Why no film window on Leica M bodies?

Count the frames before cutting! Cut the film into strips of 5 or 6 instead of all 6 and a 1.
If there are a few really bad exposures on a roll try to make one of them your sacrificial 37th frame.

What is this “bad exposure” of which you speak?

Anyway 5 would be just as annoying, it's an old dog; new trick thing
 
The spec says removal time: "14 days". Does something happen to it after that?

/T

After 14 days the adhesive hardens and it's more difficult to remove, at least from normal household painted surfaces. Gaffer tape stays tacky longer if you can find some in a light color. Drafting tape is also low-tack and art supply stores sell a roll for a couple bucks.
I stick an Avery label on the bottom of the camera and write on that, but most of the time the film is Delta 400 anyway.
The little film reminder boxes are nice until they grab your moustache 😡.
Didn't Leica catalog a special pencil for writing on the reminder on the M4-P and so on?
 
Not too much goes wrong after 14 days. They're just "guaranteeing" that it shouldn't leave a residue or have pieces left behind as long as you remove it within 14 days time

Seems to depend on what surface you use it though. Sometimes I get a slight glue residue after only 2 or 3 days. Should be fine on a camera baseplate. Even if it leaves some residue behind, its really a dry substance that will rub right off with your finger.
 
Not sure if film windows were all that common when M3 was designed. And perhaps most people had one camera anyway?
 
The film window is a hell improvement worse even than AF. LOL! Sealing around wears out and develops light leaks one day when you least expect it. Those pockets for piece of film packaging box were much better idea.
 
Hi all,

Toulumne hit the nail on the head. The one thing I miss on my M that my FM has is "a reminder holder that takes the end tab of the film box."

I'm not about to be carrying tape, or whatever... But actually, I keep a record of shutter speed, aperture, time, date for each shot nowadays. So, it's not so much of an issue.

Cheers, JP
 
I have to admit that I use my Softies to indicate film in the M's. A green softie is Tri X, a blue is 100/125 iso (Acros/plus X etc), a red is usually XX or occasionally 25 iso Efke - or films that are for testing.
The other trick is to simply put a green dot (office supply stores have sheets of them) on the top and that means Tri X or Arista - or any 400 iso film.
Masking tape works fine too and gaffers tape. I usually tape a handful of plastic cans back to back with gaffers tape for carrying film in my pockets. 5 of these will give me 10 rolls and that is usually enough for a day anyway. I use red or yellow gaffers tape and if I do something unusual with a roll, I can tear a piece of, stick it on the cassette and mark it with whatever change I did (push or pull process, occasionally just who it is on the shot etc). I also carry one or two of these "double cans" with black masking tape around them - most of my cameras are of a "certain age" and vulcanite occasionally comes off - black gaffers tape work fine as a substitute!
 
Tom's softie idea is problably the cheapest and easiest... You don't need multiple cameras or fiddling with tape. Of course if you use a very wide variety of films it can become an issue.

Well second cheapest... first would be to switch to a Bessa or ZI 😛
 
I am with Michael.
I tear the end off the packet, fold it and stuff it in the hot shoe.
I hate flash (especially on camera) so it does not often get used for anything else.
The ideal would be a memo clip that is around the film speed dial on the back, why did they never add one?
There used to be an after market stick on memo clip that fitted in just that way, easy.
I have several film cameras on the go and they could all contain just about any kind of film so I really do need a reminder.
I keep the torn off ends (neatly filed in the bottom of my gadget bag) so I have them to use with bulk loaded film.
 
I am very happy Leica has "omitted" this "feature". Keep it simple.
The foam around those windows can deteriorate or fall out; then you have a major light leak. The glass (or plastic) can break. I've seen both happen before. When I am doing a project, I use only one kind of film. And I use the same kind of film for all my projects.😀
 
I agree, when you have several cameras loaded w/ different film you can have problems, especially if they don't have a meter. When I load a camera I then jot down on the box which camera that film is in. Doesn't help when you leave home w/o looking at the box though and aren't sure what's in the camera. Really, the only fix is to glue one of those little plastic windows on the back of the camera and slide in the film box top. It sure worked well w/ the SLR's I had. Just use a rubbery type of glue and you should be able to get it off at a later date w/o damage to the finish. Or just leave it on to help the next owner.
 
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