charles barcellona www.bl Posted July 27, 2003 Share Posted July 27, 2003 I've read again and again about crimping the leader on the film to ensure proper loading/advance. I'm pretty adept at rapid loading...but still, about once in every half dozen or so rolls... I have to reload. Its not that I'm losing shots, but more like a royal-phismon because I have to take the time to do it all over again. Can somebody post a quick snap of what this trick is supposed to look like? Thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregory_goh Posted July 27, 2003 Share Posted July 27, 2003 Hi Can't figure out how to post a picture, but I have always done it this way - first make about 5 cm of the film leader into an "M"... /\/\___________ Then make sure the entire "M" is dropped into the inner circumference of the empty filmholder. You should end up with the whole of the "M" on the inside of the filmholder and the rest of the film outside - I then close the cover etc and wind on normally. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_. Posted July 27, 2003 Share Posted July 27, 2003 <<I've read again and again about crimping the leader on the film to ensure proper loading/advance. I'm pretty adept at rapid loading...but still, about once in every half dozen or so rolls... I have to reload.>> Forget crimping. If you take that much time may as well trim the leader to double length, the way they were when the rapid loading system was designed, and you'll never have a misload. The reason for that is that the trick is the film has to feed through the upper channel, and only a gentle nudge with fingertips or a longer leader (so the full-width film feeds in from the side rather than the bottom) will ensure no misloads. Crimping won't cure that problem and if you shut the baseplate with the film not in the upper channel you'll create a problem crimp or no. Guide the film into that upper channel before closing the baseplate and you'll *never, ever* have a misload. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charles barcellona www.bl Posted July 27, 2003 Author Share Posted July 27, 2003 thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray . Posted July 27, 2003 Share Posted July 27, 2003 Hi Charles, I just pull the end of the film leader to the point where it fills the take up spool but doesn't stick through the opposite side, then make sure film is laying straight in the camera, with sprockets engaging the sprocket holes. Wind a tiny bit to insure it's being taken up, put on the bottom, wind a couple frames, and ready to go. You shouldn't need to do any trim or crimp. This is easiest for me to do while the camera is hung around my neck, with lens hood resting on my chest face on, so that the bottom of the camera is upside down and at ready access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_gee Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 Totally agree with the non-crimpers. Get the film down far enough and parallel and you'll never a misload. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_barnett2 Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 I'm also against crimping, learning the correct way to load a film is far more efficient and quick than making up new 'rules' for consistent loading. But one other thing about crimping would put me off even if it wasn't slower. Some films are prone to split when tightly bent, depending on stock, temperature etc, and especially near the sprocket holes. If one does split when you load it, on rewinding this can turn into a tear as it runs backwards through the mechanism and into the cassette. At the very least this can leave small slivers of film inside the camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 Charles, Jay is right on the money. I have to change more rolls at a wedding then a lot of folks shoot in a month. Plus, there is absolutely no room for screw ups when running next to the B&G while reloading, so I'm ready for the next shot. The only part about reloading a M that I disagree with Jay, is how he holds the bottom plate in his mouth. I clamp it under my armpit, or put it in a pocket if there is no place to set it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald1 Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 There is no need to crimp the film. This method has always worked for me on both the M6 and M7. Try it. Open the camera upside down so that the film back plate can stay open. Remove the baseplate. Insert the film canister and draw the film into the take up spool as shown in the baseplate diagram. There is no need to line up the film with the sprockets. Do not draw the film past the take up spool. Next, close the baseplate whilst leaving THE FILM BACK OPEN. Then wind the film. The mechanism will automatically line up the sprockets. Wind it until both sprockets are clearly engaged with the film. You will see the film lining up the correctly. Open the baseplate (ie. pivot it around its lug) and close the film back. Replace the baseplate. I have not missed a single loading this way. Having visual confirmation that the sprockets are engaged also gives me confidence that the film has been loaded correctly. I usually get around 38 or 39 shots. Gerald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_amiet2 Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 Crimping/folding I suspect could give jamming problems upon rewinding at the very end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_boyle3 Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 Never had a problem with my M2 or M4. Just ensure that the film is properly seated and, with the back open, see that the film is seated on the sprocket. No crimping required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_. Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 <<The only part about reloading a M that I disagree with Jay, is how he holds the bottom plate in his mouth. I clamp it under my armpit, or put it in a pocket if there is no place to set it down.>> Marc, that's because you work mostly indoors on carpet. I work mostly outdoors where if I drop the baseplate I might not be able to find it, or it will be damaged, or it will be full of dirt or mud. I've done the pocket and armpit thing and dropped them. I kind of fold my lips back over my teeth (like when someone's pretending to be toothless) and hold it that way...it's not like I'm holding it in my teeth or deep-throating it ;>) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray . Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 Do you get any hot air on it? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 I just make sure that both the upper and lower sprockets are engaged with the film before closing. The take-up spool is just a take-up spool; I'm sure that if it weren't there the film would just curl up in the chamber. I still get 38 per roll. I don't crimp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_lehuray1 Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 It is important to remember that the basket on the bottom plate will push the film and lock it in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug_hagerman Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 My problem is the bend in the film right where it comes out of the casette when it's in the original cannister, about 1.5 inches from the end of the film. When loading in the official default way, the bend ends up at exactly the worst place for catching on the upper guide rail, making it that much harder to get the bottom back on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fay_cori Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 At last, a _real_ difference between the ladies and the men! With a 38D cup my lens fits neatly into the divide and my camera is comfortably cushioned when I reload. Lucky me! And yes, I hold the baseplate between my teeth. Should I really be discussing such personal details here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cd thacker Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 Fay,<P> Interesting technique. Are there illustrations? Could you post them here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fay_cori Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 No,Hektor. The temperature on this forum gets quite hot enough without any input from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaakko Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 Hello, Crimping is not mandatory. See http://nemeng.com/leica/000b.shtml for details on how to load an M rapidly and securely. I followed these instructions and had no problems, the loading was ok in every instance. Highly recommended reading! jaakko koskentola helsinki, finland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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