M7 new film inlay

[pimver]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Guys,

 

I keep struggling putting new films in my M7.

Try to do it by the book (put it in as depicted when the camera is open ) but sometimes it is too loose so no transport, or it is too tight, no transport either

Am I missing anything here?

 

Thanks

Pim

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[enboe]

Per the instructions, you put the film in and extend the leader to inside of the wind spool. Now for the heresy - go ahead and fire a frame to make sure it's catching and on the sprockets. a few cents of wasted film for the confidence it's loaded right is well worth the price.

 

Enjoy.

[pimver]

You see, that's exactly what I have been doing, but no joy

[CalArts 99]

Maybe that's the problem, that you are advancing the film and releasing the shutter to be sure it's on the sprockets and advancing before you re-attach the base plate. I never do that but instead do what Leica designed: just pull out some of the film, drop the film cassette in and stick the leader into the tulip (while using my forefinger to push the film into the cavity over the sprockets.) Then immediately attach the base plate without advancing the film. The basket on the base plate is designed to push down on the tulip. Once the base plate is secure, only then do I advance the film (you can always watch the rewind knob turn if you're in doubt.)

 

I've never had a loading issue by doing it this way (which is the way Leica wants you to do it and the way it's designed to work.) Give it a try and don't force it onto the sprockets or attempt to advance the film until the base plate is secured. It will do its job and you should have no issues at all. It's a pretty ingenious system and is very quick to load, imho.

[erl]

+1

 

Also, take up the tension (lightly) on the rewind knob so that you get a positive visual indicator that the film IS advancing. The reason is to eliminate any slack that may be in the cassette.

 

Additionally I have the back door open while inserting the film so that I can see that it starts properly aligned on the film rails before I start winding.

[BrianUK]

Maybe that's the problem, that you are advancing the film and releasing the shutter to be sure it's on the sprockets and advancing before you re-attach the base plate. I never do that but instead do what Leica designed: just pull out some of the film, drop the film cassette in and stick the leader into the tulip (while using my forefinger to push the film into the cavity over the sprockets.) Then immediately attach the base plate without advancing the film. The basket on the base plate is designed to push down on the tulip. Once the base plate is secure, only then do I advance the film (you can always watch the rewind knob turn if you're in doubt.)

 

I've never had a loading issue by doing it this way (which is the way Leica wants you to do it and the way it's designed to work.) Give it a try and don't force it onto the sprockets or attempt to advance the film until the base plate is secured. It will do its job and you should have no issues at all. It's a pretty ingenious system and is very quick to load, imho.

 

+1

 

Inevitably, winding on with the bottom plate unattached, nine times out of ten the film leader will slip out of the takeup spool on the first advance of the wind lever. The bottom plate basket engages with the takeup tulip to keep the film leader gripped and fixed on the tulip. This is what the basket was designed for.

 

By all means wind the film's cassette spool to take up the slack before putting the film in the camera, pulling the leader across so that the leader is fully in the takeup tulip as shown on the camera's diagram, shut the back plate after making sure the cassette is seated as fully as it should be, attach the base plate and wind on slowly but evenly.

 

The film rewind should move to confirm the film is attached and winding on properly.

 

If you're not sure, invest in a sacrificial roll of film and practice loading and winding on until you're sure you feel confident.

 

Check YouTube, there is a video of film loading.

[andybarton]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Make sure that the film engages on both sprockets.

 

Tension the film in the canister via the rewind knob and you will see that move every time you wind on.

[philipus]

I would just add that I usually push with my index finger on the film over the lower sprocket roller. I find that this helps ensure that the film is properly aligned so that a perforation will be above a sprocket.

[pimver]

This has all been extremely helpful, indeed I tried to advance the film to get it around the tulip without the baseplate attached.

 

Thanks all for bearing with me on this one, this is what makes this forum unique !

 

Pim

[underground]

Make sure that the film engages on both sprockets.

 

Tension the film in the canister via the rewind knob and you will see that move every time you wind on.

 

 

That"s How I was taught, Good advise!!

[tobey bilek]

I advance half a frame with the door still open. Also make sure sprockets are catching.

 

Close door, replace base, take slack out of film can and finish first two frames. The rewind better turn backwards.

 

This is too slow and against instructions, but works for me every single time.

[dgc]

I have just returned to film and have shot around 10 films with my M7. There is no doubt it is a fiddly job. On one occasion I was unsure if the film leader had attached to the tulip, so curiosity got the better of me and I opened the camera only to find the film nicely secured; even though I did this I only lost a few images at most.

 

I now place the leader into the tulip and have one finger holding the negative onto the sprockets while I wind half a frame to ensure the film has engaged the sprockets and tulip. I then close the back, fixing the base plate and complete the wind. Following this I fire the shutter and wind the film ensuring the frame counter and rewind knob advance. It seems to work and I usually get more than 36 exposures.

 

David

[250swb]

I used Leica's as a Press photographer. Going back and explaining that the film didn't go through the camera was not an option. And dropping the film in, pushing it over the lower sprocket, and winding and firing two exposures, and then putting on the baseplate never failed to engage it. You could quickly see it was transporting, then if you had time the 'belt and braces' action was to tighten the film in the cassette with the rewind knob or crank. This works for any M camera with the 'tulip' loading system. Perhaps this was in the days when film seemed cheaper, but the extra blank frame is worth far more than a days shooting with the film not winding on, or if you spot it, the time you take to load it all over again. It is not wasted film, waste is missing the picture, I think problems arise by being too careful and particular, so wind it on one more time. The very least you should do is to see it engage both sprockets before putting the base back on.

 

Steve