MP loading problem

I've had many lost rolls over misloading my MP (I assume it's my fault). This particular roll didn't advance to a stop at

the end and then got jammed during rewind, so they opened it up in a black box at developing - they said the roll was

all the way to the right and they rewound the film manually. Since it had seemed to shoot normally, I assumed the

film was saved, but when I got it back it was completely blank and unexposed except for the leader. What could

have happened?! It's so upsetting. Any loading tips would be appreciated!

Tell us more about how you load, advance and rewind. For instance many advisers recommend ensuring that the film

engages the sprockets the way you might with an M2, but the M6 manual says simply put the leader between the tines of

the take up spool, close the back and replace the baseplate. Do you see the rewind turning when you advance? If you take

a Leica somewhere to have a film removed (which I have once) they've never seen one before and the whole process of the

baseplate bamboozles them and who knows what 'right' means and how much they had to rewind.

Rotate the tulip if necessary so film slides tight in. One of the three slits should be 30 deg left to smoothly receive the

film.

Advance until top and bottom sprocket holes are engaged and film is flat. Close back. finish advancing first stroke. put

slight tension on rewind. Advance one more frame watching to see rewind turns verifying film is transporting. Advance

to first frame and recheck. Check next two or three.

 

I do everything overboard. You really just need to get it into the tulip as far as possible and be sure on sprocket hole is

catching to pull the film and watch the rewind for a frame or three.

 

The sprocket drive is what pulls the film through, not the tulip which is on a clutch. That is where it has to catch.

Thanks for the advice! I usually advance 2-3 frames while back is open - although as you say I just reread the manual and it says not to wind until back is closed so maybe that's been my problem. I usually don't bother with putting tension on rewind and forget to check the rewind rotation, I definitely need to do that. I also wonder exactly how far in you're supposed to place film canister and wonder if that matters? Still not sure how I could shoot a roll and have no exposures - can't imagine the guy couldn't tell if it was a whole roll he rewound or just a couple frames but I guess you never know. He said I hadn't fully engaged the rewind lever and that when he did that enabled him to rewind the rest of the way.

And sorry for this completely ignorant question, but how do you check the sprocket holes?

I saw a video on the net posted by Tom A. He stated that a small fold in the leader a quarter inch to a half inch would help. Also, make sure that the leader catches the sprockets. Sometimes the film is angled so as not to catch them. Flip open the back and check by feeling. And, no matter which camera you use fire of one or two shots and watch the film advance. I found tht this can happen on any camera.

Hi Laurie. Sorry you're having problems.

 

Just to share what has worked for me after about a week of similar frustration:

 

1. Fold the leader a little bit

2. Insert the leader in between the tulip, just like the way the picture shows you.

3. Push down on the roll, and the exposed back of the film strip for alignment

4. Without replacing the bottom lid, now pull up the film rewind knob, and rotate in the direction of the arrow

5. Watch the film as you rewind. You should feel tension in the rewinding at first, and then in no more than two to three

rotations you will see film get "caught" and move.

6. That's it. Close the bottom lid. Press the shutter once and advance one frame (or two, if you want to be extra safe).

 

As further proof of it having worked, you should see the rewind knob on the left rotate as the film is advanced.

 

This has worked pretty consistently for me. I end up "stealing" two frames so that a roll now gives me 37 to 38 shots.

 

Hope this helps!

 

FWIW, I went through the exact same thing - my first roll was a complete blank, I didn't realize the film wasn't advancing

until I got to like the 40th exposure without running out of film, and I realized I couldn't have come across a magical roll

of film that allowed me to shoot forever. :p Yes, this was my first time shooting film.

The only time I've ever misloaded my Leica was the first time I tried it and got about 8 pictures on one frame before the

sprocket caught on. Try this

Push the can in as far as it will go. If the film does not lie over the two recessed film rails, rotate the rewind a bit and push

the cannister up the rest of the way.

 

As long as he film is in the proper position against the inner rails, there is little chance of an error. But I still do thing I

outlined above.

The very best instructions I have seen for loading a modern M body are here:

 

http://nemeng.com/leica/000b.shtml

 

Follow exactly, and you will get perfect loading every time. I have huge respect for Tom A, but I find the directions above work better than Tom's, at least for me. I have had NO misloads in probably 1000 films since I started following the directions above. Do NOT advance 2 or 3 frames with the back open........

First and foremost, DO NOT FOLD the film leader. It may cause some light damage on the silk shutter curtains every

time you rewind it. If the film were to be folded at the tip, Leica would say so in their manuals. I have never read a

Leica manual suggesting that, so DO NOT DO IT.

 

Instead, make sure that the sprockets on the wheel right before the tulip engage with the film holes. The film does not

get pulled by the tulip/prongs in the take up spool, it gets pushed by this sprocket wheel. Again, make sure the

sprockets enter the holes and you'll do fine.

 

The best you can do is practice loading the camera with a dummy roll. Just do as the manual says. Eventually, like

most of us, you'll get it right but keep in mind that it can be done without folding the film tip.

Thank you, everyone! I am feeling very optimistic that this will become a problem of the past. Oh, the beautiful shots I've missed! Wish I'd come on here a long time ago. Thanks again!

Laurie,

 

I've had the same problem with my M8! ;-)

 

Actually I think this is one of those passing Karma things--and the more you focus on it the more it seems to go awry. Then eventually you relax and the problems go away.

 

According to Leica, you should be able to extend the leader to the tulip, drop the roll in and make sure the film is all the way down, then put the bottom on and wind. And really it usually works fine. Main thing is to, after initially winding a tiny bit, tension the rewind knob and watch it to be sure film is moving. If it is, you are off and running.

 

And the roll you lost--the guy was just wrong. If the leader was exposed but the rest was processed to clear, then it never went across the camera.

 

Best of luck,

Charles

Just one more little thing: I would NOT recommend winding a couple of frames with the bottom plate off; the bottom plate (and especially the little round doodad on the take-up end of the bottom plate) is designed to guide the film into the correct location inside the camera; if you wind while leaving the bottom plate off there's a chance it will end up improperly aligned on the take-up spool.

If you put the film in line with the sprockets, between the appropriate rails and wind on a half stroke to ensure sprocket engagement it is

difficult to see

this going wrong. I did this for years with my M4, M4-2 and M6 and never had a mishap. I only went a half a turn as in

my miserly days with the M2 I would always get 37 at least from a 36 roll. This year, being more involved with phot.net

and discovering the excellent web site referred to above (http://nemeng.com/leica/000b.shtml), I have actually re-read

(i.e. read for the first time) my M6 camera manual which is in accord with nemeng.com. All of this year I have been

doing only as the manual says. At first it was a little unnerving. Do I really not have to check sprocket engagement both

sides? Can I trust the take up and baseplate wheel to get this right every time? The answer is yes. The camera manual

is a much underestimated document. Eve Arnold was asked what her secret was to her wonderful black and white

images. She said she carefully read the instructions that came in the film packet from Kodak. Slightly disingenuous but

a nice point. I miss those leaflets.

I know Leica says not to wind until the baseplate is on. But I always check that the sprocket is engaging the sprocket holes. Then I wind a little bit, maybe a half frame, while checking that the rewind knob is turning. Why do I insist on doing it this way? I'm from Missouri. You have to show me.

I know Leica says not to wind until the baseplate is on. But I always check that the sprocket is engaging the sprocket holes. Then I wind a little bit, maybe a half frame, while checking that the rewind knob is turning. Why do I insist on doing it this way? I'm from Missouri. You have to show me.

Open the back door to make sure that your sprocket wheels have engaged the film holes, then put the back on and advance it, watching the rewind lever.

If not sure whats going on, use a test roll. Go thru the procedures, rewind and repeat. You'll get the hang of it.

"<i>...they said the roll was all the way to the right and they rewound the film manually. Since it had seemed to

shoot normally, I assumed the film was saved, but when I got it back it was completely blank and unexposed except

for the leader. What could have happened?!</i>"<p>Not trying to be a smart arse or anything, but is it possible you

left the lens cap on (especially since they said the film had been advanced completely to the take-up side of the film

chamber)? Sometimes, all the theories and possibilities in the world tend to overlook the obvious. I've yet to get a

spot-on exposure of the back of my lens cap, but I'm sure it will happen one day!<p>Michael J Hoffman

Thanks Charles Mason for answering the last part of my question. (And Michael Hoffman, I'm not saying I'm not capable of that, but the light meter would've been blinking & it wasn't!) It's frustrating b/c I adjusted my loading technique in a film photog class at ICP when my instructor told me to advance w/ the back open a few frames - now I realize he didn't know the specs for Leicas. My last roll now worked perfectly! (going by nemeng.com & other advice here) Thanks again for your answers, and Rob F., ha!

<p>Seeing it and having it explained is easier than just reading it in the Leica manual. Here's some Youtube videos on the subject. Also, I 100% agree with Francisco, don't bend the film leader. Overtime, it will most definitely scratch up your back plate. Hope that helps.<br>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eMohnBEaUw<br>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWp-oteUpNo&feature=related<br>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=161biLkk4hE&feature=related</p>