Double-exposure with the M4

[Ulophot]

I am seeking a definitive answer as to whether or not it is harmful to hold down the rewind release lever while cocking the shutter, in order to make a double-exposure. An old thread I saw elsewhere said, forget it, can't be done on the M4. Another, separate thread, said that there is no problem, and to "rest assured" that the sound made by the advance lever, which does sound a bit like gear-grinding, is doing no harm to the mechanism whatsoever.

I am running some tests on pre-exposure and thought to save some bother by doing them in 35, for which my M4 is the only option. I used the above technique for one frame and decided I had better check first.

Thanks.

 

[bluesun267]

If you are intending to do multiple exposures on a regular basis, M cameras are not going to work. I've been down this road before. The only M camera that Leica has stated this technique is possible is the M5. And you will be hard pressed to get a second-third-fourth etc exposure that is perfectly registered on any Leica M camera, including the M5. Winding while holding down the rewind lever, no matter how careful you are about simultaneously holding the rewind knob, will not prevent small (or large) film creep. Even if you get really good at it! You also lose your frame count unless you are dedicated to writing down every extra exposure and subtracting it from the frame counter reading. (Or maybe you have total recall😉

On any other M besides the M5, you are straining the mechanism. The sound alone should be enough to render this question moot. Will the camera keep on working when you do this? Maybe. They are well built. But many cars will also keep on running when you grind the clutch. A definitive answer to this question is not possible.

I shoot with a IIIg, a Canon 7, a Canon VL, a Leotax, a Nikon F3 and a Leica R8 because I like having the option of heartache-free multiple exposures. Even if I may not use the feature on every roll, I like having it there for those rare instances when I want it. I no longer own a Leica M for this reason.

My one compromise is the Hexar RF. Which has an optical transport, so re-loading film from the beginning allows perfectly registered multiple exposures. Still not a fun way to do it.

I still find it ridiculous that Leica never chose to incorporate a workable multiple exposure feature into the M cameras when so so many others did over the years (including themselves with the R system).

 

[Ulophot]

OK, thank you. I will return to my MF camera, which has a double-exposure provision, and hope that my one brief transgression did not inflict any serious damage on my precious old friend.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

I am seeking a definitive answer as to whether or not it is harmful to hold down the rewind release lever while cocking the shutter, in order to make a double-exposure. An old thread I saw elsewhere said, forget it, can't be done on the M4. Another, separate thread, said that there is no problem, and to "rest assured" that the sound made by the advance lever, which does sound a bit like gear-grinding, is doing no harm to the mechanism whatsoever.

I am running some tests on pre-exposure and thought to save some bother by doing them in 35, for which my M4 is the only option. I used the above technique for one frame and decided I had better check first.

Thanks.

It won't harm the camera. I've confirmed this with Don Goldberg ("DAG"). I've seen this technique used a hand-full of times over the years with mixed results.

 

[Ulophot]

Thanks, Bill. Perhaps it won't, and I'll sleep better now with this confirmation from a repairman with DAG's evident reputation. But I think I'll just go with the medium format anyway. It's made for it, and this is only for tests anyway.