M3 Film/Frame Spacing

[Vics]

So what we need is an editing block for 35mm film. I'm going to LA in a couple of weeks and I'll look around Hollywood for old movie gear. MyContax IIIa does a narrow spacing about every third frame. My hands are shaky, too.

 

[zauhar]

very thin spacing on my IIIf. if my hands weren't a bit shaky, it would not matter ...

Paul, I assume you mean you have trouble cutting the negatives?

Have you tried an xacto knife and ruler? That works very well, even when the spacing between frames pretty much disappears.

Randy

 

[ornate_wrasse]

I've definitely noticed the thin spacing between frames on my single stroke M3 (serial number > 1,000,000) when using the 21 f3/4 Super Angulon. It is indeed interesting when cutting the negatives.

Ellen

 

[B.J.Scharp]

As said before, try the M3 with the 35mm (or the 12mm on the M4), see if the spacing is still difference. The further the lens protudes in the body, the smaller the spacing will be.

 

[drewbarb]

So, in other words- YMMV?

 

[santino]

my SS M3 (one of the first SS batch) has also narrow spacing even though it's always consistant.

 

[rogerzilla]

Spacing on my SS M3 is "conventional". As others have posted, the spacing gets thinner with a 21mm lens and wider with a 90mm lens.

 

[presspass]

I, too, have tight spacing on my M3 DS. This camera was heavily altered before I bought it - it has M2 frame lines and the M4 and later tulip takeup spool. I have noticed the spacing is tighter at the start of the roll and loosens up toward the end; it does not seem to be lens dependent, but I have only used the standard 35/50/90 combo with it. Could it be that more careful winding is the answer?

 

[B.J.Scharp]

The reason it loosens up near the end of the roll is because the already-wound film forms a thicker cylinder. This way, the same rotation of the take-up spool means more film pulled through.