Leica LTM Load A Leica Bottom-Loader!

[richard_l]

Just back from Valencia (Fallas) with the IIf and CLE. The IIf did most the work. Because we only took hand luggage on the plane: no scissors. So I tried to load a film without trimming it, no problem. So why does it seem to be necessary anyway?

There's a kink (or warp) near the beginning of most rolls of film which may prevent the film from being inserted all the way. If for any reason, the film hangs up on the inside edge of the film gate, there's a problem. Although this is a no-no, I just insert a playing card into the slot where the film goes, then insert the film between the card and the pressure plate, then remove the card.

The 'correct' method is to trim the leader, which provides a sort of ramp which makes the film ride up into the correct position as it is advanced. I don't like to do this if the film is being commercially processed, since it could bother someone who is not used to handling film with such a long leader.

The kink in the film is what causes most misloads with Leica LTM and M cameras. I.e., it prevents the film from being inserted correctly.

Richard

 

[hou baloo]

I went right out and shot about 15 frames before I realized the rewind knob wasn't rotating.
Ted

Irrespective of the loading technique or even of the camera, I always tension the rewind knob/crank before winding up to frame 1 and watch it turn to make sure the film is engaged on the takeup, a lesson I learned from once taking 45 frames on a 20-exposure roll 😛

 

[payasam]

Hou Baloo, I do the same. To make it easier, I wind up the film in the cassette before loading.

 

[350D_user]

Irrespective of the loading technique or even of the camera, I always tension the rewind knob/crank before winding up to frame 1 and watch it turn to make sure the film is engaged on the takeup, a lesson I learned from once taking 45 frames on a 20-exposure roll 😛

If the sprockets miss the holes though, winding the film too tightly will cause framing issues.

... the voice of experience! 🙁

 

[cmedin]

Thanks for this thread. I just loaded my IIf with what appears to be successful results (the rewind knob turning). Trimmed 22 holes back, used the rewind knob to tighten the cassette up, put the bottom plate on and advanced two frames, knob was turning just fine. Of course the real test will be whether I get any pictures out of it...

 

[shadowfox]

Timely thread! I often wondered why we bother with cameras that needs this much effort to load. But on a camera show recently, I handled a IIc. What a smooth piece of machinery. So I'm willing to give it a try.

If the time I spend shooting with these bottom loaders is enjoyable plus the result is good to excellent, I'll keep using them.

Now I just need to find one I can justify buying 😀

 

[rxmd]

I don't like to do this if the film is being commercially processed, since it could bother someone who is not used to handling film with such a long leader.

Film lengths are standardised for automatic processing. I used to use an automatic Mafina processor at home where 135 film was spooled diagonally on a drum about 40 cm in diameter. If the film length wasn't right, the film didn't fit. One film that I had problems with was Fomapan 100, which is slightly longer because its predecessor film used to be shipped with a Leica leader. Foma just changed the leader and kept the length. I regularly had problems developing Fomapan 100 because it didn't fit on the drum. In the end I had to trim the film constantly by hand before spooling it on the machine.

 

[ibrando]

If the time I spend shooting with these bottom loaders is enjoyable plus the result is good to excellent, I'll keep using them.

Now I just need to find one I can justify buying 😀

I suggest an M4-2, I just recently acquired one and it's much easier to load than the M3 I tried long ago.

Cheers,
B.

 

[Paul C. Perkins MD]

In fact - I find loading my M-2 far easier than the M-4. On more than one occasion I've had to make multiple attempts to get the film to positively engage on that silly-*ss triple sproket. I have the manual - and it yields no clever insight on how this can be accomplished.

Paul

 

[Solinar]

On my M3, I found that trimming the leader as you would for a bottom loader makes loading much easier. Back in the 1950's 35mm film had longer leaders than what we're using today.

 

[landsknechte]

Out of curiosity, were the long leaders universal originally, or are our modern shorter leaders just the one style that caught on?

BTW, the best real world test to see if you've mastered this process it to shoot HIE.

 

[PHOTOEIL]

Step #2 is not needed with a M5, just slide in the straight film-end, no cutting, just to make you a little jealous...😉

 

[Vince Lupo]

No need to trim the film leader to load a Leica TM. Here's how I do it, for anyone who's interested: Set the main shutter dial on 1/20 (if it's a short-bodied), and then set the slow speed dial to 'T'. Next, trip the shutter to open it. Remove the lens. Remove the bottom plate. Feed the film tongue onto the takeup spool, then guide the film down the slot and into position (if the edge of the film gets caught by the edge of the shutter opening, just push it in with your finger). Rewind the film slowly until the tension is taken up. Close the shutter by turning the slow speed dial. Replace the bottom and the lens. Advance the film and you're golden. I've been doing it this way for 20 years - even with a MOOLY motor and a transmission arm. The only issue is that if you're on the move you have to juggle a lens, bottom plate and the film. But, I just shot 20 rolls in Europe using a black Leica III, and a IIIa with a MOOLY and it didn't pose a problem. So put your scissors away!

 

[rtphotos]

Thank you, doubs43 for posting your instructions and the photos! I just received a Leica IIf from Igor Reznik and loaded the film correctly on my first try. 🙂

As one with 3 thumbs and who took hours to load his first roll of bl&wh film on a spiral, I am relieved. 😀

Now off to test this wonderful looking camera (w/summitar and sbooi) with correctly loaded film!

all the best,
rt

 

[ray*j*gun]

I have had mu tiny Swiss Army Knife also taken from me by the airlines so heads up!!

 

[[o] Marc]

Thanks for this excellent set of instructions - I believe I successfully applied them to loading my newly received IIIa.

 

[rtphotos]

Hey, where did doubs43 instructive pictures go?! 😡

Somebody bring them back!
rt

 

[Bill58]

Is there a live link to the pictures?

There has been so many posts by people who find loading a bottom-loading Leica, FED etc. a chore that I've done a very quick down & dirty "How To" in pictures. I hope this will take the "mystery" out of stuffing film in the bottom of those cameras!

There are eight pictures so this will be done in two separate posts.

Picture One: You need the film, a pair of sissors and the camera.

Picture Two: Pull about 3 1/2 inches of film from the cassette. Four sprocket holes from the cassette, begin your cut and try to approximate what you see here. I add the little snips on the end to sort of round the leader but it's not necessary.

Picture Three: Remove the bottom of the camera body and remove the take-up spool.

Picture Four: Insert the leader under the flat spring of the take-up spool as shown. Note that the film is up against the flange of the spool at the top.

Picture Five: A closer view of the film in the take-up spool.

Now go to the second post for the remainder of the pictures and instructions.

 

[rxmd]

Hey, where did doubs43 instructive pictures go?! 😡

Probably went the way of the dodo with the server change and/or recent changes in how long gallery pictures survive (which is, incidentally, why the latter was a fundamentally bad idea as it was proposed).

Lesson: Don't link to RFF gallery pictures if you want the images to persist.

The best idea is probably to attach images to the post itself as file attachments. Then either link to them normally using [IМG]http://......[/IМG] tags, or include them in the posting itself using [АTTACH]nnnnn[/АTTACH] tags, where nnnnn is the number of the attachment (visible from the attachment URL).

 

[rtphotos]

Probably went the way of the dodo with the server change and/or recent changes in how long gallery pictures survive (which is, incidentally, why the latter was a fundamentally bad idea as it was proposed).

That is a terrible shame!
thanks, Phillip.

rt