MP - Rewinding Film

[nick.edwards1]

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I have just experienced for the third time in 12 months the situation where I have opened my MP to change the film after rewinding, only to find that the film was not completely rewound. The first time maybe I was in a hurry (and it was raining) but on the other occasions I was certain the film had been rewound.

 

I am just putting this down to incompetence on my part.

 

Is it better with the rewind accessory knob? or are there any other tips?

 

Best regards,

 

Nick.

[andybarton]

In my experience, you need -roughly- one twist per exposure.

 

You should be able to feel when the film detaches from the take up spool so just wind a couple more turns.

 

Rewind cranks are available, but they're expensive. They do make rewinding faster though.

 

It's probably just down to practice.

[azzo]

Probably, nothing to do with your 'problem' but, ...

 

One method that never failed me was to pleat the film tip.

Then, slowly rotate rewind knob to get rid of the film slack.

Advance film and keep an eye on the rewind knob. The rewind knob should rotate.

If the knob rotates, the film is engaged. I always fire 2 or 3 shots at the beginning but still keeping an eye on the rewind knob just to make sure it is rotating to see that the film is properly engaged.

When rewinding film after it has been exposed, you should be able to feel the tension getting slightly stiffer at the end until film tip disengages.

[andybarton]

You need to be very careful pleating the film tip. Just follow Leica's guide on the base of the camera and you will be fine.

 

What you want to avoid at all costs is the film damaging the shutter - a pleat will increase this risk.

[250swb]

Just rewind the film for longer than you think, even after I feel it release I carry on for a few more turns just to be sure its fully inside the cassette. It is harder with the MP even though the rewind knob has a clutch. I tried one of those accessory rewind cranks and found it too fiddly and small for my fingers (which aren't big).

 

Steve

[nick.edwards1]

Thanks Andy Ivan & Steve,

 

I have just ran an old film through the camera about a dozen times. I think my problem was that I had not really got it into my head how many twists of the rewind knob it takes to complete the rewind operation. I do like the idea of counting - in my case about 54 part twists and then I can feel the resistance increase at the end of the reel and feel the pull-off. I had probably been giving it about 40ish part twists and thinking that the rewind was complete.

I have never had a problem with loading so I will stick to the system of laying the leader across the take-up spool as per the diagram in the camera base.

After your advice I shall not get the accessory winder.

 

Thanks again,

 

Best regards,

 

Nick.

[andybarton]

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Glad that's sorted.

 

I was playing with my M7 today and that is one rewind per frame, more or less. The MP is obviously more difficult to rewind a whole turn with just the knob.

[honcho]

 

Is it better with the rewind accessory knob? or are there any other tips?

 

.

 

No, it isn't better but it is faster if that is important.

 

You should be able to feel tension slacken as the film leader disengages from the wind on spool when you have rewound the film correctly, with or without a rewind crank.

 

When you sense that you are getting close to fully rewound, slow down and feel the leader disengage. A couple more turns of the rewind knob will take the leader completely into the cassette.

[giordano]

The gear train under the rewind knob makes it harder to feel what's happening than in cameras with a direct-drive crank.

 

But if in doubt, listen. Put your ear to the back of the camera and it's easy to hear the difference between (1) film rewinding and the take-up spool rotating, (2) the end of the film being pulled off the takeup spool and past the film gate and (3) the rewound film rotating in the cassette.

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Nick,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

You don't have to count.

 

When you are rewinding & you think you have felt the release of tension because you think the film has disengaged try to advance the shutter wind lever while looking @ those 2 little dots in the center of the rewind knob.

 

If the film is disengaged when you are cocking the shutter after rewinding the film then the 2 dots in the center of the spool will not rotate.

 

If you start to advance the the wind lever & the dots move that means the film is still attached to the take up spool. If that is the case stop advancing the wind lever, depress the rewind lever & continue rewinding until you feel the film pull free. Stop. Try advancing the film again. Repeat as many times as necessary to disengage the film from the take up spool. Do NOT fire the shutter.

 

Yet.

 

If you find the shutter is completely wound & the film is not completely rewound remove the lens hood - It is a good idea to use a rigid lens hood to protect the lens elements & the mechanical mount from inadvertant impact, etc, even when flare is not an issue - & after removing the hood hold the front of the lens against a SMOOTH opaque surface to block out ALL light & then release the shutter which is set @ 1,000 w/ the lens stopped down all the way. You can now start to cock it again w/o re-exposing the film.

 

Do all of this as many times as is necessay.

 

Once you have disengaged the film - you should feel an increase in winding tension followed by a significant lessening - Then, after checking by advancing the wind lever & watching the 2 dots & seeing no movement, wind the rewind 1 more turn. This draws the tongue most of the way into the cartridge & leaves appx 1 to 1&1/2 cm of the leader out. Remove the film from the camera.

 

When putting in a new film: After inserting the end of the film into the take-up & advancing the film the first time, do the following: Leave the rewind lever vertical. Raise & turn the rewind knob to pick up the slack until the film stops snugly. Not too tight. Release the shutter. Do the same a second time. Release the shutter. Now you are @ "0" & ready to go.

 

Bon chasse.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael