Please help with M6.

[steve garza]

Another Leica newbie.....

Another Leica newbie.....

Just received this gorgeous piece of Leica M6 and 35 f/2 ASPH with a flash. I LOVE IT! I need some help (sorry, maybe a dumb newbie question): I loaded the film, following the instructions, did the first frame and now the lever isn't advancing the film - kind of stuck. Do you think I loaded the film incorrectly or am I doing something wrong? Many thanks!

After ruining two rolls I went online for info. Forgot the website, but this advice did the trick:

The film casette must be firmly inserted in order for the rewind mechanism to catch on to the top of the casette (This was my problem. I was just dropping the casette into the camera.) It just needs to be tamped in firmly. The film leader merely needs to be slipped though the tulip-shaped spool and will catch perfectly when the advance lever is engaged (seems wierd, but works great). You should see the rewind lever turn almost immediately. On rewind, it's all done by feel: you know the film is re-wound when the rewind lever abruptly turns more freely (you may re-wind after the "R" lever on the camera's front is clicked over to the other position.) Once rewound, the casette simply drops out of the camera when the bottlom plate is removed.

It's an amazingly simple and clever system.

 

[erik515]

M6 loading

M6 loading

One method I use to keep the film from slipping in the take-up spool is the "accordian" it with two folds a sprocket hole or so apart. This helps the M6 spool grab the film and keeps it from slipping.

You should see the rewind crank move approximately 3/4 turn if it is working properly.

 

[emraphoto]

m6 loading...

m6 loading...

i don't wish to offend anyone here but you don't need to fold the film leader in any fashion when loading an m6. the take up spool only serves to "collect" the exposed film. what you really need to pay attention to is (as mentioned already) that your film cannister is inserted all the way up into the body of the camera. when you film leader intersects the take up spool you will see some "teeth" on the bottom right hand side just before the spool. these teeth MUST meet up with the perforations in your film. it is these teeth that "pull" the film out of the cannister and towards the take up spool. you can fold the film if you like, however if these teeth do not match up then it's a no go. MOST OFTEN the film has a sight kink in the leader (once you pull some out of the cannister to intersect the take up spool) and the cannister will insert up into the body but the film needs a little "help" to fit up into it's track.
i guarantee, if you match up those teeth with the perforations in the film, and the film cannister is all the way up into the body you will be shooting in a jiffy.
john
ps when "helping" the film onto it's proper track and meeting up with the teeth take great care to not put any fingers through the curtains.