Why should one cut the 4 inches of film in order to load film for a screw mount Leica? Are all screw mount Leicas requiring this cut film? :)

What would happen if you didn't cut the film for the Leica? Would it ruin the body?

Which screw mount Leicas can take up uncut film?

thanks a lot! :)

sincerely, Alfie

-- Albert Wang (albert.wang@ibx.com), November 14, 2001

Answers

Left uncut, the film leader is prone to tear, making chips of film lodge in the shutter curtains. Not a good thing. It happened to my 111F, since when I have trimmed religiously using the Leitz template. You don't have to use the template, but it makes the job easier and faster.

-- Ivor Quaggin (iquaggin@home.com), November 14, 2001.

The leading edge of the film gets caught on the upper film gate edge. This leads to at the least film chips breaking off and, at the worst, damaged shutter curtains. Here is a website which illustrates it well:

http://www.mediakyoto.com/camerashopper/lrc_e/b_e/index_e.ht ml

This is where the flip open back of the M camera helps. You make sure the film does not get stuck in the film gate.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), November 14, 2001.

I'd definitly suggest finding the template (or having one made, something any capable machine shop should be able to do). Before I got mine I found that I still had problems loading about 25% of my film - usually ending up trying to disloge film chips with a tweezer - scary! Since I've had the template I've probably put through 100 roll through my IIIG without a single misload. Can't recommend it enough.....

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), November 14, 2001.

I have dozens of un-cut rolls through my '51 IIf (no telling how many rolls before I got it) with no problems, using the take-off-the-lens, push-the-film-up technique. If you don't want to take off the lens and lock up the shutter to load film, cut it or it won't go.

-- John Fleetwood (johnfleetwood@hotmail.com), November 14, 2001.

I always cut the film, but I haven't always got it to spool properly. It took a couple of times shooting and then noticing that the exposure dial went way past 36 to get me to pay close attention to loading it right (and not under strees or poor lighting).

-- Dave Doyle (soilsouth@home.com), November 14, 2001.

Hi Alfie, check out www.ozdoba.net/leica which will tell you how to load the screwmount correctly. Stephen Gandy at Cameraquest also has some very involved advice which requires taking the lens off. I just trim the film to make sure it doesn't jam the shutter - about the same length as the body, so the full width film does not start winding until the film is securely loaded, if that makes sense. Not too hard, just takes a little longer.

-- David Killick (Dalex@inet.net.nz), November 14, 2001.

Thanks guys. I appreciate your advice before using my Leica iiif next week :)

sincerely, alfie

-- Alfie Wang (leica_phile@hotmail.com), November 15, 2001.

Always be sure to take up the slack in the film with the re-wind knob when you load film. Then, if the knob doesn't turn when you advance the film, it isn't loaded correctly. Sure beats finding out the hard way that you just missed 36 shots of a lifetime..

-- John Fleetwood (johnfleetwood@hotmail.com), November 15, 2001.

I don't trim mine, no problem. I use the "Business card" method, which involves inserting a buiness card next to the take-up spool, covering the gears. The film slides in behind the card. I do this with the lens off and the shutter open, to be sure it goes in right. Tighten up the slack some, remove the card, and voila, perfectly loaded film.

-- Bill Macintire (wlmacintire@msn.com), November 16, 2001.

If you haven't got a template run the leader round the cassette till it meets itself. Trim the leader back to this point.

-- Tony Brookes (gdz00@lineone.net), December 08, 2001.