mike goldberg
The Peaceful Pacific
Read the instructions! Ancient wisdom, huh?
There was a lengthy Thread here about bottom-loading Barnack Leicas, counting sprocket holes, trimming, and some stalwart souls... even insert film into their Leica II's & III's with a business card, perish the thought ;-[ Then, there was mention of the Leica Ablon, and I found a UK RFF'er who makes his own.
With a search on the B@y, I found a great Seller who imports a pretty good Ablon copy from Taiwan for $18- plus shipping.
Voila, success! I wasted a few inches of film in practice trimming; yet once I got that right, I loaded my recently arrived IIIf in just about 2 minutes. With one advance of film, I held the shutter open on 'B' to check... then, it's 2 more wind-ons for fresh film. This first roll will run about 30 frames, and I hope to post scans over the weekend.
Cheers
Mike
BTW:
I've got a new passion... to learn-learn-learn lighting for camera pix, and my
Nikon D40 should do the job well. Thumbnail is P & S.
There was a lengthy Thread here about bottom-loading Barnack Leicas, counting sprocket holes, trimming, and some stalwart souls... even insert film into their Leica II's & III's with a business card, perish the thought ;-[ Then, there was mention of the Leica Ablon, and I found a UK RFF'er who makes his own.
With a search on the B@y, I found a great Seller who imports a pretty good Ablon copy from Taiwan for $18- plus shipping.
Voila, success! I wasted a few inches of film in practice trimming; yet once I got that right, I loaded my recently arrived IIIf in just about 2 minutes. With one advance of film, I held the shutter open on 'B' to check... then, it's 2 more wind-ons for fresh film. This first roll will run about 30 frames, and I hope to post scans over the weekend.
Cheers
MikeBTW:
I've got a new passion... to learn-learn-learn lighting for camera pix, and my
Nikon D40 should do the job well. Thumbnail is P & S.
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laptoprob
back to basics
I am so lucky, my IIf takes uncut film without eating holes or anything. YMMV, ofcourse!
N
Nikon Bob
Guest
Mike
I made my own home made version of the Ablon after a disaster trying to load a modern film with the leader as it came out of the box. The result was chewed up sprocket holes and bits of broken film in the camera. I now cut the leader to the old leader style and have not had further problems. My guess is that cutting the leader is recommended for a reason but as laptoprob says YMMV.
Bob
I made my own home made version of the Ablon after a disaster trying to load a modern film with the leader as it came out of the box. The result was chewed up sprocket holes and bits of broken film in the camera. I now cut the leader to the old leader style and have not had further problems. My guess is that cutting the leader is recommended for a reason but as laptoprob says YMMV.
Bob
kully
Happy Snapper
I just 'tear' the film down the middle, having the tip of the film at the top of my thumb and then finishing the tear at the bottom of the thumb joint.
It doesn't look too nice, but it works
It doesn't look too nice, but it works
mikepry
Mike Pry
FWIW I asked Youxin Ye about this and he said he never trims his film. He puts the shutter dial on "T" and with the lens off gently pushes the film up into position.
mike goldberg
The Peaceful Pacific
Well, I guess it's different strokes for different folks ;-) When I open the bottom the IIIf, there's a diagram of what the trimmed film leader should look like. And, that is
how it comes out using the Ablon. In the end, we just do what works...
Cheers,
how it comes out using the Ablon. In the end, we just do what works...
Cheers,
wolves3012
Veteran
My 2 cents/pence worth: Leica put that diagram there for a reason and films used to be available with "Leica leaders". If Leica say that's the way to load it, I can believe it's right.
Each to their own technique but I can't see how poking your fingers down the camera's "throat" is doing any favours to the rather delicate pressure-plate springs. Since you also have to take off the lens and put it somewhere safe it's no hardship to cut a leader on films beforehand (and it's quicker to load it properly).
Each to their own technique but I can't see how poking your fingers down the camera's "throat" is doing any favours to the rather delicate pressure-plate springs. Since you also have to take off the lens and put it somewhere safe it's no hardship to cut a leader on films beforehand (and it's quicker to load it properly).
feenej
Well-known
What is an "ablon"?
Luddite Frank
Well-known
Experiences of a total LTM newbie...
I was warned by my older/ wiser/ better photographer / many-more-cameras-collected mentor (he mentors me on cameras, I mentor him on the resto of his '51 Hudson...) about the joys of loading pre-M Leicii...
So far, I have loaded a total of four rolls into my two LTMs... I have followed the diagram on the bottom of the camera, and cut the "leader" using scissors.
I buy my film (Kodacolor) in four/five packs (whatever's on sale), and I went ahead and trimmed all rolls in the box before putting them in my camera bag.
Trimming the film is fairly easy; loading the Barnack has been a little more challenging, but I have not had any disasters. My greatest challenge has been getting the film inserted under the spring-clip of the spool in my III-F.
I have NOT attemted loading "on the fly", or even standing-up, yet.
(I had an embarassing "failure to load" with my Exakta VX this summer at an antique tractor show... I have loaded that beast successfully dozens of times before, but not this day... took me 15 minutes and about 6 tries before I got the film to "Track" correctly... while my "mentor" quietly looked-on...)
I would like to try the ABLON or clone, but so far the scissors seem to do the job.
It certainly hasn't been enough of a problem to put me off LTM's... if I were planning a day's shooting, I would definetly pre-prep several rolls of film before leaving home.
Luddite Frank
I was warned by my older/ wiser/ better photographer / many-more-cameras-collected mentor (he mentors me on cameras, I mentor him on the resto of his '51 Hudson...) about the joys of loading pre-M Leicii...
So far, I have loaded a total of four rolls into my two LTMs... I have followed the diagram on the bottom of the camera, and cut the "leader" using scissors.
I buy my film (Kodacolor) in four/five packs (whatever's on sale), and I went ahead and trimmed all rolls in the box before putting them in my camera bag.
Trimming the film is fairly easy; loading the Barnack has been a little more challenging, but I have not had any disasters. My greatest challenge has been getting the film inserted under the spring-clip of the spool in my III-F.
I have NOT attemted loading "on the fly", or even standing-up, yet.
(I had an embarassing "failure to load" with my Exakta VX this summer at an antique tractor show... I have loaded that beast successfully dozens of times before, but not this day... took me 15 minutes and about 6 tries before I got the film to "Track" correctly... while my "mentor" quietly looked-on...)
I would like to try the ABLON or clone, but so far the scissors seem to do the job.
It certainly hasn't been enough of a problem to put me off LTM's... if I were planning a day's shooting, I would definetly pre-prep several rolls of film before leaving home.
Luddite Frank
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
These trimming templates fascinate me ... all you have to do is continue the profile of the leader with a pair of nail scissors until it's the recommended length as per the instructions in the bottom of the camera ... 10cms from memory! I don't see that eyeballing it is that hard ... and if you're starting with a square edge because you bulk load I still don't see any real difficulty. ??
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DeeCee3
Established
Keith said: ... 10cms from memory! I don't see that eyeballing it is that hard. Heh-heh...unless you think (as I do) in English measurements.
dc3
dc3
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
DeeCee3 said:
OK then ... 4" for you imperialists!
Luddite Frank
Well-known
It's about "four-finger's width", where they meet the palm... at least that's the case with my paws...
( This method also works for measuring distilled refreshment if you've had a rough day...)
I pull the film out "four fingers'-worth", then continue the "long cut" back to about three sprockets shy of the cassette, then make the tapered side-cut.
One thing that's really struck me as I become more familiar with "all things Leica"... it's a camera system that's perfect for those who like "gadgets"...
LF
( This method also works for measuring distilled refreshment if you've had a rough day...)
I pull the film out "four fingers'-worth", then continue the "long cut" back to about three sprockets shy of the cassette, then make the tapered side-cut.
One thing that's really struck me as I become more familiar with "all things Leica"... it's a camera system that's perfect for those who like "gadgets"...
LF
ChadHahn
Established
I'm in the "pull the leader out, continue the narrow bit about 4 inches trimming with my Swiss Army Knife and inserting into camera" group. Not too dificult and almost always inserts into the camera the first time.
Letien
Established
Keith said:
Why don't someone tell us how many holes we should cut out. The spacing is standard!
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Letien said:Why don't someone tell us how many holes we should cut out. The spacing is standard!
LOL!!
I've read it somewhere, but I can't find it now.
While we're on the subject, do we end the cut between sprocket holes? or in the middle of a hole? or doesn't matter?
I'm still waiting for a IIIc with my name to materialize
semrich
Well-known
First good shooting with your "new" iiif. I got one recently and really enjoy it, makes you think more. If anyone is interested in the ablon you can find one here http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800431088-USE/Leica_ABLON_Film_Leader_Cutter.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800431088-USE/Leica_ABLON_Film_Leader_Cutter.html
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
Letien said:Why don't someone tell us how many holes we should cut out. The spacing is standard!
twenty two.
..but there is still four thousand holes in Blackburn Lancashire ;-)
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MartinP
Veteran
The holes ? Aha . . . there was a discussion over this, but any approximation is good enough, "twenty or so", and then either start or end the scissors cut between sprocket holes, so as not to leave a springy little bit of film which will catch up on something for sure. Those little nail-scissors are handy - but remember not to have them in carry-on luggage in airports, of course.
wolves3012
Veteran
It's a cutting template. Looks like a deformed door-hinge. It clips over the film and holds it by the sprocket holes, so you just trim off the visible film sticking out.feenej said: