New owner of an M6

[JeffGreene]

Recently, a friend at my camera club told me he was selling his film Leicas (an M7 and an M6). I had helped him recently while he was sick to complete his contract for a wedding client, and put it out of my mind. It hadn't involved much effort, about a day's worth of work one Saturday (i.e. assembling albums, and helping load final shots to a website). That's what friends are for!

Just out of curiosity I asked what he was looking to get for the M6 (which is minty and he informed me recently CLA'd by DAG. He said $1100, and as I was turning away, he added, for anyone but me. He said I could have it for $500 which he felt was fair given that I hadn't asked for any reward for the wedding client work.

So here I am with a Classic Black M6 and a couple of basic questions for the experts out there!

1. He has taped over the Logo and camera name with black plastic electrician's tape. It's been on there for several years and I remember reading about some of the sensitivities of the Black finishes on the Leica. Should there be a problem removing it? My friend said he didn't think removing it would do anything to the finish. I wouldn't think so, either, but before I do, I thought I would ask.

2. He has a rapidwinder attached because he explained that he was left eye dominant. It does add some weight to the camera, and I was wondering whether a right eye dominant shooter would really need it. Your thoughts are appreciated.

3. This is probably just something that will come with experience, but I have had a difficult time getting the camera to load film consistently. My friend showed me a double crimp trick, but I am still having difficulties. This may sound strange, but for some reason I have less difficulty loading TriX and PlusX over XP2. I love XP2, but can't seem to get it to load consistently. It's not the camera, my friend loaded both in front of me. Would you know of any links with images demonstrating the loading process. Should one load the older emulsions differently than newer ones? Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Jeff: Congratulations. It's a great camera for a great price and I hope you have fun with it. Can't help you on the question of the black tape and the finish. I think some folks do that to be less conspicuous. Maybe someone else here has experience with tape and black finishes.

As to the rapidwinder, I can offer my impressions. As you probably already know, it is a quality accessory that lets you shoot at up to 3 frames per second without taking your eye from the eyepiece. And it is made of machined brass and does add weight to the camera. I have one, that is mostly attached to an M6. I remove it and use the regular baseplate when I want to save some weight. Now I am left-eye dominant, just like your friend so it is a great help to me as I don't have to take it off the camera to shoot continuously. For a right-eye dominant photographer, it would still let you shoot a little faster than with the camera's film advance lever. Incidentally, it is probably worth more than a standard base plate, so you could reduce your cost a little more by selling it off and purchasing a standard base plate instead. The rapidwinder by iteself is probably worth US$150-250 depending on condition. You don't say in your post whether the camera comes with its original base plate. Why don't you shoot with it for a little while and see how you like it? I like mine very much (and, after all, you don't have to use it even if it is attached). It is quieter than any Leica winder or motor-drive and doesn't need batteries.

As for film loading, I just pull out the leader, plop the cassette in the camera with the film leader in the take-up "tulip"and start winding. Watching the rewind crank as you wind on is the surest way to confirm that the film has caught. I find the M6 film loading to be much easier in practice than Pentaxes "magic fingers", Nikon's slotted film advance spool or any other system that I have tried . . . Maybe sacrifice one roll of film, load, rewind partially, cut a new leader and try again. . . practice will make perfect. It does help to confirm with your fingers that the sprokets on the film have engaged the teeth of the film transport gear just following the film gate.

 

[JeffGreene]

Thanks, Benjamin!

Thanks, Benjamin!

Thanks for the prompt reply! My friend used the tape for exactly the reason you state. He is a pro, and wanted to be inconspicuous. He did say that I would find that a lot of people would not give the camera a second look with the tape. Maybe I should just leave well enough alone and leave it as is.

I do have the original baseplate. I guess it just doesn't feel natural yet. I will give it a shot and make my decision after a few months of use.

As to the film winding, would you know why my friend suggested using this double crimp. I noticed you made no mention of it. Thanks again for the input.

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Congrats 🙂

1) the tape should not have an effect on the finish. And, if you don't like it, you can easily remove it and the residue with plain nail varnish remover, no damage will result. If I were you, I'd just leave the tape on.

3) loading gets easier with practice ... that said, before you put the bottom plate on, I usually use my fingers to push the film down so that it engages the teeth, then put the bottom plate on. I've had no trouble with XP2 relative to other films.

good luck

 

[furcafe]

Congrats, sounds like good deeds sometimes do get rewarded!

As Ben mentioned, just make sure that enough of the film leader is between the petals of the "tulip" (i.e.., almost all the way through) & that the film still in the canister is rewound all the way. Then, watch the rewind crank as you advance the film. If it turns (& it should), you've loaded correctly.

I've heard/read the double crimp thing mentioned a few times. I think it's overkill & a waste of time, @ least nowadays. I'm guessing it may have something to do w/the fact that some of the older films may have been thicker & required more force to yank them out of the canister (this difference in film thickness could perhaps account for your differing experience w/Tri-X v. XP2).

Thanks for the prompt reply! My friend used the tape for exactly the reason you state. He is a pro, and wanted to be inconspicuous. He did say that I would find that a lot of people would not give the camera a second look with the tape. Maybe I should just leave well enough alone and leave it as is.

I do have the original baseplate. I guess it just doesn't feel natural yet. I will give it a shot and make my decision after a few months of use.

As to the film winding, would you know why my friend suggested using this double crimp. I noticed you made no mention of it. Thanks again for the input.

 

[Shadrash]

Hi, I find double climping helps, but only need to use it with some film (ie Fuji Superia, some Agfa film). I find I don't need it with Tmax or Velvia.

For some reason the Superia slips out, but with the double climp I have had no problems.

 

[Xmas]

Jeff

A crimp or corrugation should be unnecessary and is undesirable, there is a risk that the crimp could damage the shutter curtain on rewind.

The rule book is to take the file through the prongs so that it touches the far wall the other side of the take up spool i.e. to deviate from the picture on the baseplate, and use another 1/2 inch of film. This allows two prongs to grab the film and tightens the grip a little more. An origonal Leitz manual should confirm this. There is one on the web (free) somewhere.

The picture on the baseplate is recommended when it is 40 below (i.e. cold) and the film is at ambient (as opposed to be in a inner pocket and warm). Film can shatter like glass if it is 40 below, the shards can damage the camera.

The prongs and 'basket' which squeeses the prongs together were designed for normal (thick) film and some new technology film is thinner and if you use this sort of film I'd take a loop around the spool in addition to the rule book method.

The trick is that you have to rely on the basket working blind, i.e. drop in a cassette with the correct length of film to touch the chassis on the other side of the take up prongs, and attach the baseplate without winding, (just to see that it is ok), and only then tighten the filem in the cassette with the rewinder until (some) any resistance is felt, then operate the wind on lever gently (and fire the shutter) until you index 1, if the winder has not started turning bu one you have a problem, the best technique is to remove the baseplate...

a) You have a miss load, identify failure
b) the film in the cassette is still loose if the film is winding on ok, if so put the baseplate back and wind on until 1 again, you have just wasted 3 frames.

You should not have a problem with practice and confidence, if you have a roll of out of date film you could try it until you get a good load 10 out of 10 times.

You can take the film to the end and rewind it back until you feel the film come off the prongs, and start again.

HCB taped his Ms you and your friend would be in good company, he died 2004, and tape does protect against abrasion. A thief might be fooled by tape, some of the later Ms are garish.

 

[Xmas]

Jeff

You need to keep the baseplate in mouth while you load the camera, two handed, the motor or a base plate winder is more of a mouthfull!

Noel

 

[Fred]

Nice one Jeff, you have a wonderful camera there.

A very good buddy of mine returned to Leica RF cameras after getting a tad fed up with the SLR world at around the same time that I got my M7. He'd used Leicas in the past before his SLRs. Only once (to my knowledge) did the film not take up on his M6 which was the cause of his SLR auto load auto everything sabbatical.

He always seemed to have trouble loading his new M often getting quite frustrated, even more so that when I got my M he watched me load the film first time no problem. The thing is I just went by the book without trying anything different other than winding the film back into the can (taking the slack) leaving a small amount of leader that I'd pull out and slot into the basket whilst keeping a little tension on the film can spool to stop it spinning slack back in as I pushed the can into the body. After that he had not probelms at all. The trouble he had was not knowing if the take up had held. If the rewind crank did not move he'd just reload.

Good luck!

 

[JeffGreene]

Well, Noel, your suggestions worked like a charm.

I must say there is a certain feeling of solidity about this camera.

Thank you all for the advice and recommendations. I will put it to good use.

Time to use the camera!

 

[wpb]

After a year of trying every tip or trick I found the best way was exactly as in the Leica instructions. Unfortunately I got my camera without them and figured, "why would I need to read the instructions I had a M3 for years?" The best part was below, and it was basically telling me I was "over-thinking" it:

"Tip! Don't be to fussy in loading your LEICA M 6, and don't waste time trying to align the leader perfectly. The inner wheel on the baseplate will do this for you, and after a bit of practice you will find loading safe and simple."

My only suggestion would be to NOT tension the film by using the rewind crank (before you begin to advance the film and the rewind switch has returned to advance only operation), but make sure to "slowly stroke the advance lever". The key is slowly. In reality, the gear that engages the sprockets on the film does most of the work. The film really has no other place to go except the three pointed posts of the take-up chamber (lovingly referred to as the "tulip").

 

[Xmas]

Jeff

Any of the Ms or screw thread Leicias are real cameras.

The only thing to remember is that it is the basket on the baseplate that secures the film. Down load the manual for the Leitz position.

Dropping the baseplate is not recommended, dropping a motor or lever wind is also bad.

I find there is not mugh gain in having a motor, not used it since '80... the lever attachment is critical for a screw thread camera except even with this the camera is less compact.

There is no shame in practising with an empty camera, like how you use a strap or loop and you can hand hold with practise really slow... If you use a inverted conical hood and cap the hood (with a cheepo plastic clip on cap) you can tell sooner you have been taking 'photos' with the cap on...

HCB seems to have used a string on his cap, dont think it was to avoid loss of the cap, more likely he was more worried about losing a shot.

Noel