Image Bleeding into Film Sprockets

[CosmicCharlie]

Hey People,
Just souped a roll out of my old new to me Leica III
and the image is bleeding down into the sprockets. Is that inheirent with these? Did I load it wrong? Do I need a CLA?
H-E-L-P. I am loving the lil basterd however.
😱

 

[rgripp]

Just the consequence of using a commercial cassette rather than the early Leica re-usable cassette. Modern film cassettes are 2mm shorter; you could use a small spring or washer, but why bother?

 

[colyn]

Would you say the image is exposing into the sprockets at the top or bottom of the film as loaded in the camera?

If at the top it sounds like the film cassette is dropping low in the film chamber. Look at the bottom door lock and see if there are 1 or 2 washers under the screw. There should be 2 A large diameter one and a small diameter just under the screw.

 

[OldNick]

The Leica IIIf has a small "tongue" on the baseplate to push the film up where is should be. All of the earlier IIIs have a tendency to let the film ride low. The IIIf baseplate cannot be used on the earlier IIIc without modifying the camera. I have ignored it for years.

Jim N.

 

[CosmicCharlie]

Thanks Guys, This is excellent info. I love this thing
Jon

 

[john neal]

As explained above, and as they say at the car dealership "that's not a fault, it's a feature, sir". I have no real problem with my IIIa or Standard doing this, and have not noticed any oof areas. I actually quite like the effect.

If I want a centralised image, I just use a Leica cassette - means rolling your own, but you can pick them up quite cheaply these days.

 

[John Shriver]

The film rails are very wide, and shallow, on the screwmount Leica cameras. Being 1 to 2mm off-center, as a commercial film magazine will be, isn't going to cause focus problems.

I love the reusable film magazines for the Leica and Canon rangefinders, have a stock of all the appropriate types.

 

[Ronald M]

A few small paper washers over the point in the base will hold the cassette up. They can not cover more than the depression because the film can itself has no extra space. Replace as necessary.

111f models cured this with a blade attached to the base that hit the edge of the film. It does not fit on the 111c model.

 

[Dan States]

Considering that nearly all of Henri Cartier Bresson's images prior to getting an M showed this very flaw I'd say it's of little importance to your ultimate image quality. Think of it like those little 'v's' on your Hasselblad negatives...a mark of distinction!

 

[CosmicCharlie]

Dan,
You are right I am now proud of this flaw.
Jon

 

[payasam]

I had this problem with my IIIc well over a year ago and have been using a conical spring ever since someone spoke of it here on RFF. My Zorki 1C is, however, quite happy with the now standard cassette, 2.2 mm shorter than the first type of Leitz reloadable.