M3 Quick Load Kit

[joel aron]

Howdy All,

 

Sold off my 100-400L Canon for an M3 (1,xxx,xxx) over the weekend. (please stop

clapping.. thank you very much. thank you)

 

Now my M6 has a friend from 1961, and the 50Dr has a permanent home. Honestly,

this M3 is the most amazing camera I've ever used. I can't even describe it,

but after a solid year with the M6, the only thing I can say is.. the M3 is

pure. Long live the M3. What a beautiful camera... and ohhhh that viewfinder.

DOF indication marks! where did that go on the later M's! Wish my M6 had that!

 

So..down to the question.. the camera came with a Quick Load Kit 'QLK' (Rapid

Loader... however you wanna call it). I found the usual sites that list the

simple way to use the clever adaptation to spool loading.. but other than the

obvious "stick this in there" simple text of seasoned users that like to show

off in 5 steps how they use the QLK.. I would like to hear what you all have to

say.

 

I've shot a few rolls so far with the camera.. and before each roll, I spend

minutes trying to perfect methods in getting the film to take to the spool

faster as intended, rather than just yanking the spool and doing it the old

school way. If anyone knows any tricks.. or wants to shoot a youtube video

loading an M3 with the QLK.. that would be very kind, and hope that I am not the

only person that would appreciate it. :)

 

As I understand it.. the QLK doesn't even have instructions.. just the digram on

the bottom plate. Classic.

 

thanks everyone!

[dougmiles]

Hi Joel -- I have had the quick load kit in my M2 since the late 1960's so I cannot remember what it was like without it. What's to say? Some like it, some don't. I like it, and no longer carry a spare stock takeup reel in case the original falls somewhere inaccessible. You'll soon find loading details that work well for you. Best wishes!

[dougmiles]

Oh, yeah... I've never had an M3 but I seem to recall that you have to pull the takeup reel at least a little ways out of the reel chamber to reset the M3's auto frame counter. Even with the quickload reel, a bit of inconvenience.

[mohir_ali]

Re. the DOF markers...I never used them. I focus so the subject is IN focus, not at the boundary of focus at two seldom used f-stops. Nice to have for resale, I guess, but as useful as a 1Million+ serial no.

[john_elder1]

Forget the quick load kit. Here is the best solution. Buy a Leica 111F much more difficult to load. Put a VC 21 on the leica 111F, a great kit. After shooting and loading the 111F for a couple weeks, loading the M3 will be VERY easy. Only half kidding. Really you will get used to loading the M3 in very little time. There is nothing like an M3 for a 50mm lens! LOL!

[Aoresteen]

Joel,

 

I've had two M3s. My first one had the QLK which I learned how to use. My current M3 I had DAG convert the takeup to the M4/M6 type. Load problems solved! Well worth the money.

[Philip Freedman]

fitted a quickload kit that I bought from Schouten. You make sure (by using the wind-on lever) that the opening of the takeup spool faces the film sprocket wheel and you then pull the film leader out of the cassette far enough so you can push its tip into the opening of the takeup spool and curl it a little round the centre of the spool, and then make sure the film is set level and pushed up to the top of the film gate, before winding on. The kit included a protrusion which fitted to the baseplate and keeps the film pushed in. Philip