Leica motor winder

<p>I heard from a salesman years ago that the Leica M motor winder puts a little too much stress on the camera works and the camera may need repairs. Is there any truth to this? What is your experience with this winder? <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/210057-REG/Leica_14408_Motor_M_Winder.html">http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/210057-REG/Leica_14408_Motor_M_Winder.html</a></p>

<p>While it is possible they put more pressure on a body, I doubt it is much. Repair crafters haven't mentioned anything about my use of winders, which are constantly on my bodies.</p>

<p>I have been using the Winder on my M's for almost all my photojournalism work since my first new M4-P, and now my M7s. Maybe collectors are afraid of them, but I've <em>never</em> had a problem. I did have one M motor drive (multiple frames) and it is a mechanical mess, so I purged it from my kit. You can feel the body practically convulse, and my teeth chatter with each wind. ;-) I've had the newer winder for just a few months. It is rather nice with its smaller size and built in grip, but I do not care for the odd battery size, especially since I travel to a lot of war torn countres where the 3V batteries are impossible to find.</p>

<p>Cheryl: I am curious: what publication do you work for? I thought all photojournalists nowdays were practically mandated to use digital. </p>

<p>I used to own the current model winder, and while I am not aware of any mechanical stress, I did find it that is was noisy and bulky, without providing any real benefit. </p>

<p>'Urban Legend' propagated by the unknowing.<br>

<br />There is a previous 'Winder' that is bulky. The present model is known as the the 'Motor M' 14408 by Leica and is neither bukly nor noisy. You need to specify which you are Posting about when providing critique.<br>

I have two Motor M's with M6 and two M7's, not a single problem. They are constantly attached to my M7's and the noise level has never been more noticeable to observers in my observations.-Dick</p>

<p>Must have been a decade ago, when he said that!</p>

<p>I got my two M7s almost welded to two of those L-shape 'Motor M' pieces: not a single problem ever since 2003. According to the tech doing the CLAs: no extra wear. Actually, to the contrary, as hasty hand-winding often puts more stress on the winding axle than the ever-consistent motor. Leica repair people recommend the new Motor M for converted (brass gears) M4s.</p>

<p>I *love* the resistance to (moderately) cold temperatures of Lithiums and the fact that they never leak. So I sold my old-style M motor right away and never looked back. The grip, too, is of greatest help in all kinds of shooting and even non-shooting situations. Battery-less operation comes free (and is harmless) with the 'Motor M', too!</p>

<p>The battery problem is non-existent. Just as non-existent as war photogs who would go battery shopping in war zones. At 30-50 films per pair of CR123s: just imagine for a second that heap of film – plus two of those minuscule batteries. Or simply the ridiculous weight/bulk as you take them along as spares...</p>

<p>Almost forgot: you get a centered tripod socket as well, compatible with simple (and therefor inexpensive), small, leight-weight Arca-Swiss/ReallyRightStuff-style quick-plates compatible to it. Swell!<br /> Some people say you will burn more film. They are right. And at the end of the day, you will also have more keepers (less ops missed). Think about it!</p>

<p>Hope your doubts have all disappeared by now (as they should)!</p>

<p>Have fun, burn film!<br /> Pete</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The motor M is a superb addition to an M film body. I used mine all the time on my M6 TTL and thought it improved the whole shooting experience, particularly shooting in portrait mode. Absolutely no problems whatsoever.</p>

<p>It's a gentle winder. I've been using mine on my M6 classic and M6 TTL 0.85 and love what it does. Unfortunately the build quality is not strong.</p>

<p>How can you make such a broad statement about build quality? I have never read a Post where an individual had problems with a Motor M 14408.<br>

You Post about a winder, which are you Posting about the original Leica Winder or the present motor M 14408?-Dick</p>

<p>Then read one now: one of my two Motor Ms (14408) had a grip starting to wiggle slightly after two years or so. Got it 'repaired' by Leica for free. Only incident ever.<br>

Nevertheless, Alex Shishin is right in a way: the L-shape makes the new motor more prone to breakage than the old brick-shaped addage.</p>

 

<p>Bruce,</p>

<p>The earlier M winders for the M4-2 have much higher torque that the current M motor. I have two of the current M Motors - one goes on my M4-P the other goes on my M3 (yes M THREE).</p>

<p>Don Goldberg modded my M3 to take the Motor M. He told me that the earlier motors would tear up my M3 but the current one is fine. I have not had any issues with either camera and the Motor M. And the M3 has softer brass gears.</p>

<p>Go for it!</p>

<p>I have very recently purchased a new Leica MP from Ffordes of Inverness, Scotland - I have attached the later M motor and I can very much recommend it for ergonomics, although the jury is still out on the matter of stressing the innards of the camera. As has already been stated on this forum - batteries are a non-issue. The "standard - issue" batteries are small and cheap enough both to carry around as spares and to replace as and when needed. <br>

Even without batteries the motor makes a very useful grip and improves the handling of the camera immensely; couple that with a Thumbs up grip; remember - the flash sync socket on the MP protrudes from the back of the camera, beneath the hot shoe, and the existing oval hole in the Thumbs up is too narrow to accommodate the black plastic plug. That oval will need to be drilled out to 8.5mm or even 9mm diameter in order to accommodate the black plastic sync socket plug and thus enable you to slide the Thumbs up completely into the hot shoe on the camera.<br>

As for build quality of the motor m - well, I purchased mine very recently on e bay. It had been advertised as "mint" - it was nothing of the sort and the tubular grip was loose - I simply dabbed a few blobs of super glue in the right places and it is now as good as new. I didn't think that I needed to return it to Leica for that, although, of course, I did not see the actual faulty grip that is mentioned on this forum - it might have been a lot worse than mine.<br>

In operation, with the motor m switched on, the shutter release of the MP is a little more noticeable - although, if used simply as a grip, with the motor in the "off" position, the exquisitely delicate sound and feel of the MP shutter release is retained as if there were no motor attached.<br>

Overall, and with the (hopefully helpful) observations and caveats, I would not be without the Motor m - it stays permanently on my MP.</p>