Have you had rewind problems with your M6 or M4-P?

[abenner]

Let's get some real data on the subject.

 

[maddoc]

No, never. 🙂 (M6 classic, M4-P, M4-P - second one -, M6 TTL)
I only had problem with the rewind knob of the MP (was fixed by Leica under warranty)

 

[ferider]

2 M6 classic, 1 M4-P never a problem.

 

[abenner]

And I'm referring to camera failure, not one's inability to rewind as fast as they want or the fact that one injured themselves while rewinding.

 

[splitimageview]

I have never had a rewind problem on any M except Erik's M3 I recently painted, because I accidentally broke the 'prong' piece in the rewind mechanism. A new one was about $3 from Leica.

I can't remember how many Ms I've owned...maybe 20? Every film M except the MP.

Two M6 classic, a couple of M6 TTL, and at least one M4-P.

 

[ampguy]

how about some additional clarification

how about some additional clarification

like you put a lot of rolls through it regularly, maybe 20/30 + a month or so?

I wouldn't expect anyone to have failures if they're not using the camera at medium to high level of usage.

Does this make sense? I don't want to offend anyone with this additional tidbit of data here.

Let's get some real data on the subject.

 

[literiter]

Got my M2 in 1981, and my M4-P in 1987. Use them both extensively and have had no problems....none!

 

[JeffGreene]

My M6 Classic performs flawlessly. I put about two to three rolls a week through it.

 

[Livesteamer]

I've had three M6's for fifteen years now and I've had two rewind problems in that time, both my fault. One I rewound really fast and got static streaks on the film and my black M6 got it's rewind knob bumped hard and the crank/knob assembly had to be replaced. Better service than my Nikon F's.
Joe

 

[maddoc]

like you put a lot of rolls through it regularly, maybe 20/30 + a month or so?

I forgot, ~ 20 - 30 rolls per month is what I put through it (on average). Maximum was 8 135-36 in less than one hour (concert, M4-P).

 

[Ororaro]

I don't get it. What's supposed to go wrong?
And what's so different between the M6 and M4-P Versus the M4 and M7? Seems to me they all have the same rewind.

 

[ferider]

Ted, consider this for a moment:

Roland.

 

[oscroft]

like you put a lot of rolls through it regularly, maybe 20/30 + a month or so?

I voted "No, and I've used it for over a year", so to clarify...

Mine's a 1994 M6 that was almost mint when I got it over a year ago, and it gets used for probably 4 or 5 rolls a month when I'm in the UK and around 10 rolls a month in Thailand - and I spend about half my time in each country (I shoot more than that, but with other cameras).

So while it has behaved perfectly, it started out pretty much new and isn't heavily used.

 

[tmfabian]

i push through 70 rolls a week, never a problem.

 

[Roger Hicks]

A few years ago in Slovenia (about 1999) I dinged the rewind on the M4P (bought new in about 82) and bent the spindle. Straightened it out with a Leatherman. Worked fine since.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Richie]

Yes. Sometimes, at the end of a roll, I cannot rewind the film back into the cartridge. This seems to happen more often with K64 slide film. A CLA of my Leica M6 TTL by Leica USA has not eliminated the problem.

 

[ampguy]

Hi Roland

Hi Roland

I'm a bit slow here, throw me a bone.

Is the point that a lot of M3s were made and they don't seem to have the rewind problems of the M6s?

Or am I missing something else here?

Ted, consider this for a moment:

Roland.

 

[Rafael]

I've had no rewind problems on either my M6 or my M4. Though I don't routinely "put 30 rolls through my M-body in an evening stroll", I have put a lot of film through the M6, at times under challenging conditions (e.g. Venezuela during the heavy rains).

 

[abenner]

I don't get it. What's supposed to go wrong?
And what's so different between the M6 and M4-P Versus the M4 and M7? Seems to me they all have the same rewind.

the poll was started in response to ampguy's specific concerns raised about M6's and M4-P's always having rewind part breakdown, in other words you gotta send it to someone for them to fix it.

I think the system would be similar from at least M4-2 through M7.

 

[ferider]

I'm a bit slow here, throw me a bone.

Is the point that a lot of M3s were made and they don't seem to have the rewind problems of the M6s?

Or am I missing something else here?

Like Erik said, Ted. The M6 (including the TTL) is still the 2nd most produced M body in Leica's history. On the internet, of course, you hear about problems more than about reliability. But even if you see, say, 10-20 failure reports (which I doubt), it means nothing because of production volume. Just compare to Hexar, Bessa, ZI and M8 failure reports and compare to their production volume.

Plus, you had an M6 with the more robust Leicaflex rewind. This must be the most robust Leica out there, and probably the most robust M mount RF ever. Zinc tops might be ugly and not brass nicely, but they don't bump as easily. Steel gears might feel rougher but they are tougher, etc.

Why did you sell that M6 ?

I know all this might be tongue-in-cheak from you, but I also know you well enough that I believe you are not trolling. Probably just looking for the best body for your ASPH 35/2. So there, get an M6/M4P with Leicaflex rewind again. 🙂

Roland.