Re: [Leica] Re: No Need to Trim

["Mike Durling" <durling@widomaker.com>]

I suppose that if you trimmed for years it might seem easier to take the
lens off and open the shutter.  I used to do that with the iiif for years
until I heard about trimming the leader.  I pre-trim the films that I think
I'll use in that camera and carry a little pair of folding scissors in the
bag.

As long as you trim the curve going towards the end you shouldn't have any
problem with jagged corners.

Mike D
Williamsburg, VA

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Douglas Cooper" <douglas@metaversalstudios.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 4:52 AM
Subject: [Leica] Re: No Need to Trim


>
> >
> > If you remove the baseplate of your camera and look at the loading
diagram,
> > you will see the diagram shows the long leader.
> >
> > Trim it! The number one killer of LTM cameras is loose bits of film.
> >
> > John Collier
>
>
> There is no doubt that film chips will kill your camera -- it's like
feeding
> chicken bones to a dog.  *However*, I have it from a guy who may well know
> more about the insides of these cameras than any man alive (note I said
> "man"), that untrimmed film is just fine if you load it properly.  In
fact,
> he suggested this over cutting the leader.  (The man in question is DAG;
> dunno if Sherry would support this.)
>
> A)  remove the lens and base plate
>
> B)  turn the shutter to "T" and press the release.  (This locks the
shutter
> open.)
>
> C)  attach the untrimmed film to the spool, and insert both, carefully,
> guiding the film as it moves across the shutter window so that it doesn't
> catch on the upper edge of the window.  DO NOT FORCE IT.  You will feel it
> when it is in the right place.
>
> D)  replace lens and base plate, then turn the shutter dial to release the
> lock.
>
> Done.
>
> Never had a problem.  And it's much less of a pain than trimming that
> leader.  (In fact, when you trim the film, you often cut through a
sprocket
> hole, which leaves a tab that looks to me as if it's a prime candidate for
> chipping off.)
>
>
>
>
> cheers,
>
>
> Douglas Cooper
> www.dysmedia.com
>
>