Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Many years ago (20?) when I used my first post-M3 Leica with "rapid-load", I had a helluva time...I'd obsess about the end of the leader, worry about the sprocket holes lining up with the teeth, try to "watch" it as the baseplate was replaced... you know the ritual......... As someone here said (Eric?)....FAITH, my friend...shove the damn film in the spool, slap the baseplate on and wind two frames... take up the slack with the rewind knob, wind one more and make sure the knob turns (it WILL)....and shoot..... The amount of trouble you'll have with rapid load is directly proportional to the amount of effort (obsession?) you put into it. A while back I was screwing with my "new" M4-P (third, I believe) and I was bored.....I took a junk roll of film and loaded it about 20 times, TRYING to screw it up....the sloppier I was, the more "confident" the loading system was!! Here's a note: Don't even think about removing the spring..... don't EVER try to "wind-on" a coupla frames with the bottom off... it AIN'T designed to work that way! You NEED the little plastic piece of crap on the base plate to push the leader into position against the spring....just stick the film in, like the little drawing shows (with or without Ted's "crimp" in the leader - works fine if you'd like to try it) and slap the bottom on!!! I DESPISED my first one....now I load them while walking in a drizzle without a hitch....wouldn't have anything else.....my wife won't part with her M2 bodies 'cuz she can't stand the 4s and 6s!!! to each his own..... If you bulk load, be sure to make a leader about 60% the width of the film (please, no MM rulers, get it CLOSE) and make sure the cut is parallel to the edges of the film for at least an inch or two...and it'll work FINE.... Best U and URS Walt On Fri, 26 Feb 1999 sandyquandt@centuryinter.net wrote: > Hello! > > One question...do you first try to work out the ubiquitous crimp near the film > leader that, for me, always seems to prevent the film from seating easily along > the guide rail? > > Sandy (lights out and practicing in the dark...) > > > > << Eric Welch wrote: > > snip > > > Works every time. The main reason people have problems with the M6 in > > > loading is they don't trust this system. It works. And very well. > > > > > > Eric Welch >