m2 questions

[Erik L]

just sent it in today to essex for service, with the original lens.
id like to know what year mine is. button rewind, no timer.

how does rapid load kit work? mines original

 

[Rogrund]

Same year as mine: 1958! 🙂

 

[Erik L]

Same year as mine: 1958! 🙂

do you use rapid load?

 

[Al Kaplan]

The rapid load kit has a take-up spool with a slot in the top flange to slip the film in without removing the spool from the camera and a gizmo to attach to the base plate to make sure the film leader is deep enough into the slot. With an M3 you still have to pull the spool part way up to reset the frame counter. After a year or so Leitz stopped making them. What was left was closed out for $12.50 each retail. Now they're worth a fortune to collectors and as worthless on a cameras as ever.

 

[Rogrund]

do you use rapid load?

Nope. Actually, I haven't even considered that. I don't find loading difficult at all.

 

[jmcd]

I tried an M2 with rapid load, and I much prefer the original spool method, which is very positive and reliable. The take-up system on the M4 works great also.

 

[dfoo]

I find my m4-p easier to load than my Nikon cameras... Very good system!

 

[Erik L]

can the flash terminals be converted easily into normal pc plugs?

 

[Sparrow]

the "relatively" rapid load is a waste of time with modern film headers, to get it to work properly you have to trim the header which sort of defeats the point

 

[furcafe]

My understanding is that it is not a difficult job for a qualified tech to do a permanent conversion. You can also buy a little adapter that fits into the proprietary socket.

can the flash terminals be converted easily into normal pc plugs?

 

[Blank288]

My M2 has a rapid load spool too. Compared with my regular spooled M3 I find the RL-system just a bit easier in practical use. I certainly won't consider to convert the RL-system back to a regular spool.

 

[Nokton48]

Essex can change the sync for you, while they do the CLA. Or you can buy the adapter plug on Eboy for ten Bucks. No need for rapid load kits, learn to load the standard way. You can buy an extra spool if you want to pre-load it. That's what I do.

Nice 35mm F2 Summicron, that's what I'd like to find 🙂

 

[Sparrow]

My M2 has a rapid load spool too. Compared with my regular spooled M3 I find the RL-system just a bit easier in practical use. I certainly won't consider to convert the RL-system back to a regular spool.

This is my complaint with the QL kit, it damages the header, and/or jams the rewind if one uses the standard header, trimming the header down defeats the whole point of the thing

 

[januaryman]

I can load my M2 faster and am usually more certain it has loaded correctly than with my M4. Twice I was sure the M4 spool had caught and ignored the rewind knob, only to discover after 10 or more shots that it had not. I now need to spend more time carefully loading, closing, and pulling on the rewind knob just to be sure. Maybe it's just me.

 

[BillBingham2]

Another option that I learned from Tom A was to get several take-up spools, pre-attach them to rolls and put them in your case/pocket. I'd add to that when you have down time between rolls (walking or sitting) reload the used (empty) spools.

B2 (;->

 

[januaryman]

All you need to do is track down some extra spools.... Any suggestions where? I mean for less than $20 a pop.

 

[Erik L]

I can load my M2 faster and am usually more certain it has loaded correctly than with my M4. Twice I was sure the M4 spool had caught and ignored the rewind knob, only to discover after 10 or more shots that it had not. I now need to spend more time carefully loading, closing, and pulling on the rewind knob just to be sure. Maybe it's just me.

i have been loading the m4 with the bottom plate off so i can watch the leader catch. works for me

 

[Erik L]

All you need to do is track down some extra spools.... Any suggestions where? I mean for less than $20 a pop.

yes, i do. they seem very easy to misplace or loose, especialy when unloading. and oh boy is that infinity lock annoying. hard to get used to it.

 

[mojobebop]

what i do is to make sure the
sprokets and film are alligned.
then i waste one or two exposures, leaving the
film door open.
i got used to doing that for years with
canons, nikons, because there was that one
time way back where i shot an important roll,
and...

 

[januaryman]

Quote:
Originally Posted by januaryman
All you need to do is track down some extra spools.... Any suggestions where? I mean for less than $20 a pop.

yes, i do. they seem very easy to misplace or loose, especialy when unloading. and oh boy is that infinity lock annoying. hard to get used to it.
__________________

ERik, you say "YES" you do know... would you mind sharing that information with me? I was actually thinking I could use one. The question wasn't rhetorical. 😉

thanks