Re: [Leica] Loading the M....Hows that again

[John Collier <jbcollier@home.com>]

on 23/1/00 12:44 pm, Bill Erfurth at m6rf@yahoo.com wrote:

> John Collier wrote:
> 
> - -baseplate off
> - -camera upside down lens toward you
> - -insert film so that leader tip lightly touches
> casing
> - -flip back open to make sure film not hung up
> - -shut back and hold it shut with thumb
> - -reattach baseplate and SLOWLY advance through the
> first
> two frames
> 
> This can be done on a table,"IN ONE HAND", in the
> dark,
> whatever, ..."
> ---------------------------------------------------
> Hi John,
> 
> I want to see you do it "IN ONE HAND".  I think that
> would be a little difficult, if not impossible,  for
> the most M users to accomplish...in a reasonable
> amount of time.
> 
> Second, where the hell do you find a table when you
> are in a moving crowd of people, or while walking with
> a parade, or running to get in to position for your
> next shot?  Photographers have given up the Leica Ms
> ......


Once again I have mislead by being reticent, not allowing the full flower of
the English tongue to ripen and blossom on the screen. I did make grievous
haste, when reason should have calmed me and let my thoughts flow and ebb
over the phosphors until black and thick with life and the living. I wrote,
so callously brief, "in one hand", little thinking ­forgive my reckless
ways­ that one of our illustrious merry band would feel belittled and
bitter. Naturally I meant (but composed so inept) to leave the impression of
holding the camera in one hand while loading. When I spoke of "on a table"
did imagine how many of fellow labourers in the light would (by me so
misled) be found standing on tables loading their anachronisms. At least
when I wrote "in the dark", my prose seems to have found full flower in
some.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

- - "Would you, could you in a train?" says John-I-am
- - "Not in a train, not on a table, not in one hand. I will not load my M
where ever I am!" says Bill
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Thanks for the retort Bill. I have not had this much fun in quite awhile.
;-)

John Collier

- -who always carries a small folding card table for his table top tripod.