Do Leica film frame-counters always align perfectly at -2 when the bottom cover is removed?

[dfsbrn]

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I have a recent model MP.  Frame counter is tight all the way through 36.  Problem is that when I remove the bottom cover it flips back to between -1 and -2.  

Weirdly, if I don't load film and only advance to 10 frames or so and then remove the cover, the frame counter flips to 2 precisely.  

Its almost as if a spring is being wound tighter and tighter as you get through the roll and when it unspurls the frame ticks fall back about 1/2.

Any thoughts?  All else well with the beauty. 

Appreciate the collective wisdom here greatly.

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[Mute-on]

Forget about it and take photos. 
 

I’ve never actually paid any attention to where the frames counter resets to on my MP or M4. Ever. 

[dfsbrn]

I really appreciate that Mute-on.  On yours, may I please ask, do the frame counter lines line up while shooting the roll, and its just when the counter resets that it gets wonky?

[105012]

As they are from a different era this may not be relevant, but all three of my M3's have always reset precisely to -2. If it settles back to a true reading as you wind on, then as Mute-on says, probably not something to worry about.

Edited November 12, 2022 by 105012

[250swb]

I wish my M2 sprang back to -1 or -2, but my MP doesn't have any film in at the moment so I can say with confidence after extensive testing that it springs back to -1.75, most of the time.

 

Edited November 12, 2022 by 250swb

[Matlock]

My M5 fails to spring back and varies between + 2 and + 5. I can live with that as the camera works perfectly apart from that.

[01af]

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vor 2 Stunden schrieb dfsbrn:

Problem is that when I remove the bottom cover it flips back to between -1 and -2.

If the frame counter reliably advances to -1 and 0 upon loading the next roll then I wouldn't bother.

[Mute-on]

2 hours ago, dfsbrn said:

I really appreciate that Mute-on.  On yours, may I please ask, do the frame counter lines line up while shooting the roll, and its just when the counter resets that it gets wonky?

You may have misconstrued. I’m trying to save you from obsessing over irrelevant minutiae. 
 

However, since you insist, my MP counter resets to exactly -2 and advances perfectly lined up. My MP is serial 294xxxx, so from around 2003.

[colint544]

My M4 usually only springs back to around 15 when I remove the base plate. A few months back, it actually went back to zero, and I happily loaded a roll of Portra 400. Felt good to know precisely how much film I had left. Finished the roll, removed the baseplate, and it's up to its old tricks again, sticking at 12 this time. 

It's only a minor annoyance I suppose, but it's nice to have a properly resetting shot counter.

[Topsy]

Both my MP and M4-P spring to -2.

[dfsbrn]

Thank you all again. Yes after loading -1,0,1,2,etc all perfectly aligned. It just springs too far back when it’s fully wound past 30 or so. If I shoot 15 or less (without film to test) then It aligns. I also appreciate that many suggest I just chill on this minor annoyance. I’ll try implement that. Thank you again. 

[Huss]

I checked my MP, MA, M7.  They all are ‘almost’ perfectly aligned, but I am sure some of my others are off a little bit.  I’ve never paid any attention as the cameras functioned perfectly.  And I could still instantly see what frame number I was on.  If you really need perfect frame counter ‘alignment’, get a camera that has a digital exposure counter! 

[250swb]

5 hours ago, dfsbrn said:

Thank you all again. Yes after loading -1,0,1,2,etc all perfectly aligned. It just springs too far back when it’s fully wound past 30 or so. If I shoot 15 or less (without film to test) then It aligns. I also appreciate that many suggest I just chill on this minor annoyance. I’ll try implement that. Thank you again. 

You don't need to be so worried about your camera. It may have been a lot of money to spend but the camera only starts counting when the gears engage in the sprocket holes of the film.

[Danner]

Both of my M6 Classics reset and count forward accurately, FWIW.

[plaidshirts]

My m3, m4 and mp all line up at -2 at reset.  Interestingly the mp stops at 38 but both m3 and m4 stop at 40 if I keep advancing.