woohoo! M3 has a new owner! - a question about film feeding.

[brambor]

I have just picked up a user M3 I bought here at photo.net. I am so

elated. I have one question about the film loading. I was reading the

FAQ and it said you have to take the spool out to thread the film into

it. My spool appeared to be non removable. I inserted the film latch

into it and wound the film right up. It was actually easier to feed

than my M6ttl. Is this some kind of MOD?

[johnmarkpainter]

How hard did you try? The spool should come out without too much effort. You insert the

tip of the film into the slot...pull the film out enough to reach across the film gate and

insert the Film and the spool at the same time. Then wind on.

 

jmp

[Rob F.]

Must be. A stock M3 wouldn't be like that. Maybe someone put an M2 rapid load kit into it?

[brambor]

I have tried gently and it appeared to be latched with something. But it wasn't necessary to remove the spool to load the film. I wound the crank twice to align the slot and then threaded the film the same way I do with M6. I cranked it a few times and it caught right on. So I closed the door, attached the baseplate and vound two frames, while watching the rewind knob turn.

[ian_kennedy1]

weird.

[john_morris4]

Rene, a normal M3 takeup spool doesn't have a slot in it, and there's a little knurled knob on the bottom with which you pull it out. So you're has been modified for quicker loading. Sounds great.

 

I'm wondering how you reset the counter, though....

[brambor]

my counter is at 5 right now. I haven't shot a picture yet. besides winding about 5 frames to take the film and to check whether the know is turning. I will find out once I finish the roll (I guess).

[mike dixon]

I think, with the quickload kit, you still give the spool a tug to reset the counter (you just don't remove the spool).

[ronald_moravec1]

Might have the quick load kit installed. If you can make it work w/o pulling out the spool, the kit is in it.

[brambor]

The winder, btw, is silky smooth. Smoother than my M6. I did not expect this to feel better. I'm a little plastic phobic so I like the fact that the rewind crank and the frame selector do not appear to have plastic parts.

[gp_.]

Rene: congrats on your M3. I am curious about the modification to your M3. When you finish the roll and have the time, it would be interesting to see what the innards of your takeup spool looks like. Have fun

[brambor]

I will photograph the inards and post pictures after I finish the roll.

[carey_russ]

Is there a small plastic piece shaped to push the film down into the film track and take-up

spool attached to the inside of the base plate? If so, you definitely have the quick-load kit.

[ben z]

My M3 also came with the easyload spool kit. When you get the film out, hold the camera base down, a shiny chrome ferrule should drop down from the core of the spool. Grab that and pull the spool out enough to reset the film counter.

[Bill Blackwell Images]

Even if your camera has the quick load system designed for the M2/3, you should still be able to pull the spool out. You need to turn the camera over and allow the silver center to drop out; you can then pull the spool out of the camera. You will need to do this anyway to reset the film counter.

 

Note this: While your film is still in the camera, pull up on the rewind knob and rewind it gently until you feel the film is taught. After you drop the knob back down, fire a shot and advance the film. While you're advancing the film you should see the red dot(s) in the middle of the rewind knob rotating. If they're not turning, the film is not advancing. In such a case, your film is not being pulled onto the spool and not loaded properly.

[Bill Blackwell Images]

Standard M2/3 loading system...<div></div>

[Bill Blackwell Images]

Rapid M2/3 loading system...<div></div>

[roger_michel]

if what you are doing is working, what is your question really??

[brambor]

well Roger, the question was (as stated) whether it is a modification or the original design. Since I have never in my life seen another M3 and relied only on textual FAQ 'deshalb' I became naturally curious... and so I posted the question.

 

From the pictures posted I'm pretty sure I have the quick load kit.

 

If I didn't feed it Provia 400F I would take pics right now but it may not be necessary. Thanks for the help guys.

[stephen_w.]

Rene,

 

You know you can rewind the film, leaving the leader out, and reload +1 frame later. I do that when I want to use a different film. My loading technique is pretty repeatable, but I always reload and wind on to +1 frame anyway.

[zhao_chen]

Why not ask me , Rene?

 

The camera is using a quick loading kit-the plastilc "hand".

 

When you are going to load the film, take out the spool completely and insert film end into the small aperture on it. Insert it back again.

 

Did you notice that when you open the botom plate and put the camera straight up, a whitesteel tube will come outside of the spool ? Just pull out the spool using the steel tube.

 

Actually I feel like the loading of M3 is easier than M6, because you will never failed.

 

Have fun.

[brambor]

Zhao,I did actually send you an email about it but it must have gotten delayed. I too found the loading safer than my M6 but I did not have to take the spool out.

[marc_lieberman1]

Rene-

 

I got my M3 (with rapid load kit) not to long ago as well. In case you haven't noticed yet, you need to tug on the little metal doo-hickey inside the take-up spool in order to reset the frame counter. I'm embarrassed to tell you how long it took me to figure this out.

(Your M6 frame counter resets automatically when you take off the base plate.)

[harry_zet]

maybe you have an m4?