Loading M3 - help?

[colin jackson]

I just won an auction on an M3 SN 111xxxx (yay!), in fair user condition (180 day

warranty) and expect it in the mail early next week. I owned one in the late 60's, sold for

$200 with 50 summicron in mid 70's (never forgave myself). I have forgotten how I

loaded it and can't find tips in the archives or manuals on the net. Have found lots of

comments in archives about how hard or not to load but no details. A am hoping to get a

jump on this thing and a few specific tips would be much appreciated. Perhaps it is just

awkward but obvious from the diagram on bottom of inside and I don't recall struggling

with it in my youth but learned more quickly back then. Yes, it does include take up spool

and I have 3 lenses (21,35,50) with late model M .85 but anticipate the 50 to live on this

body.

 

All tips much appreciated especially any that go "don't ...... or you will damage it beyond

repair" sort of thing. Thanks, guys.

[jja]

Colin, I think M3 and M2 load the same way, so here's a pdf manual for the M2. Having

never loaded an early M, the illustrations in the manual were sufficiently clear that I loaded

the film correctly the first time. The manual is here:

 

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/leica_m2/leica_m2.htm

[roger_michel]

assuming it does not have a rapid load update, just pull out the spool, slip the leader end *all the way* under the clip, pull out a camera's width of film (a camera's width including the spool and casette), insert the casette and spool, open back flap to make sure that teeth have engaged film, wind once with back flap open to see that film IS actually engaged, close flap and put on base, snug film using rewind crank, wind on once to make sure that film turns central stalk in rewind crank. that's it.

[al_kaplan1]

About the only difference betwen loading the M2 and the M3 is if you get a rapid load kit you would still have to pull the take-up spool out part way with the M3 to reset the automatic frame counter to zero. The M2 has a manual set frame counter.

 

Pull out the take-up spool, attach the film leader, insert both cassette and take-up spool ar the same time, close back, put on the baseplate, start winding, then gently rewind therewind knob until tension is felt. Make sure the knob turns backwards as you wind the film again. Go through a couple of blank frames and the counter should be on #1. The little lever on the front releases the mechanism so you can rewind the film.

[gerald_widen]

I just looked at the instructions Juan linked and it is pretty clear from the manual. While loading is not super fast I never understood people having trouble loading these early M cameras.

[bart feliciano]

The easiest way is to buy a spare takeup spool or two and slip the leader of your next roll into it.

[colin jackson]

I sounds straightforward and can't wait to give it a try again after 30 years. And the link

is great, Juan, and I plan to print it out.

 

Thanks everybody.

[paul_neuthaler]

Enjoy your M3 -- I returned to it after a thirty year hiatus & I'm having a ball.<div></div>

[nemeng]

PDF manual linked to from:

 

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/leica_m2/leica_m2.htm

 

... appears to be broken. You click on the PDF link and you get a connection refused error.

[mozart 2]

Colin:

 

If you had opted for a Leica M-4, you could have loaded your film with the "speed of Leitz".

 

Sorry about the bad pun, but I couldn't pass it up!

 

A M-4 user who desires an M-3 just because of the near 1:1 viewfinder.

 

Enjoy your "new" M-3

 

Bill

[john_newell2]

PDF link is back up @ 21:45 EDT 06-23-2005

[nemeng]

The direct PDF link is:<p>

 

<a href="http://66.49.230.119/pdf_files/leica_m2.pdf">

http://66.49.230.119/pdf_files/leica_m2.pdf</a><p>

 

Still broken (for me).<p>

 

Mind you, not that I care. I was merely going to add a note about it to the <a href="http://nemeng.com/leica/">Leica FAQ</a> I maintain :?)