Brand new MP rewind issue

[Jacobjuul]

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Hi. 
Last week when I handed in my 3rd M-A for service (had two faulty ones returned already) the salesman told me they’d just got a brand new MP. I jumped on the opportunity and purchased it so I'd have a camera while my M-A was away (probably for many months). 
Two days later I left for a trip to Portugal and hadn’t yet finished the roll I put in the MP the day I purchased it (stupid I know). When I finished the first roll I noticed the film rewind was significantly tighter than my m2/M-A - no big deal. However, as I kept putting more rolls through, it got worse.
Now it is so tight that I can’t rewind it it at all without using all my strength (with and without film). I’m no longer using it since it isn’t even possible to advance the film anymore (without snapping the film). 
I promised my wife to travel light so unfortunately I only brought this damn MP, now I’m without a camera and on a trip of a lifetime that I can’t document (honeymoon). Are there anyone who knows of an easy fix for this?

When rewinding (with all my strength there is a rubbery squeaky noise). 
I’m almost at the brink of giving up on these new Leicas. I can’t help but laugh at this point, 4 faulty brand new leica film cameras in 1 year. I must be the unluckiest customer or the QC really needs to be improved. I believe in supporting the only company still producing brand new film cameras, but it’s becoming increasingly hard to stick to that principle. 
Maybe it’s time to go digital 
 

 

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[ianman]

If I had four faulty brand new cameras in one year I wouldn’t bother with them. You don’t have to go digital though. If I were in your shoes I’d buy a secondhand FM2 with lens for a couple hundred euros max so you could still photograph your honeymoon.

[a.noctilux]

@Jacobjuul

Ian gave you the nicest advice.

Yes I would buy asap another film camera to use, if available where you are.

...

another unlucky MP user

 

 

[oldwino]

And then, when you get back home, return the MP, sell the M-A when ever it comes back from service, and buy yourself a nice M4. 

[plaidshirts]

5 hours ago, Jacobjuul said:

Hi. 
Last week when I handed in my 3rd M-A for service (had two faulty ones returned already) the salesman told me they’d just got a brand new MP. I jumped on the opportunity and purchased it so I'd have a camera while my M-A was away (probably for many months). 
Two days later I left for a trip to Portugal and hadn’t yet finished the roll I put in the MP the day I purchased it (stupid I know). When I finished the first roll I noticed the film rewind was significantly tighter than my m2/M-A - no big deal. However, as I kept putting more rolls through, it got worse.
Now it is so tight that I can’t rewind it it at all without using all my strength (with and without film). I’m no longer using it since it isn’t even possible to advance the film anymore (without snapping the film). 
I promised my wife to travel light so unfortunately I only brought this damn MP, now I’m without a camera and on a trip of a lifetime that I can’t document (honeymoon). Are there anyone who knows of an easy fix for this?

When rewinding (with all my strength there is a rubbery squeaky noise). 
I’m almost at the brink of giving up on these new Leicas. I can’t help but laugh at this point, 4 faulty brand new leica film cameras in 1 year. I must be the unluckiest customer or the QC really needs to be improved. I believe in supporting the only company still producing brand new film cameras, but it’s becoming increasingly hard to stick to that principle. 
Maybe it’s time to go digital 
 

 

You have more patience than I do. I’d have stopped after 2, begrudgingly accepting my fate.
I’ve had nothing but good luck with numerous M3-M6’s. Perhaps you should try the used and time-tested ones. 

[malligator]

4 bad Leicas. 15 posts. It's almost as if there's an agenda here.

[Jacobjuul]

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47 minutes ago, malligator said:

4 bad Leicas. 15 posts. It's almost as if there's an agenda here.

What agenda? Do you think I’m paid by all the other big film camera brands? - - Oh wait…

I have M6 leitz, M6 TTL, M4, M2 and M3 that all work flawlessly. But wanted to consolidate them into one new Leica.  I have documentation of handing over the cameras to my local Leica shop as well as the repair forms if you don’t believe me 
 

my agenda is to get it to work so I can take pictures. I tried blowing it with a rocket blower from inside and every other thing I could think of. 
 

Buying another second hand camera is a good suggestion, that was my first thought too. Unfortunately they are surprisingly hard to come buy here unless you order from abroad. The Leica store in Porto DID have some used M-cameras, unfortunately I won’t make it back there. 

Edited January 16, 2022 by Jacobjuul

[Jacobjuul]

5 hours ago, oldwino said:

And then, when you get back home, return the MP, sell the M-A when ever it comes back from service, and buy yourself a nice M4. 

Yeah. I actually have a never used M4 in box (l seal and everything), I’ve just put off using it because it needs a shutter speed CLA

[Jacobjuul]

3 hours ago, plaidshirts said:

You have more patience than I do. I’d have stopped after 2, begrudgingly accepting my fate.
I’ve had nothing but good luck with numerous M3-M6’s. Perhaps you should try the used and time-tested ones. 

Yeah my old Leicas are all great. But it seems there are many happy MP and M-A users and in an ideal world my M-A would come back as smooth as my M2 and then I could sell the rest (Keeping only the M2 and M-A)

[250swb]

My other 35mm cameras are Nikons, for a good reason. It's no good, you need a backup camera that is a different brand, not Leica backups backing up your backups.  

[AndreasG]

That is the reason I still keep a Nikon F3 HP as a safety net and next to the native Nikon lenses I use a 50mm Summicron-R via a Leitax adapter with the Nikon, an excellent combination.

[Jacobjuul]

26 minutes ago, 250swb said:

My other 35mm cameras are Nikons, for a good reason. It's no good, you need a backup camera that is a different brand, not Leica backups backing up your backups.  

I almost brought my F2, but decided against it lat minute. Hurts a bit now haha. 
lesson learned, always being a backup. 

[250swb]

Leica people should also be Nikon people, it makes sense.

[jackbaty]

Welcome to the Difficult MP Rewind club! Sorry to hear you've had so many issues. And doubly sorry you've been stranded with a troublesome MP.

My nearly brand new BP MP went to New Jersey this week for the exact same rewind problem you describe. I can't wait to hear what they say about it. So far it hasn't dampened my love for the camera, or for Leica in general. Fortunately, I'm able to happily use my working-perfectly M3 and M6 in its absence.

[tightsqueez]

2 hours ago, 250swb said:

Leica people should also be Nikon people, it makes sense.

Totally agree! 
 

Won’t get into the details (well documented here), but it took 6 Leica MP’s over the last 12 years to get something reliable. Call me the idiot who refused to give up. I now have a beautiful a la carte that has been perfect. 
 

Along the way I’ve acquired a Nikon F3P, F4s, F5, and F6. All have been impeccable. 

[Fotoklaus]

I would buy any usable, good camera (digital, or film) in the next shop you´ll come buy to have some good pictures from this trip.

No matter if it´s a Nikon, a Pentax, a Canon or something else.

Then forget the trouble and just enjoy your trip with your wife. Just once in a lifetime. Pictures brought back home. Happy wife.

Worst case would be to have nothing but the bad mood about this trouble and an annoyed wife on your honemoon....

[Fotoklaus]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb 250swb:

My other 35mm cameras are Nikons, for a good reason. It's no good, you need a backup camera that is a different brand, not Leica backups backing up your backups.  

Never had any issues with one of my analog Ms. But they are all built between 1954 and 1991.

[TheBestSLIsALeicaflex]

11 hours ago, oldwino said:

And then, when you get back home, return the MP, sell the M-A when ever it comes back from service, and buy yourself a nice M4. 

Ha, ha, or an M2.  It's what I shoot now, but I had two MP's pass through my hands 17-18 years ago and never much issues.  One I purchased used had a little rewind slippage, but the one purchased new when they first came out I owned for 12 years.  Didn't shoot as much film then as I'm shooting now, but sure are hearing about more QC type issues these days.  Good luck with it.  Don't blame yourself; no one expects a new camera to have issues.  Ha, ha, maybe that famous Leica warranty can give you some quick resolution.  

Edited January 16, 2022 by TheBestSLIsALeicaflex

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[a.noctilux]

I learned long ago that having sort of backup is the best thing if photography has some importance.

 

Since the day I learned that an Leica M (well maintained as a tool) can be broken without notice ... more than 40 years ago.

 

Long story shortened ...

So long ago, then I was proud owner of my second hand M4, my dreamed Leica M and my first M.

I worked in a firm (nothing to do with photography) which had a professional photographer coming for promotonal pictures.

Those days I carried everywhere (even to work) my M4 with a 50mm lens to walk by after work or at lunch time.

The photographer was ennoyed as his M4 refused to function correctly (I don't remember what went wrong).

I timidly offered him my M4 to finish his 24x36 job (he did use 6x6 Hasselblad also which was his backup).

He was happy and saved his day.

 

[farnz]

My back-up camera is a Hexar RF so that I can use the Leica lenses I have with me.  (I must admit that I do enjoy the Hexar's auto-load, auto-rewind, and 1/4,000th shutter speed too. )

I had the same problem with the film rewind jamming in my MP and it had to go to Solms to get fixed.  I never got the full answer as to what had gone wrong but while chatting to a technician at Wetzlar some time later he said it was likely to be due to the MP's silky smooth brass gears and spindles that were prone to bend if there was resistance and force was applied to free the film.

Pete.