My M6TTL is haunted

[FredR]

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Or perhaps it's the roll of film that is possessed.

 

I've put the same roll of B&W film in my camera three times!  When the counter reaches 38, I know something's wrong.  The second time I was more careful, making sure the leader was engaged and watched it wrap one revolution before replacing the bottom.  A few weeks later in the field (literally), I pass 38 again!  So in that field, I open the camera, see the film had hardly advanced, reinstall it  making damn sure all is correct and slightly advanced again.  I turned the rewind knob to test the installation, and the feedback tells me all is well.  But it did before, too.  I don't trust it anymore.  Should I allow superstition to win out, toss the roll and start anew?

 

Fred

[madNbad]

Keep the roll and use it for practice.  Load it in again but leave the back open so you can see if it is advancing properly.  Make sure the sprocket holes in the film are engaging.  Good luck!

[FredR]

The take-up spool allows this film to slip out every time unless I manually push the film though and then around it.  I loaded a roll of slide film without incident.  I suspect the repeated handling of the B&W film leader made it greasy from my fingers, or polished it from the frequent reloading attempts.  Anyway, I have exorcised the camera by retiring that particular roll of film.  I could have cleaned or scuffed-up the film leader, but my curiosity was dampened.  There's plenty of film waiting in the fridge.

 

Fred

[erl]

DON'T wait till you get to 38!

Watch the rewind knob rotating as you shoot and advance, for at least two real exposures. If this does not happen you have NOT threaded the film correctly. Ensure a good length of leader goes completely through the  multiple 'finger thingy' before replacing the baseplate at loading time.

[madNbad]

Make sure the cassette is all they way in.  Check the rewind knob to make sure it's catching even if you have to move it back and forth a bit.  As Erl says, watch the rewind knob!

[pixie]

There is a diagram showing the loading on base.

Drop in cassette with enough film, to reach inner blade of tulip.

Place back on, advance film.

The less you fuss, the better.

Some films are to unyielding to bend..

Watch that film rewind turns.

I load in dark and get 37~38 exposures.

[250swb]

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Yes, it's staggering you haven't been watching the rewind knob. When you load the film you should take up the slack with it and them watch to see it rotate when advancing to frame #1. But I agree with pixie's comment about 'the less you fuss', you can load an M6 in almost pitch black using touch and know it will advance the film, I did for years as a theatre photographer, instead you feel for the rewind knob rotating, so there are no excuses.

 

 

Steve

[rpavich]

I feel your pain..I did that a few times too. In my experience, it comes from the film not being in the right spot on the take up spool.

 

Here is the way to do it...follow this to the letter...do NOT change anything, hold it in your hands this way, pull the film this way, and copy it exactly. The more you fiddle with it the worse it gets. This is literally a 20 second operation.

When I started doing this...I've never had one go wrong. 

[erl]

Yes, it's staggering you haven't been watching the rewind knob. When you load the film you should take up the slack with it and them watch to see it rotate when advancing to frame #1. But I agree with pixie's comment about 'the less you fuss', you can load an M6 in almost pitch black using touch and know it will advance the film, I did for years as a theatre photographer, instead you feel for the rewind knob rotating, so there are no excuses.

 

 

Steve

Exactly my experience too. On average, I would 13 rolls of 36 during a full dress rehearsal, in the dark, and never miss a shot, well hardly ever.

Confidence and precision are the main ingredients, OK and experience.

[Frase]

wind on a couple of time turn the rewind back to take up the slack then wind on until the first frame while watching the rewind knob turn, its no different from any other 35mm camera really.