Re: [Leica] back from Germany w/ film loading problems and travel stories....

["Bryan Caldwell" <bcaldwell@softcom.net>]

George,

>>I have a borrowed Rapid Winder on my M.  The RapidWinder does
     not have a little basket on it like my baseplate does.<<

Just take the basket off your original baseplate and put it on the
rapidwinder. One screw on each - takes about 30 seconds to do. When you
return the rapidwinder, switch them back.

Bryan


- ----- Original Message -----
From: George Hartzell <hartzell@corp.webtv.net>
To: Leica Users <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 6:32 PM
Subject: [Leica] back from Germany w/ film loading problems and travel
stories....


>
> Hey,
>
> Last you folks heard from me, I had just arrived in Germany w/ my M6
> and a passle of lenses (35/2, 75/1.4, 90/2.8, 135/2.8) and was looking
> for directions to the Leica factory.  I found time to burn through
> eleven rolls (7 rolls of E100S or VS, 2 Delta100, 1 HP5) around
> Heidelberg, including some shots during the total eclipse.  The trip
> was a bit stressful (I was there for a conference related to my PhD
> research) but I really enjoyed the time that I had to explore the
> area.
>
> Now that I'm back, I have some observations and questions for the list.
>
>  observation #1)  This is the first time that I've tried to use my M-6
>      as my general purpose travel camera.  Historically I've depended
>      on some or all of my Nikon N90s w/ 80-200/2.8, 35-70/2.8,
>      20-35/2.8, 105/2micro, and an old 20/4AI lens for most of my
>      general shooting.  Since I frequently shoot outdoor stuff
>      (e.g. kayaking) where I'm perched on a rock by the side of the
>      river and can't "zoom with my feet", I find the flexibility of
>      the zooms a big win.  I also really like the longer reach, narrow
>      field of view, and compressed perspective that the 80-200/2.8
>      gives me.  I've learned to deal with the bulk.
>
>      I bought the M6 setup to shoot in the type of situations where it
>      excels, low light and places w/ noise constraints (small folk
>      music venues), and am learning to shoot with it and love it in
>      those settings.
>
>      This was an intentional experiment to see how I felt about the M
>      as an only camera.
>
>      I have several images which I'm reasonably happy with (I'm a
>      harsh critic of my own work) and some for which I clearly didn't
>      have the right tool.
>
>      I'm working on getting a website full of images up, but in the
>      meantime:
>
>         (+) The Hauptstrasse in Heidelberg is a pedestrian/tourist
>             stroll-way.  There are artists (charcoal, other media) who
>             draw quick portraits on easels during the day and evening.
>             In the evening they depend on light from storefronts.  I
>             have some color (E100S) and B&W (HP5) images that I really
>             like, shot w/ the 75/1.4.
>
>         (+/-) Shots of the Schloss (castle) from inside and from
>             across town at various times of day.  A longer lens would
>             have let me isolate it a bit from the more remote vantage
>             points, and a polarizer (which I can acquire, but which
>             seems clunky) would have helped when I was constrained to
>             shot in the afternoon sun.  Other shots would have
>             benefited from a graduated neutral density filter.  When I
>             found views that fit w/in my hardware, I was happy with
>             the results.
>
>         (+) Wonderful shots of flowers, fruits, veggies, and folks at
>             a farmer's market over near the University.  Mostly with
>             the 75/1.4, great in the dim light, and with wonderful
>             feeling to the images.  Some exposure issues, but that's a
>             practice thing.
>
>         (-) The eclipse.  I should've had something longer.  I didn't
>             think it would be an issue since I didn't think that I
>             would be able to make it into the path of totality.
>
>         (-, but a bit of +) People shots.  I'm just not quick enough
>             w/ the focus _and_ the exposure to be catching fleeting
>             moments.  It's mostly a practice issue, and maybe trading
>             off the unforgiving slide film for something w/ more
>             latitude.  When I get them though, they're great.  I do
>             find that I like long lens portraits a lot, and the 135
>             just doesn't have the flavor that I love from my nikon
>             80-200/2.8.
>
>         (-) A great big party on a pedestrian mall in Frankfurt.  As
>             I was wondering around Frankfurt (having tried to re-visit
>             Foto Hobby but found them closed) I stumbled on a South
>             American band entertaining a crowd and a fellow w/ a Nikon
>             F5 and a 80-200/2.8 AFS zoom.  I moved around behind him
>             and imagined the images he was getting, and really craved
>             my N90s w/ the 80-200.  Some shots might have been
>             possible w/ shorter lenses and different positioning, but
>             some were just beyond the reach of my M.
>
>      At the end of the day, I'm not sure just what I'll carry on my
>      next adventure.  It'll probably depend on where/when/why I go,
>      and what I've been shooting in the meantime.  I _am_ glad that I
>      didn't lug my SLR rig on this _particular_ trip, even if I did
>      miss some opportunities.
>
>  problem #1, film loading)
>
> Of the eleven rolls that I shot, I had screwup on 3/3 of the
> B&W and 1/7 color slides.
>
>         I have a borrowed Rapid Winder on my M.  The RapidWinder does
>         not have a little basket on it like my baseplate does.
>
>         When I travel, I put all of my film in clear ziplocks and have
>         learned to roll the leader most of the way back into the
>         cartridge to avoid beating it up (which makes loading my Nikon
>         difficult).  This might make it a bit more curly than normal.
>
>         All of the screwed up rolls had overlapping images on the
>         first 5-10 frames.  Sometimes the frames were not centered
>         between the sprocket holes and were on a diagonal.  In
>         retrospect, I noticed that the B&W rolls were harder to
>         advance ("Gee", I thought, "Ilford canisters sure are
>         'tight'."), which was probably causing/the-result-of the
>         problem.
>
>         Fortunately I didn't loose too many great images (seems I
>         shoot better towards the end of the roll...), but I'd like to
>         keep this from happening again.
>
>         Would adding a basket to the RapidWinder help?  Should there
>         already be one there?  Are M's picky about flat leaders?  Has
>         anyone else seen anything similar?
>
>  Warm Fuzzy Story #1)
>
>         I had a spare day in Frankfurt, and decided at the last minute
>         to brave the great unknown, rent a car, and make the
>         pilgrimage up to Solms.  I couldn't get a tour (one person
>         told me that they were unavailable while remodeling was
>         underway, another told me there were no available guides) but
>         did get to wander around the lobby.  Even that was interesting
>         (the dismantled cameras, the family tree, the display of
>         cameras w/ amazing survival stories).
>
>         They also, w/ no prior notice, fixed a focusing problem on my
>         135/2.8 and generally cleaned and gussied it up.  I figure
>         that paid for the trip right there.
>
>         I stopped in Wetzlar on my way home and found the store of a
>         classic camera buff near Dom Platz, but the owner wasn't in.
>         Wandering around the Church and the surrounding neighborhood
>         was pretty neat though.
>
> g.
>