Leica M6ttl/film loading?

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I bought an M6 ttl about 5 weeks ago.I have tried to open the back but when I pull the rewind crank it seems to be jammed.I would take it back to the shop but I would feel abit foolish if it is just a button that I am not pressing or something.Can you help?

-- Doug Scott (dougscott@scot.com), January 19, 2002

Answers

You have to turn the the catch on the baseplate, then lift it off. You don't pull on the rewind crank.

-- sam smith (Ruy_Lopez@hotmail.com), January 19, 2002.

Hate to state the obvious, but have you checked out the instruction manual that should have come with the camera?

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), January 19, 2002.

Just in case . . .

1. Rotate the little "R" (rewind) lever on the front of the M6 to the R position,

2. rewind film to taste (either all the way back in the canister, or leaving a bit of the leader out [you'll feel when it clears the take-up spool]),

3. invert the camera, lift the base tab below the viewfinder, rotate counterclockwise to unlatch, remove base plate,

4. remove film canister.

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), January 19, 2002.


Doug, reading your post it would seem that you have had this camera for 5 weeks but have yet to load a roll of film in it, otherwise you would have to know how to open it. Did you buy the camera mail- order? If not, take it back to the store and have someone show you how to load and unload it. And if you didn't get an instruction manual, or you're the kind who thinks that "real men don't need instruction manuals", think again. Loading the M6 is easy, but unlike any other camera.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), January 19, 2002.

Doug, if you don't have a manual for the M6, there's an online manual for it's close relative, the M4-P, at http://members.fortunecity.com/canoneos/manuals/leicam4p.html

Richard S.

-- Richard Saylor (rlsaylor@ix.netcom.com), January 19, 2002.



I'm sorry and I may well get flamed, but is this a wind-up?

Are you seriously saying you have just purchased a brand new £2000 camera and lens set up without trying it first, having a demo in the store or even understanding how to take the bottom off and stick film in it!!!

This is what keeps the secondhand Leica market so buoyant.

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), January 20, 2002.


Giles,I was just about to say the same thing! This must be a piss- take,NOBODY is that stupid.....are they? This guy buys a camera and for 5 weeks doesn't use it because he can't open it.

I think not.

-- Phil Kneen (philkneen@manx.net), January 20, 2002.


He must think it is an FM2 where you pull up the rewind crank to pop open the back. Wow.

-- Ken Geter (kgeter@yahoo.com), January 20, 2002.

Oh no, more trolls...

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), January 20, 2002.

I can understand buying say... a $50 Yashica Electro and not knowing how all of it's features work. But buying a $2000 camera (+ lens) and not bothering to figure out how to load the film for five weeks is beyond me. Amazing.

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), January 20, 2002.


Please can I make it absolutely clear: The post above -

"I think this guy must be some kind of Goddam retard.Why the hell would you just leave it sitting there for 5 weeks?"

was NOT made by me. Someone has stolen my username and has posted this malicious comment. I have emailed Tony R. and posted a question on this - if you can help please let me know.

Thanks Giles (the real one!)

[The referenced post was deleted, and the perpetrater has been marked. -- The moderator]

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), January 20, 2002.


Hmm... loading it isn't hard. Just take a 2 1/4 inch hammer and gently tap the sides of the baseplate til it comes off :)... Gently gently... now ya have a user's M! :)

-- Alfie Wang (leica_phile@hotmail.com), January 20, 2002.

Alfie:

Is the 2 1/4 inch hammmer a Mamiya 645, Hassy 6x6, or perhaps a 6x7 (Mamiya, Pentax)? Personnaly I would use European engineering on a European camera (Hasselblad).

:)

-- M. A. Johnson (logical1@catholic.org), January 20, 2002.


Buy yourself a set of Wiha System IV mini-drivers.

They run about 50 CDN for a comprehensive set but if you do your own repairs they are well worth the money. These are precision German instruments for ANY precision repairs... not just German cameras.

Kindermann and Lisle-Kelco use these in their repair departments.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002.


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