Winder M: do you use/like it?

[eric_.]

Hello all,<br><br>

I am looking for some user's experience with the winder M for the M4-

2 to M7. Do you like it? Draw backs? Would you spend US$ 200 for a

like new in box example?<br>

Thanks.

[jim_clifford]

I purchased the newest version of the M winder from a forum member about a month ago and I love it. It allows you to keep the viewfinder absolutely steady (no movement from manually advancing the film) - as I am a left-eyed shooter this is a godsend for me. It has 2 motor speeds and a built-in grip which also helps keep the camera rock steady. If you can get one for $200, buy it!

[steve_barnett2]

As Jim says above. The current M Winder (not to be confused with earlier versions of winder's) does everything and more that a Rapidwinder or Leicavit can do, and at a fraction of the price. Some people don't like the camera shutter release bouncing, but its not so bad after you use it for a while. No draw backs as far as I can see, and $200 would be a steal.

[jay_.]

I really despise the latest winder, with the expensive, hard-to-find-everywhere lithium batteries they stuck out front in an unwanted-by-me grip. I've got a later-number Winder M4-2 that works on the M6 (paid $25 for it and overhauled the motor so it's soft and quiet, then used JB-Weld to reinforce the battery tray which was cracking in several places); also have an early Leitz-logo Winder M (paid $50 for it and sandblasted and replated the corroded battery contacts). Both winders take any kind of AA batteries including rechargeable NiMH's. I don't mind the bulk underneath the camera, as long as there's no grip in front. I had to cut off the little tabs (for opening the reloadable Leica cassettes)so they fit on my M7's. I find I use the winders a lot more with the M7 than with the M6, as the M7 lends itself to fast shooting with the AE.

[igor_osatuke]

Eric,

I have used one for about a year, enough time to make an opinion. In general I like it, and find it a very useful gadget. It sits on my .85 body (M6ttl). It is of great help with my 90 SAA when shooting portraits, or to quickly catch a second shot. Although it adds some bulk and weight it balances nicely with heavy lenses, in my case the 90 SAA, and Noctilux. And the grip is very useful with those lenses. The batteries last a long time - dozens of rolls. It is noisy and when in use makes the shutter sound louder. It allows you to wind manually too. In that case the sound of film advance becomes a little louder- the clutch coupling makes two clicks - but the shutter becomes quiet. However, it will put scratches, and eventually grooves on the clutch plate if you use the wind lever to advance film a lot. It does not bother me, but its good to know it in advance. 200 bucks? Incredibly little money for it. I think it safe to assume that you can always sell it and get all if not more money back in case you don't like it. My two cents.

[eric_.]

I just found out that this offer is not for the latest type of winder. What exactly is the difference between the latest and the previous version?

[john_collier2]

The M-Winders are not bad after they are properly adjusted. Unfortunately far too

many are improperly adjusted and sound like M-16s fired at close range. Here is the

link on how to adjust them:

 

http://nemeng.com/leica/011b.shtml

 

Equally unfortunately, the camera's winder mechanism is also often out of adjustment

and

this can cause lock-ups and even shutter damage. For this reason, I do not

recommend that you use a Winder/Motor on the M camera at less than 1/50.

 

I have a Winder M-4P that I overhauled and it is quiet and works well. I must admit

that I seldom use it now that I have RapidWinders on all my cameras. Still it nice to

have in reserve and they can be very inexpensive if you are patient.

[patrick_jelliffe]

The latest Winder-M is AWESOME! The grip could use a finger contour like TA's RapidGrip, but that is my only gripe. The CR123A batteries are the same ones used in the SF-20, are good for at least 100 rolls, and are available at Radio Shak, WalMart, et al. Depending on the model of older M winder, a slight modification may be necessary to fit a TTL body. Find out the model number and check nemeng.com for details. $200 is about average for the older style, but you can do better if you shop around. Cheers,

[andrew n.bra hrefhttp]

[<A HREF="http://nemeng.com/leica/033b.shtml">http://nemeng.com/leica/

033b.shtml</A>]<P>

 

The above is the direct link to the <B>Compact Motor M</B> topic in the Leica FAQ I

maintain - lotsa info in there, so I won't repeat myself save to say that the "123"

Lithium batteries last a l-o-n-g time. If you use 1-frame-at-a-time advance (rather

than continuous) then you can easily get 150 rolls per battery set(!)<P>

 

Also, some people imagine they can stop multi-frame shooting by jamming the

shutter button down between shots. <U>Don't Do This!</U> Expensive repair to

replace your trashed shutter / wind-on mechanism otherwise!

[kevin m.]

As an alternative, you can pick up a used Hexar RF with a built-in motor winder for about the cost of a new Leica winder alone. Sorta like buying the winder and getting the M7 for free. :-0

[russell_brooks]

I have the latest version. I only use it for sports. My shutter release broke 6 months ago. I am not sure why but I think it had something to do with the motor and maybe with me pressing too hard on the shutter release in combination with the film advance. The other drawback is the noise. It is loud enough to disturb and therefore nullifies some of the advantages of shooting a Leica M... I would think about getting the Leicavit except I dont want to stab myself accidentally.

[ray_moth]

Just to be pedantic, the latest version is known as the Motor-M. From Eric's original question and his subsequent comment, it's clear that he isn't talking about the Motor-M at all but about the previous Winder-M, which is quite different.