Film retaining spring unsprung

[mark_gay]

I've just tried to load film into my M7 for the first time and noticed

that the spring that sits in in the middle of the take-up spool is

partly wound around it.

 

To describe it better: from about the third coil down, the fourth and

fifth coils of the spring actually wrap around the outside of one of

the tulip-shaped pieces of the spool.

 

I can see there is a screw at the end of the spool. Perhaps I could

unscrew this to try to push the spring back into the centre of the spool.

 

I really don't want to send a camera I've just bought in for service.

Besides, I'm London based and bought the camera + warranty in the US.

 

Can anyone recommend somewhere that services M's in London -

authorised or not?

 

Thanks in advance,

Mark

[watts]

If you bought the camera from an official dealer in the US, Leica

UK in Milton Keynes will honour the basic warranty without

question. In actual fact, Leica UK were perfectly happy to deal

with a problem I had with a grey market M6TTL a couple of years

ago (though I don't think it is Leica 'policy' to do so). I'd send it in

to them.

[mark_gay]

Thanks Ian,

 

I gave MK a call and they were very helpful. They did make a distinction between a camera under Passport warranty (ie damage due to the owner's wrecklessness) which is only honoured in the country where the camera was bought - and Factory warranty, which is world wide.

 

Anyway, I'm sending it to Milton Keynes.

 

Mark

[mark_gay]

Got resolution! Fantastic service from Leica UK service centre in Milton Keynes. Spring replaced on the uptake spool.

 

The said the only way the spring could have been stretched over the "tulip" is if someone did it with needle nose pliers, replaced the bottom cover and returned the camera to the major NYC store (whom I won't name because their service has always been exemplary).

 

Their failure was in not checking the camera fully when some complete *-*-*-* nutter finally decided his needle nose pliers weren't going to help him get the film in.. and took the camera back.

 

If the person responsible reads this, may I suggest you stick to disposable cameras in future and shove your pliers out of harm's way.

 

Once again, thanks Leica UK.