Inserting film in Leica M6

[George Stoichev]

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Hi everyone,

I have Leica M6 classic an I use it for a year. Few days ago I inserted Kodak gold.

On some of the shot (11th) I noticed that the film rewinding knob on the left almost doesn’t rotate when push the lever.As I remember when push the lever for next frame the knob on the left should rotate.I taught that the film was not properly loaded and opened the camera. I was very disappointed to know that it was rewinding good and I just have light the film   I have reviewed many tutorials in the internet and all of them show that when is properly loaded the film, on first shots the knob on the left rotates a half a turn.

so, I decided to insert new film and I noticed that the first shots it rotate half a turn, but next rotates, but some of them less, some more.

My question is how to be sure that the film is 100% loaded properly and goes OK?

I read that if the film doesn’t go the reloading lever doesn’t return, is that true?

Any tips for checking to be sure?

[BradS]

Generally speaking, follow the directions in the Leica instruction manual and ignore/forget anything on YouTube.

but if you are in doubt after winding on and exposing two or three frames or more, you can do the following...

1. do NOT, do NOT , do NOT!  flip the rewind lever on the front of the camera to 'R'. leave it alone until you get to the end of the roll.

2. gently and slowly turn the film rewind crank in the direction indicated to rewind the film. STOP when you feel tension.  If you  feel tension, all is well. Don't worry, enjoy. However,  If you crank and crank and crank and crank the film rewind lever in the rewind direction for a very long time without the tension increasing, then you may assume that the film was incorrectly loaded...but this should be rare.

3. if you follow the directions in the manual and don't futz with it, it does actually work amazingly well.

 

The rewind crank may turn more or less or not at all when the film is advanced - this is completely normal. The film looses tension inside the canister when the camera is bouncing around in your bag or when hanging around your neck. The crank is only going to turn while advancing if the film is in tension...

[a.noctilux]

 

Very simple and fool free...

Before winding-on, you can tension the film with the rewind crank, so you can follow strictly the M6 user's manual,

and don't worry after few frames winding-on with the crank turning.

[George Stoichev]

I see, exactly like I taught.I thought that the film inside the camera was always perfectly extended, but obviously it is not like this.

[mshchem]

Internet videos have some pretty strange suggestions. M4 and on to the M6 are so easy to load. The original advertising for the M4 demonstrates the camera can be loaded even while the photographer wears gloves! I always shoot a couple frames to make sure that the film is winding on.

[250swb]

2 hours ago, George Stoichev said:

 

so, I decided to insert new film and I noticed that the first shots it rotate half a turn, but next rotates, but some of them less, some more.

 

I've underlined the important bit for you. When the film is tensioned in the cassette, maybe a new film, the rewind crank will rotate as you advance the film. But as the tension slackens in the film cassette to see if the film is advancing you have to re-tension it by rewind the film without using the rewind lever. All you are doing is winding up any slack film in the cassette, not rewinding the film into the cassette. But to be honest you shouldn't need to do this after first seeing the film rewind crank turning in the first few frames. Maybe if you forgot if you have a film in the camera you can wind the film back to see if you experience any tension, in which case you know there is a film in the camera, but simply understanding how the whole rewind sequence operates (refer to the manual) you should have no questions about it. 

[TomB_tx]

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The film in the supply canister often develops slack as the coiled film acts as a weak spring, so there can be varying slack on the supply reel as the film is used. Thus some frames it may turn when advancing and others it may not. If it starts correctly on the first frame or two, don't obsess about watching the rewind - just shoot the roll.