re: first leica experience - I screw up the 1st, and 2nd rolls

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wen

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re: first leica experience - I screw up the 1st, and 2nd rolls

I might be too excited...I didn't read the manual, and I screw up :bang:

very excited getting my very first roll with leica mp, this is my first leica camera (except the digulux 2)...got the 35mm/f2 summicrom lens, I didn't read the manual (trim the film leader!!!), I spend 2 weeks shooting here, shooter there, got so excited, 2 weeks passed, and I was wondering why the advance winder kept going and going...feeling that the roll never end. Got a super bad feeling and rewind the film, then, I knew, I film never advance to the 1st frame!!!

ok, then, I tried to read the manual again, see the "trim the film leader", now, I knew, so, I loaded again...but, I should read the whole page on the manual on loading film (which I didn't 😱 ) so, after I loaded my 2nd roll, without closing the bottom, I thought I was smart by advance once to see if it was loading all right...advance (without close the bottom), looked ok, advance. Then, I close the bottom. Big mistake!!! The roll is mess up...the film jam and I need to use the tweezer to pull it out. :bang: that night, I went to trim all my 35mm films.

ok. back to read the manual again...read the whole page...and load my 3rd roll. look all right...exactly following the instruction...loaded, close the bottom, advance 3 times, to the 1st frame...but, now, I am not confidence if I am loading right...because I can't tell...it is just quiet, and I can't tell if it is all right, and advance??? it is just so quiet, and I have no idea...😱

this is my very first leica experience, I feel funny, and feel stupid....and well, a little frustrated because I am so eager to see what's going to come out...
 
film loading...

film loading...

my friend this is a situation about 3/4 of the new leica owners go through. i'll tell ya MY METHOD to load (leica m6 ttl) and hope it helps ya out. i haven't missed a roll in a VERY long time. there is no need to trim any film. obviously open up your camera. pull out enough film to intersect the take up spool on the right hand side. it only has to simply enter the spool. take up all the tension on the actual film canister. when you load your film in make sure it actually goes far enough up into the camera body. the film on the bottom edge should actually sit on some little teeth on the right hand side (near the take up spool). more often then not the film is not actually loaded up into the body far enough! close up the body. hit the lever and you should see your rewind nob spin. fire the shutter and advance again. once again the rewind should turn... if not open up and load again. i have not found a single roll of film yet that you have to trim!
if you would like i will email you step by step pictures.
cheers
john
 
Sh... happens ...

Sh... happens ...

Hi Wen,
yeah at the beginning loading film into an M is a bit tricky but you'll get the grip. Just pull up the rewind knob, turn it backwards and check if it pulls the film tight. Then you're sure that the film start got pulled in correctly. Advance after shutter release and check the middle of the rewind knob (two little red dots) it must turn as you advance forward. Haven't checked any manual for a while though😉, welcome in M land 😀 .
Good luck next time.
 
You don't need to trim nothing. Just pull out enough film that the take up spool can work with and pay attention to the rewind knob rotation as you advance the film.
 
One more thing

One more thing

Once the the film is fed through a slot in the take up spool keep the back door open and press your finger (left hand) where the film meets the cogs, engage it, and then advance the film (with your right hand). Then you'll know the film is locked into the cogs. As already said, you don't need to trim anything.
 
am I screw up my 3rd roll again 🙁 when I advance, the rewind knob didn't move at all...no rotation...I am so frustrated now :O

Mike, I have the MP
 
a friend of mine, and 30 year leica vet. said that the best way for her to load her m6 is to pull out enough of the film to go through the tulip take up spool so that about 2-3mm are sticking out the other side
 
You may wish to practice with the back door open on a bad roll of film.. Just load the film, or try, but put the bottom on with the door open. Sometimes to see the rewind knob move, you must turn the rewind knob as if you were rewinding to remove the slack from the film in the can.
 
Wen, I apologize. I didn't read your first note closely enough. I now see that it is an MP. I thought there was no longer a need to trim the leader.

I hope everything works out well with this camera. I'm sure that you'll have a great time with the MP.
 
Wen, a step by step will help here.

Open camera.

Drop film in film chamber, with enough film to go across into the tulip of the take up spool. Make sure the leader (that needs not to be trimmed; the trimming only was necessary in the old LTM Leicas) goes in between the tulip prongs of the take-up spool.

Most important: make sure the film holes fit in the sprocket wheel that's visible next to the take-up spool. This is KEY, because the take-up spool NEVER pulls the film. The sprocket wheel PUSHES the film (gently) into the take-up spool.

Once you've got the film in and its holes fit the sprocket wheel, pull the film advance lever a slight bit so that the film gets a little inside the take-up spool.

Close camera.

Now, without moving the rewind lever, just pull up your rewinder knob and turn it in the rewind direction until you hit a slight opposition and it won't turn anymore. That means you've tightened the film. Advance it to exposure No. 1. The rewind knob should turn. If it doesn't turn (which I doubt), open the camera and make sure the film is well loaded. However, if you follow these steps, the film will be loaded.

Useful tip: practice with a roll of film. Don't try to shoot it or use it for anything but learn how to load your Leia. Don't worry, we all felt like you at some point.
 
After making sure the film holes line up with the sprocket, I've always held my left thumb lightly against the sprockets as I moved the advance lever the first time, ensuring the film was pushed into the take-up spool.
 
whew! look at all these advice on film loading. 2 pages!!! they all seem to say "wen, don't lose heart, it is worth the 'minor' irritation." i borrowed an MP of a friend sometime ago and i still relish the feel of that darn equipment to this day.
 
This is what my manual says and it works 99 out of 100 times!

Ignore the little diagram under the baseplate unless it is 40 below!

Instead take the film through two of the prongs in the take up spool, i.e. take the film tip to the other side of the take up chamber, all the way accross the chamber.

Then clamp on the bottom plate.

Then very gently shoot the frames until you get to 0 or 1 depending on how you normally operate. The laod procedure is meant to be foolproof and it is. One is not supposed to try the wind on lever until the bottom plate is locked as the prongs and film are not locked together unless the bottom plate basket is in place.

Alas one always has to monitor the wind the film back knob, if you are really nervous and in your shoes... then after the 1st frame is wound on you can take the rewind knob around until you feel the film (like in a spring) coming off the sides of the cassette, this should allow you to see the winder move on the next frame. I did not say tighten the film it only needs to be unset in the cassette from its rest state.

If the rewind knob shows no sign of movement by frame one even after you have tightened it after the 1st wind on then you have another missload and you need to read the manual more carefully... and remove the bottom plate, if it had been winding on ok you will only have wasted three or four frames.

A provisio if you are using a very thin base film e.g. Rolli then you may have more problems, 'normal' Kodak or Ilford or Fuji acetate is ok.

If it is 40 below you need to keep the film in an inner pocket of your insulated jacket so it is warm enough not to turn to shards of 'glass'. Or use the technique under the baseplate, it only gets (once) to about 17 below here...

It is pretty good but counter intuitive mechanism, good luck on 4th try... My Ms are 30+ years old now achieve 99 or better... Dont think about estar base film myself, new fangled. The M is an antique in design. Dont crimp the end of the film that creates a hazard the M4s and later all work normally this way.

Noel

P.S. if you load your own the Leitz recommended trim is a 45 degree cut, but the short leader adopted by all the suppliers post '72 works ok. Dont know where you guys are getting your manuals this is what the M4 manual said and what Leitz recommended in ''73 (for M5s). A scan is on the web somewhere for free if you google.
 
Last edited:
To Noel's instructions I would add this: Make sure the film cannister is pushed all the way in. The film must run straight across the film gate to the takeup reel. Watch out for a kink in the film leader which can get hung up inside the top of the film gate and cause a misload.

Richard
 
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