M2s, quickload and tulips

[rxmd]

Yesterday, when I had a fit of weakness and started to look at M2s in shop windows, I found myself leaving the shop with a lot of small stuff instead: two Canon FD rear lens caps, a takeup spool for a screwmount Leica and, lo and behold, a black Leica M bottom plate, all for eight Euros. (I did see an M2 in nice cosmetic shape for €400, though, but I wanted to look around a little as it's quite a substantial investment for my budget)

The M bottom plate has the "tulip" needed for the M4 and later models' quickload system. (It also has a small block with a slot screwed to the bottom, which probably served to attach something to the camera or the camera to something, but I don't have a clue what it is and it's easy to take off.) Now I was wondering if it is possible to install the newer three-pronged quickload takeup spool from >M4 models in an M2 and use this tulipped bottom plate? That would remove my primary gripe with the M2, the old loading system and the need for fiddling with spools all the time. There must have been an M2 quickload system for sale once; did it consist of this three-pronged fork or is there some other system?

Incidentally, as I'm in the market now: if any RFFer has an M2 that they would be ready to part with, preferably in Europe, I would be happy if you could drop me a PM 😉

 

[markinlondon]

The rapid load kit was just as you describe, the tulip and a film guide that screwed to the baseplate to push the film down into the tulip. I've seen them for sale but at about €100. It's cheaper to get a spare take up spool and preload your film on it. This is what I do and once you've removed the "empty" spool it's very quick just to drop in another.

 

[Xmas]

The M2 and M3 quick load was a Leitz after thought. The replacement spool for the afterthought was not like the tulip, it has only one entry point. It needs the entry point inched around to the correct position in the take up chamber.

A stick on figure was provided, for people who need such things...

The last part of the afterthought was a baseplate attachment (which needs a standard screwdriver) the baseplate device pushes the film into the replace ment spool.

The only significant gain is there is less chance of dropping the camera while changing, if you are clumsy, I'm clumsy, Mark is not clumsy...

Noel

 

[markinlondon]

Oh yes I am, you've seen the dent in my top plate, Noel. The worst thing is that I wasn't even reloading it at the time. And you're right, it's a slotted spool, not a "tulip", here's a picture http://shphoto.de/bild/12166.jpg.

 

[Xmas]

99E seems expensive

Noel