film trimmers

[ulrich.von.lich]

hi,

i wonder why ltm cameras need films to be cut before being loaded.

once i loaded a uncut film in a leica ii and images actually turned out ok, with some minor but annoying alignment problem.

is it possible to buy a modern film trimmer without spending $$$ for the leitz one?

thanks in advance!

cheers

 

[Ronald M]

A pair of scissors, 1" blades, for a short trim. Or a 2" blade and cut 22 sprocket holes off the top for the long trim required for 111G and older. Do not cut through the sprocket holes.

A slice down the center and then curve it 45 deg . The better way is to start at the top , curve, finish to end. Your eye is close enough. The curve must have no partial cut to start a tear. Keep it smooth.

The long trim will work in any camera. Short trim is ok for slr . A straight across is ok for a M2 or M3.

All the tricks to load a screw mt without the proper trim can be a problem. Do not do it.

Generic trimers work ok on the tongue for loading the camera. YOu NEED the proper Leica one to make a proper point for loading the Leica brass film cassettes. Anything else is close to impossible.

 

[Dez]

It's very easy to get the edge of a standard film leader caught on the edge of the film gate in a screwmount Leica, often resulting in film chips that can cause all sorts of havoc. Cutting it back with scissors to the dimensions shown on the bottom or baseplate of most old Leicas will do the trick. A genuine Leica ABLON trimmer costs a ridiculous amount of money for some reason which completely escapes me. It's fairly easy to make your own, or you can buy something like this:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Rangefinder-...LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19e994ee97&_uhb=1

I don't know this vendor, or how flexible the price is likely to be, but I bought one of these things new old stock about three years ago for, I think, $17.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[anjoca76]

I never trim mine. Never had a problem. I can see how it could potentially be problematic, but Youxin taught me to load it without trimming and his technique has served me well so far.

 

[Filzkoeter]

As Ronald said.
Pre-cut your rolls at home with some small scissors, you don't need a template for it. 20-22 sprockets is fine.
I don't like to mess around with dubios loading techniques like cards, open shutters + lens taken off etc.
Pre-cut film loads quite fast and comfortable. I tension the film, watch that the teeth catch the sprockets, close the bottom and shoot only _one_ blank frame. This way my IIIf gives me something like 39 frames on a 36 roll 😎

 

[dufffader]

Generic trimers work ok on the tongue for loading the camera. YOu NEED the proper Leica one to make a proper point for loading the Leica brass film cassettes. Anything else is close to impossible.

To cut the "proper point" free hand in the dark, I fold the two edges of the film so that I have a mark indicating the mid point. Then I can cut roughly 30-45 degrees from there, giving me a nice pointed tip that almost always fits into IXMOOx and Nikon F cassettes.

I think that's an acceptable workaround to a $100 ABLON template.

 

[Pioneer]

I have a trimmer, never use it. Count back 20 sprocket holes and start my cut between 21 and 20. Cut a nice curve with no tears and you are in business.

If you reload the IXMOO, just cut V-point in one end. It really doesn't need to be perfect, just good enough to snag in the spool notch. Takes longer for me to wind on the film.

EDIT - If you screw up, cut a bit off and start over. Or start your curve back between sprocket hole 24 and 23. It really is not the end of the world. In fact, you can screw up several times and loose very little film.

 

[Particular]

I've never trimmed film to use in my IIIc. I use a metrocard (in NYC, or a business card), and slip it in over the film gate. I then drop the film in behind it, push it down, and pull the card out. That is all.
When I roll my own, I leave the film edge on rolls for the IIIc, and M3 cut straight, so I don't need to fumble with scissors in the darkroom. It is just simpler that way.

 

[Pioneer]

I've never trimmed film to use in my IIIc. I use a metrocard (in NYC, or a business card), and slip it in over the film gate. I then drop the film in behind it, push it down, and pull the card out. That is all.
When I roll my own, I leave the film edge on rolls for the IIIc, and M3 cut straight, so I don't need to fumble with scissors in the darkroom. It is just simpler that way.

Everybody has a method. If it works then go with it.

There are only two things I find odd. First; I have never seen a single diagram on any Barnack Leica that shows this method. Second; I have read about seven books that deal with the Barnack Leicas and, again, I have never found this method described in writing.

Trimming takes a few extra seconds. I trim. Kinda makes sense for me. I learned a long time ago that if a certain skill was needed then it made sense to practice it. I've been told that the old timers could load film while running through a crowd. I don't know about that, I think I may have a ways to go to get that good. But I can load film while walking down the driveway now.

Anyone else? Well they are welcome to do whatever works for them. They can take the lens off, put their shutter on "Bulb" or "Time" and poke their finger in the hole where that shutter belongs. Or they can stuff a card down into the middle of their camera and then feed their film through.

 

[anjoca76]

"They can take the lens off, put their shutter on 'Bulb' or 'Time' and poke their finger in the hole where that shutter belongs."

Yup, this is what I do. Works like a charm. But, to each his own.

 

[charjohncarter]

I've torn some that I've cut with scissors. Always, when trying to make a turn. So I measure and just make a straight diagonal cut.

 

[Pioneer]

Yeah, I had to start over a few times when I was learning but I've gotten better.

 

[Bill Clark]

Don't trim as much anymore. As i get older, hair and nails grow more slowly. And besides, I'm not out hustling any women anymore so I can let my whiskers grow, shaving every 4 to 6 days now!

I cut a longer leader with my Leica IIIf cameras.

 

[Pioneer]

I wish that worked! As I get older it gets coarser and my wife sends me back till I get it trimmed right. 🙂

 

[Bill Clark]

Gotta get your better half trained! Ha! Mine is still working as a tax accountant so perhaps the tune will change after April 15th.

Have a great week!

 

[Particular]

Everybody has a method. If it works then go with it.

There are only two things I find odd. First; I have never seen a single diagram on any Barnack Leica that shows this method. Second; I have read about seven books that deal with the Barnack Leicas and, again, I have never found this method described in writing.

Trimming takes a few extra seconds. I trim. Kinda makes sense for me. I learned a long time ago that if a certain skill was needed then it made sense to practice it. I've been told that the old timers could load film while running through a crowd. I don't know about that, I think I may have a ways to go to get that good. But I can load film while walking down the driveway now.

Anyone else? Well they are welcome to do whatever works for them. They can take the lens off, put their shutter on "Bulb" or "Time" and poke their finger in the hole where that shutter belongs. Or they can stuff a card down into the middle of their camera and then feed their film through.

I would love to take credit for inventing it, but in truth I read it here on RFF. It was in a thread like this one, and it was followed by comments like "why would I want to bother fumbling with a card if I can just remove the lens and poke my finger through the shutter?".
I would have been eying it with a scissors like I do with bulk rolls I use in my M6, but I tried the card thing first. Now I don't need to have film ends tailored for each of my cameras. I can just grab a bunch of film and toss it in a bag with which ever camera is the flavor of the day.
Try it, it is easy...

EDIT:
I just checked youtube, and while there are a few videos that show the traditional loading method nicely, there are a couple of alternative method ones (with a lot of views), that make a complete hash of it....Oh boy.

 

[Pioneer]

I would love to take credit for inventing it, but in truth I read it here on RFF. It was in a thread like this one, and it was followed by comments like "why would I want to bother fumbling with a card if I can just remove the lens and poke my finger through the shutter?".
I would have been eying it with a scissors like I do with bulk rolls I use in my M6, but I tried the card thing first. Now I don't need to have film ends tailored for each of my cameras. I can just grab a bunch of film and toss it in a bag with which ever camera is the flavor of the day.
Try it, it is easy...

EDIT:
I just checked youtube, and while there are a few videos that show the traditional loading method nicely, there are a couple of alternative method ones (with a lot of views), that make a complete hash of it....Oh boy.

Oh, I am really just joshing people. Loading a Barnack is famous for being a PITA. I have tried the card and never could get used to it. Since I reload most of the time I just trim all my film ends to fit a Barnack. They still work fine for my other cameras and now that I am in the habit it is no big deal.

But, as you said, you do whatever works for you. 🙂

 

[jja]

Anyone have a photo of the cutting technique? I am about to take delivery of my first Barnack and you guys are worrying me!

 

[Tony Whitney]

My Leica Manual from 1935 has illustrations of trimming the film using the Leitz template. In the illustrations, the cutting is always done with a sharp pocket knife, something people always used to carry with them, as I do today. Once you've cut it a time or two, you can do it by eye and some of the old Leica books state just that. I seem to remember that years ago, there were cheap Leitz trimmer copies on the market and I've seen one or two in recent times. I always do it by eye though - the trim doesn't have to be that accurate. Just don't cut through the perforations. I've used screw mount Leicas since the 1960s and still have a couple of very usable examples, not to mention a Fed or two...TW

 

[George Bonanno]