M3 not always advancing frames correctly?

[chrispiper]

I just got a roll back and noticed that a couple of frames were exposed with half of one picture on top and half of the next picture on bottom (or side to side for landscape orientation). There were about 4 frames like this in the middle of the roll. The pictures before and after these 4 frames were lined up correctly. I have a M3 double stroke - am I not fully advancing the wind lever? How could some of the exposures in the middle of the roll be incorrect but correct before and after?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[chrispiper]

Bummer - thought I might get an answer before taking off for the holidays. I'll be packing the camera of course and would like to minimize busted frames. I guess I'll just give the winder two full cranks and see how it goes.

 

[rxmd]

The film transport distance should be constant regardless how you wind on. It looks like something is wrong with the transport mechanism.

 

[Tom A]

With older M's you can have the take-up spool "slipping" and not pull the film a full "frame length". It usually happens if you are trying to advance quickly. the shaft that holds the take up spool has a set of "flukes" on it and after a long time the can be pushed in to far - or the inside of the take-up spool can be worn and polished so that the flukes dont grab. You can try pushing a screw driver (small) under the point of the flukes and very slightly push them outward to increase friction. Dont push too much as that will make it difficult to pull out the take-up spool. Also take a Q-tip and clean the shaft and the inside of the spool - then very carefully run a piece of carbide paper up and down the hollow. Dont rotate the paper as that only creates a surface that can easily be rotated in. If the problem still persists, you might have a problem with either the rewind gear clutch or the DS shutter brake - and that requires a 'proper" CLA.

 

[ethics_gradient]

With older M's you can have the take-up spool "slipping" and not pull the film a full "frame length". It usually happens if you are trying to advance quickly. the shaft that holds the take up spool has a set of "flukes" on it and after a long time the can be pushed in to far - or the inside of the take-up spool can be worn and polished so that the flukes dont grab. You can try pushing a screw driver (small) under the point of the flukes and very slightly push them outward to increase friction. Dont push too much as that will make it difficult to pull out the take-up spool. Also take a Q-tip and clean the shaft and the inside of the spool - then very carefully run a piece of carbide paper up and down the hollow. Dont rotate the paper as that only creates a surface that can easily be rotated in. If the problem still persists, you might have a problem with either the rewind gear clutch or the DS shutter brake - and that requires a 'proper" CLA.

Tom, would that set-up/design make it fairly straightforward to convert a DS M3 to half-frame?

 

[burninfilm]

It looks like Mr. Abrahamsson answered the question pretty well, but it also sounds to me like a problem with the take-up spool slipping. I had an M2 with this problem, though it was never severe enough to cause frames to overlap so severely.

 

[Tom A]

Tom, would that set-up/design make it fairly straightforward to convert a DS M3 to half-frame?

I once toyed with that idea. It is not straight forward - nothing leica does is! But by removing half the sprocket teeth on the advance spindle and in the gear train - the first "pull would advance the film, and the second pull would only complete the cocking of the shutter - without further advancing it. Biggest problem is to manufacture a gate for 18x24 and converting the finder to a vertical - with the masks for it.
You might be better off picking up an Olympos Pen F or a Konica Autoreflex for this format.

 

[rxmd]

I once toyed with that idea. It is not straight forward - nothing leica does is! But by removing half the sprocket teeth on the advance spindle and in the gear train - the first "pull would advance the film, and the second pull would only complete the cocking of the shutter - without further advancing it.

You wouldn't need a double-stroke camera for that, though, a single-stroke model would do the job just as well.

 

[chrispiper]

Just logging in after the holidays; thanks for the advice Tom. I do tend to wind rapidly, especially since I mainly shoot my kids.

Thanks again,
Chris