pico Posted June 12, 2017 Share #1 Posted June 12, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) What film take-up spools are compatible across camera models? Or is it simpler to state which are not compatible? . 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 12, 2017 Posted June 12, 2017 Hi pico, Take a look here Takeup spool compatibility. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
a.noctilux Posted June 13, 2017 Share #2 Posted June 13, 2017 Of the "take-out" Leica spools, I see only 2 main types not compatible: - the original from Leica I to IIIf without spring load end - second type IIIg and M1, M2, M3, MD with spring load end 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted June 13, 2017 Share #3 Posted June 13, 2017 I believe there was also a spring loaded spool made for the earlier models, but likely an accessory part. A few of the Japanese clones also had spring loaded spools the fit the IIIf and earlier. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemgb Posted June 13, 2017 Share #4 Posted June 13, 2017 I have found in cases like this it is often best to ignore manufacturers recommendations and see what actually works. In production changes are often slow and sometimes components that are officially incompatible will work together. I just took a spring loaded reel from my M2 and put it in my III, it fit very well and it engaged with the winder mechanism correctly - but, it would not allow me to fit the baseplate. I can't check the reverse right now as I have film loaded in my only M camera, but I am willing to bet an early non spring loaded reel would work in an M, I'm also fairly sure I could modify the baseplate of my III to accommodate the spring loaded reel. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted June 13, 2017 Share #5 Posted June 13, 2017 I thought the IIIg reel was unique, which was why if you were buying a IIIg, you had to make sure it had a reel that fitted and worked. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted June 13, 2017 Share #6 Posted June 13, 2017 I thought the IIIg reel was unique, which was why if you were buying a IIIg, you had to make sure it had a reel that fitted and worked. Wilson Wilson, IIIg (and IIg) take-up spool is "M" variety. So, it's M compatible. Normal, IIIg appeared after M3 . My 2 IIIg have "M" stamped on the spool with spring loaded. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted June 13, 2017 Share #7 Posted June 13, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have had issues with take up spools of all varieties with models ranging from the 1920s to the 1960s. The most common one is a spool that gets stuck and needs a tweezers to remove it. If I have issues I just swop one from another camera; I must have about 40 spools at this stage. While there may be 2 main types- spring and non spring- I must have about 15 to 20 different variations in my 'spool collection'. The getting stuck issue is not just with Leicas. I recently had to use tweezers to remove a spool from a Leotax. It is all part of the 'adventure' of using older cameras. William 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted June 13, 2017 Share #8 Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) I have had issues with take up spools of all varieties with models ranging from the 1920s to the 1960s. The most common one is a spool that gets stuck and needs a tweezers to remove it. If I have issues I just swop one from another camera; I must have about 40 spools at this stage. While there may be 2 main types- spring and non spring- I must have about 15 to 20 different variations in my 'spool collection'. The getting stuck issue is not just with Leicas. I recently had to use tweezers to remove a spool from a Leotax. It is all part of the 'adventure' of using older cameras. William My Reid & Sigrist reel is extremely tight. The air went blue when I was out with no tools last week and needed to change the film. I split my thumb nail half way down to the cuticle trying to get the empty reel out. I had to give up and wait until I got back to my car and could use the pliers out of its tool kit (and its first aid kit to bind up my bleeding thumb!) Wilson Edited June 13, 2017 by wlaidlaw Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted June 13, 2017 Share #9 Posted June 13, 2017 I have had issues with take up spools of all varieties with models ranging from the 1920s to the 1960s. The most common one is a spool that gets stuck and needs a tweezers to remove it. If I have issues I just swop one from another camera; I must have about 40 spools at this stage. While there may be 2 main types- spring and non spring- I must have about 15 to 20 different variations in my 'spool collection'. The getting stuck issue is not just with Leicas. I recently had to use tweezers to remove a spool from a Leotax. It is all part of the 'adventure' of using older cameras. William William, Nice collection of spools. Sometime ago, I had the stuck spool in my II, when swaped with another from newer III, it's fine. I understand that when looking inside the stucking spool (once off camera), the inside spring that retains it when in camera may be wider than usual. Just push that spring sideway a bit, now the ex-stucking spool comes out with ease. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted June 13, 2017 Share #10 Posted June 13, 2017 My Reid & Sigrist reel is extremely tight. The air went blue when I was out with no tools last week and needed to change the film. I split my thumb nail half way down to the cuticle trying to get the empty reel out. I had to give up and wait until I got back to my car and could use the pliers out of its tool kit (and its first aid kit to bind up my bleeding thumb!) Wilson I'm glad to see I am not alone! My two Reids are a bit tight as regards their spools. I will try that tip above from a.noctilux. William Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share #11 Posted June 13, 2017 Wilson, IIIg (and IIg) take-up spool is "M" variety. [snip helpful stuff] I found a spool and it is marked M, and put it into the odd M parts. But I am wondering where the heck it came from. I sold a beautiful M2 with a rapid spool. I wonder if I screwed up. . 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted June 15, 2017 Share #12 Posted June 15, 2017 Here are three variations on Leica spools. On the left is the one-piece "old" ltm spool used through the IIIc at least. Center is a Leica ltm spool with spring loaded end from one of my IIIf bodies. This will fit and work in all IIf and earlier Leicas (that I have tried, back to a III from early 1930s). On the right is the spool that came out with the M models, that was also used in the IIIg. It has the chrome pop-up end and is marked "M" - even though this one was in my IIIg. It will not fit the earlier models. The pop-up spring loaded end does make it easier to grab to remove the spool. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/273424-takeup-spool-compatibility/?do=findComment&comment=3295711'>More sharing options...
mikemgb Posted June 15, 2017 Share #13 Posted June 15, 2017 Here are three variations on Leica spools. On the left is the one-piece "old" ltm spool used through the IIIc at least. Center is a Leica ltm spool with spring loaded end from one of my IIIf bodies. This will fit and work in all IIf and earlier Leicas (that I have tried, back to a III from early 1930s). On the right is the spool that came out with the M models, that was also used in the IIIg. It has the chrome pop-up end and is marked "M" - even though this one was in my IIIg. It will not fit the earlier models. The pop-up spring loaded end does make it easier to grab to remove the spool. Leica Spools.jpg Looking at that I would be willing to bet the spool on the left will work in an M. I intend to test that theory when I finish the film in my M2 in a few days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted June 15, 2017 Share #14 Posted June 15, 2017 Looking at that I would be willing to bet the spool on the left will work in an M. I intend to test that theory when I finish the film in my M2 in a few days. No, I've tried it in my M2, and the baseplate will not fit on. The chrome end on the M spool has a larger hole than the old spools, which fits over a larger hub on the M baseplate. The spool fits in the body, but prevents the baseplate from closing. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted June 15, 2017 Share #15 Posted June 15, 2017 I wonder therefore if I could use the centre spool with the pop up knurled section in my Reid & Sigrist, which dimensionally is pretty much a IIIb? This would make life much easier. I suspect that R&S's obsession with reducing tolerances to the absolute minimum, has resulted in a fractionally larger spool shaft than the contemporaneous IIIf. It never does any harm to have a couple of spare spools anyway for my 7 Barnacks and 1 R&S. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted June 15, 2017 Share #16 Posted June 15, 2017 Tom has summarised this nicely into 3 main types. I have other variations, but this trio are what you will usually find. Reid and Sigrist used imperial measurements, I believe, and this is probably the cause of some of the issues (not just spools) with Reid cameras. I recently had an issue with a spool sticking in a Leotax camera, but it may have been a replacement from another make. Indeed, a lot of spool issues might be related to replacements. With a camera that is 60 to 90 years old, the possibility of spool replacement or interchange at some stage cannot be discounted. William Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted June 15, 2017 Share #17 Posted June 15, 2017 WIlson, there are pop-up spools from the Japanese ltm cameras that may have advantages for your Reid. Here are three of mine. The one on the left won't be of help, although it is a nice spool. It is from a Nicca 33, which is a lever-wind version that omitted the center shaft through the spool, so it won't fit a Leica ltm. Center is from a Leotax (I think the Merit model) which is also lever wind, but still has the shaft inside the spool, so it does fit Leica ltms. Right is from a Canon IVSB2 - the last model made before they stopped bottom loading. The Canon may be the easiest to find - I bought a spare from Japan on eBay a while back. Both Leotax and Canon have larger, easier to grip knobs that extend up farther, so also easy to grab. The Canon latches retracted with a slight turn. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/273424-takeup-spool-compatibility/?do=findComment&comment=3296063'>More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted June 15, 2017 Share #18 Posted June 15, 2017 My IIIg does not have a pop up spool in it, unless of course it has just stuck down, which I suppose is possible. You would have thought however, it would "ping" up when you pulled the spool out to load a film. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted June 15, 2017 Share #19 Posted June 15, 2017 Here are three variations on Leica spools. On the left is the one-piece "old" ltm spool used through the IIIc at least. Center is a Leica ltm spool with spring loaded end from one of my IIIf bodies. This will fit and work in all IIf and earlier Leicas (that I have tried, back to a III from early 1930s). On the right is the spool that came out with the M models, that was also used in the IIIg. It has the chrome pop-up end and is marked "M" - even though this one was in my IIIg. It will not fit the earlier models. The pop-up spring loaded end does make it easier to grab to remove the spool. Leica Spools.jpg Tom, is the middle one a SVOOP/14021 spool? Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted June 15, 2017 Share #20 Posted June 15, 2017 Tom, is the middle one a SVOOP/14021 spool? Wilson Yes, I believe so. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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