MP not rewinding

[hirohhhh]

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I shoot the whole roll normally, and the last shot was at 38 count and I could shot infinite amount of shots at that number.

Then I tried to rewind it, but the knob is rotating infinitely and I don’t feel any friction like it has usually when rewinding normally. It’s butter smooth like it does nothing.

Any ideas what happened and what should I do?

It’s a brand new MP, I shot only couple rolls with it.

Edited June 5, 2022 by hirohhhh

[Anbaric]

Misloaded film? Was the rewind knob rotating when you advanced the film after each shot?

[plaidshirts]

43 minutes ago, hirohhhh said:

 the last shot was at 38 count and I could shot infinite amount of shots at that number....

A sure sign that the film was never loaded. We've all done this and this is why we always look for the movement of the rewind knob when we advance film as a visual check, as Anbaric said. Fish out the film from the cassette (since it's inside now because you rewound it) and try it again.

[hirohhhh]

Yeah, it was never loaded.

On the brighter side, I'm lucky that these shots were nothing important, so at least I learned to check the rewind knob from now on.

Do you check it just the first time to make sure it's loaded, and if it's rotating, then you can be sure it will rotate for the rest of the roll? Or should I pay attention to that all the time?

Thanks for the help and valuable tip.

[plaidshirts]

I usually check the first couple frames as I’m loading it. After that it should be good to go unless film tears midway through, which I’ve never seen. 

Edited June 6, 2022 by plaidshirts

[Huss]

The MP is super easy to load.  Just follow Leica's instructions - not some of the garbage you read on the internet.  I have never had issues following Leica's instructions.

[jakontil]

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2 hours ago, hirohhhh said:

Yeah, it was never loaded.

On the brighter side, I'm lucky that these shots were nothing important, so at least I learned to check the rewind knob from now on.

Do you check it just the first time to make sure it's loaded, and if it's rotating, then you can be sure it will rotate for the rest of the roll? Or should I pay attention to that all the time?

Thanks for the help and valuable tip.

Happened to me too 😂😂😂

infinite shots worry most when shooting films

[nikrasov]

I also have a question about loading the film. Quote from the manual:

"Winding to the 1st frame

12. Advance the film by one frame using the quick wind lever (19) and release the shutter.

13. Then tension the film by carefully turning the rewind knob*(10a) or the rewind crank* (10b) in the direction of the arrow. ..."

When I turn the rewind knob it just rotates endlessly. Is it ok or it should stick when film gets tension?

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Mute-on]

9 minutes ago, nikrasov said:

I also have a question about loading the film. Quote from the manual:

"Winding to the 1st frame

12. Advance the film by one frame using the quick wind lever (19) and release the shutter.

13. Then tension the film by carefully turning the rewind knob*(10a) or the rewind crank* (10b) in the direction of the arrow. ..."

When I turn the rewind knob it just rotates endlessly. Is it ok or it should stick when film gets tension?

I’ve never tensioned the film.  I imagine if you do so after winding on only one frame, you could fairly easily pull the film out of the tulip. 
 

Wind on once. Release shutter. Close back. Wind on again, release shutter, wind on again while observing rewind knob rotate.  Take your first photo. Proceed. 

[madNbad]

5 minutes ago, nikrasov said:

I also have a question about loading the film. Quote from the manual:

"Winding to the 1st frame

12. Advance the film by one frame using the quick wind lever (19) and release the shutter.

13. Then tension the film by carefully turning the rewind knob*(10a) or the rewind crank* (10b) in the direction of the arrow. ..."

When I turn the rewind knob it just rotates endlessly. Is it ok or it should stick when film gets tension?

Follow the diagram on the bottom of the camera and try not to do any of the suggested improvements, the wheel on the baseplate wii do the work. Pull enough leader to drop into the slots in the take up. When you insert the film cassette, make sure it is all the way in the chamber and is engaging the rewind. Replace the baseplate and wind. You may have to turn the knob a bit to tighten the film in the cassette and then check the rewind knob to ensure it is moving when you advance the film. It will become second nature soon enough. Welcome to the forum.

[hillavoider]

6 minutes ago, Mute-on said:

I’ve never tensioned the film.  I imagine if you do so after winding on only one frame, you could fairly easily pull the film out of the tulip. 
 

Wind on once. Release shutter. Close back. Wind on again, release shutter, wind on again while observing rewind knob rotate.  Take your first photo. Proceed. 

i agree with this

[250swb]

Two things. People are often to greedy and want to save every frame, for insurance wind on a second time while loading. The idea of rewinding the film while getting to frame #1 is because films unravel in the cassette, it needs to be wound tight so when you wind on to frame #1 you immediately see the two little red blobs turning. You can't pull the film off the tulip by tensioning the film because the toothed sprocket engaged in the films sprocket holes only rotates one way, unless you also have the rewind lever down which disengages those gears, but if that happens you have far bigger problems.

[nikrasov]

Should I feel rewind knob stuck when rotate it to make film tension? As I understand I should not pull up rewind knob according to this manual instructions.

Also, any difference it is pulled up or not?

[a.noctilux]

1 hour ago, nikrasov said:

Should I feel rewind knob stuck when rotate it to make film tension? As I understand I should not pull up rewind knob according to this manual instructions.

Also, any difference it is pulled up or not?

With MP rewind knob, two stages :

- when pushed in only the inside part with two red dots is connected to film

- when pulled up knob the connection to film is established with the knob

- so when you want to tension the film as stated in the manual, you need to pull up the knob

- as wrote above, the tensioning is not mandatory, just observe the two dots moving when you wind-on the first frames.

[plaidshirts]

5 hours ago, nikrasov said:

I also have a question about loading the film. Quote from the manual:

"Winding to the 1st frame

12. Advance the film by one frame using the quick wind lever (19) and release the shutter.

13. Then tension the film by carefully turning the rewind knob*(10a) or the rewind crank* (10b) in the direction of the arrow. ..."

When I turn the rewind knob it just rotates endlessly. Is it ok or it should stick when film gets tension?

Rewind it carefully enough to feel tension. It’s a tactile way to verify that the film has been loaded correctly, in addition to the visual one of seeing the rewind knob rotate.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[plaidshirts]

3 hours ago, nikrasov said:

Should I feel rewind knob stuck when rotate it to make film tension? As I understand I should not pull up rewind knob according to this manual instructions.

Also, any difference it is pulled up or not?

You have to pull the knob up as if you were rewinding the film to make this work. If you don’t, it’ll simply turn forever. 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[kivis]

We've all been there. At least some of us all.😁

[Vlad Soare]

If the film isn't tensioned, then the dots may or may not rotate during the first wind, depending on how loose the film is. But they will surely rotate on the second wind.
That's why I never bother tensioning it. By the time the frame counter gets to 1 there's enough tension in the film to move the dots.

 

 

Edited June 10, 2022 by Vlad Soare

[hirohhhh]

Today I loaded new roll, advanced and cocked shutter couple times as I always do, but the rewind wheel with two red dots didn’t move. I remember reading on this forum that this is the sign that the film isn’t loaded. I repead advancing and cocking shutter 6-7 more times carefully paying attention if the rewind wheel is rotating, but it didn’t. Then I decided to open the bottom plate and see what’s going on, but the film was loaded and the roll was half way through the spool.

Sure, I exposed film to the light, because all this was happening outside in the middle of day, but I’m wondering what happened?! As I mentioned previously, this is a brand new MP, purchased in Leica store, I shot less than 30 rolls in total with it, so I’m completely sure that the camera is not faulty. But then what I was doing wrong and how can I be sure that the film is winded if the rewind wheel is not rotating?

[250swb]

It isn't the 'rewind wheel' that moves when you advance the film, it is just the two little red dots. Load the film (it sounds like you have that under control) then pull up the rewind knob and turn it clockwise to take up any slack inside the film cassette, turn just until you feel some slight resistance. Then as you advance the film to frame #1 you should see the two little red dots rotate anti-clockwise showing that the film is travelling through the camera correctly.

It is not important if the film is slack inside the film cassette or not, it is only consequential if you want to check the film is going through the camera by observing the red dots rotate. The point about winding the film tight inside the cassette is that you will immediately see the dots turn on advancing the film. In use the film will once again slacken inside the film cassette, so you may advance the film and the red dots don't turn every single time, but it doesn't matter, you already know the film is correctly loaded. However just to make sure it's all working properly at any time there is no harm in pulling up the rewind knob and tightening the film in the cassette just to watch the dots turn next time you advance.

 

Edited October 5, 2022 by 250swb