basic.) We all had heat rash dreadfully!

Regards, Pfreddee(Stephen)

 

[payasam]

Pfreddee, the plong pleader once came pnaturally, as Beemermark psays. I too have never understood what all the pfuss is about.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I used to trim the film leader, now I set the camera to Time-exposure and make sure the film clears the edges of the film frame.

I only have an Army PT-shirt from Ft Knox.

 

[literiter]

I used to trim the film leader, now I set the camera to Time-exposure and make sure the film clears the edges of the film frame.

I prefer this way as well. A bit tricky outdoors: remove bottom of camera, find a place to set bottom, remove lens, find a place to set lens, set camera upper dial to 25-1, front dial to "t", open shutter, insert end of untrimmed film in take up spool, shove the whole mess into the film chamber, use thumb to ensure film clears edges of frame, replace bottom of camera, advance film a bit to see if it is loaded right, set film counter to zero.

I think the beauty of a camera like this (in my case a iiif) is it takes so much time to load film you want to make each of the 36 or so frames count.

 

[john neal]

I used to trim the film leader, now I set the camera to Time-exposure and make sure the film clears the edges of the film frame.

I only have an Army PT-shirt from Ft Knox.

Rick,

That assumes you have a "T" setting, not present on earlier bodies like my I conv to Standard

I have broken fingers from the RAF Regiment - does that count in the second category? :angel:

 

[Vince Lupo]

Makes me wonder what all of the fuss was about. ESPECIALLY the different contortions people used to get around the correct way to do things...

Pfreddee(Stephen)

Don't know if I'd necessarily call it a 'contortion', though it might appear that way to some. I've been doing the old 'set it at T and remove the lens' routine for almost 30 years, and it's really second nature for me. I suppose if someone were using a Standard it might be a bit of an issue, but I've never had to worry about that (mainly been using III's and IIIb's).

Heck, I know photographers who think that the whole bottom-loading concept is a contortion (not to mention the use of film cameras in this prevalent age of digital), so go figure.....

 

[wlewisiii]

I used to trim the film leader, now I set the camera to Time-exposure and make sure the film clears the edges of the film frame.

I only have an Army PT-shirt from Ft Knox.

I do as he does. Drops in just fine & faster than when I trimmed the leader.

As for Ft Knox, my memories center around Misery, Agony & Heartbreak...



William

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Sounds bad William,

I started using this method of reloading last September when at an event I was in a rush to reload and I could not find the scissors to trim the film.

If I know I'll be using a set of rolls solely in my Leica cameras I will probably cut the leader for all of them in advance.


John, you know, I actually didn't know the earlier models did not have a Zeit setting. My oldest is a Leica III.

 

[john neal]

John, you know, I actually didn't know the earlier models did not have a Zeit setting. My oldest is a Leica III.

Rick,

They all had a "Z" setting, but only for as long as you keep the button pressed - not so easy uless you have two left hands.

The "T" setting makes it so much more manageable

 

[wlewisiii]

Sounds bad William,

Those were the names of three big hills we had to run & march up regularly. If nothing else, it made you happy to leave the place

I wouldn't mind going back to some of those places with my IIIf & a nice big pile of Ektar to practice my loading technique with

William

 

[David 11084]

Hi, I'm not too old at all (digital or auto loading film) but found loading a Leica 1 to be very vexing. This was until I invested in an Ablon template. With some prcatise it is second nature now and I am even loading outside whilst out and about. Makes me smile when I remember my first weekend with the camera and reels of misused film.
You have got to love bottom loading; I can't explain my success with it now but I revel in it nontheless.
Enjoy yours!
David