Can't rewind / unload film in M6. Rewind lever doesn't stay at R

<p>Hi,<br /> I bought a used M6 a few months ago and finally am done with my first roll. When I tried to unload it, I couldn't figure out how to do it. According to the manual, I am supposed to move the film rewind lever to the "R" position. The lever is spring loaded and when I move it to "R" it just springs back. I have tried spinning the rewind knob with the lever manually held down and with it released (not R). Neither have any difference in feeling (tension).<br /> Some information:<br>

The camera had a CLA from Leica NJ and wasn't used until I bought it. I put a roll of Portra in there (36 exposures). Each time I shoot a picture, the film counter did go up. I could not tell when the film ran out because I was able to keep shooting, past count 36. Thinking I was lucky and able to squeeze out some more, I kept shooting. Only this morning did I make a note that it was on 38, did I notice that any subsequent shots were not advancing the count. Clearly this was the end of the roll.<br>

However, like I said, I can use the advance lever and shutter button just fine.<br>

When I spin the rewind knob, the counter doesn't go down. Should it?<br>

Why am I not able to put the rewind lever on R and have it stay there?<br>

How come the camera doesn't stop me from shooting once I reached the end of the roll?<br>

Any help would be greatly appreciated!</p>

<p>Edit: I took a risk and opened the bottom and the film was full rewound. I tried moving the lever to the R position while the bottom was off, with the bottom closed, with a few empty shots fired off and no matter what it just springs back. It won't stay on R. Am I doing something wrong? Like I said, the camera had a CLA and honestly looks like new. I am surprised that the lever is broken...</p>

Did the rewind knob spin whenever you advanced the film? If not, it's possible that the roll never spooled on and that

your roll is blank. This is probably why the camera did not "stop you" at the end of the roll.

Regarding the R lever: when the R lever is moved down it should stay in place until the advance lever is engaged. If it is not staying in place as you rewind the film something is wrong either with the

lever or your method.

 

When the film comes off the spool the rewind knob will suddenly lose tension. I like to leave a little bit of film sticking out

of the cassette so I can easily load it on to my development reels.

 

I note that you did not say when it had its CLA. An old CLA is perhaps as good as no CLA. A

bad CLA is worse. However, my mint M6 worked great after 28 years in a box. No CLA needed. Maybe I am lucky or

maybe CLAs are overrated and can even induce problems.

The shutter has to be cocked for the rewind lever to stay down. If you fire the shutter and don't cock it

again the R lever will keep snapping back up. The counter goes back to zero (actually 2 frames below

zero) when you remove the bottom plate.

<p>I actually realized with help from others that I never loaded the film correctly, thus the rewind lever not staying down. Thank you all for your help!</p>

<p>Welcome to the crowd of Leica owners who learned how to correctly load their cameras and watch the rewind knob turn backwards after losing 36 to 50 of their really prized pictures.<br>

There must be thousands of us out there. I lost mine in 1949 when I was 15, taking my first big trip of the Western United States. Pictures that I'll never have again. It was a crushing blow! </p>

<p>I actually realized with help from others that I never loaded the film correctly, thus the rewind lever not staying down. Thank you all for your help!</p>

 

I'm having this same problem with a camera that is new to me. I think I'm loading it correctly, it worked with another M4. What did you find that was incorrect, causing the rewind level to not stay down?

It sounds like the film leader never engaged the take-up spool forks, so you basically never took any pictures because the film never advanced.. Go into a dark room and remove the bottom plate and 'see' what you have in there. 99% this is an operator error, not a camera problem.

The shutter has to be cocked for the rewind lever to stay down. If you fire the shutter and don't cock it

again the R lever will keep snapping back up" ray.

Incorrect.

For all film M's, this is only true if there's a malfunction (Excessive wear or failed lubricant).

When engaged to rewind, the RW lever must stay horizontal no matter where the advance lever is in its cycle; once moved (advance lever), the RW lever should instantly reset/pop-back to vertical...

Incorrect.

For all film M's, this is only true if there's a malfunction (Excessive wear or failed lubricant).

When engaged to rewind, the RW lever must stay horizontal no matter where the advance lever is in its cycle; once moved (advance lever), the RW lever should instantly reset/pop-back to vertical...

 

I wonder why the lever keeps popping back up- it's like there's a spring that too tight. It pops up with the slightest touch so while rewinding the film it is triggered.

it's like there's a spring that too tight" ajtruhan

No, I've never found this to be the case.

If one looks at this very simple RW lever reset mechanism, it will be very easily identified as "Excessive wear or failed lubricant"...

No, I've never found this to be the case.

If one looks at this very simple RW lever reset mechanism, it will be very easily identified as "Excessive wear or failed lubricant"...

Thanks for the info

No, I've never found this to be the case.

If one looks at this very simple RW lever reset mechanism, it will be very easily identified as "Excessive wear or failed lubricant"...

So I'm guessing failed lubricant. I channeled my OCD and moved it back and forth a few hundred time and it's working like normal. Thanks.

Some cameras, and I am not sure about any Leica models, have enough slip on the wind spool to allow one to continue taking pictures. I recently found this on a Mercury II.

(I did end up sensing the end, but it wasn't so easy. Partly by watching the rewind knob.)

 

There has to be some slip somewhere, as the amount of rotation changes from the beginning to the end of the roll.

 

It is always good to check that the rewind know rotates. This is a little harder on less than 36 exposure rolls, as it has to take up the empty space in the cassette first. Tradition in that case is to lightly turn the rewind knob to take up such slack after one or two shots (that is, -1 and 0 on the counter). Not so hard as to pull the film off the take-up spool, though. For 36 exposure rolls, this is normally not needed, at least by the time you get to 1 on the counter.

enough slip on the wind spool to allow one to continue taking pictures" glen h.

Not if a 'clocked' transport system is working properly.

 

The "Take-up Spool" slips, the "Sprocket" is always direct drive.

If film movement could slip at any heavy resistance, you would have uneven or overlapped film spacing.

 

When one experiences no film end, you likely weren't careful & forced the advance passed film runout. As a result, damage of the film sprocket holes occurs (This usually generates problematic film chips) at the point of the direct drive sprocket...