The wrong way to load film

[Huss]

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And this is from a Leica expert!

 

Pay attention to Leica's very simple instructions instead.  And this piece of advice in the owner manual that the expert above ignores:

 

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[Anbaric]

Well, that can't be right - he didn't even stick the leader in his mouth and bite it:

 

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[kivis]

2 hours ago, Huss said:

And this is from a Leica expert!

 

Pay attention to Leica's very simple instructions instead.  And this piece of advice in the owner manual that the expert above ignores:

 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

I'm sorry, I don't see anything wrong with what heis  doing. Where is the problem?

[Anbaric]

The M6 should only be loaded as part of a sexy game with a hot friend.

 

[Anbaric]

29 minutes ago, kivis said:

I'm sorry, I don't see anything wrong with what heis  doing. Where is the problem?

He's pulling out the leader further than he needs to, then wasting film by firing and winding with the back open. It doesn't need to be this fussy or complicated - just pull out the leader to the position in the loading diagram, push the cassette and the leader down, and close the base plate.

 

[hansvons]

53 minutes ago, Anbaric said:

It doesn't need to be this fussy or complicated

Absolutely. I’m fairly new to the M game. But I learned that following Leica’s advice depicted so eloquently on the insideof the camera is the best advice. No need to fiddle around with the film with an open back door. Just drop the film as advertised, close the door, put the bottom plate at place and wind the film twice. For safety, watch the spool on the left side turning.

Can't be easier. The only thing that might get in your way is the film’s leader. If that’s not correctly cut the system might not work right out of the bat and needs some extra handling. 

Edited June 2, 2023 by hansvons

[kivis]

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1 hour ago, Anbaric said:

He's pulling out the leader further than he needs to, then wasting film by firing and winding with the back open. It doesn't need to be this fussy or complicated - just pull out the leader to the position in the loading diagram, push the cassette and the leader down, and close the base plate.

 

Ok but that doesn't make it was wrong.

[Anbaric]

31 minutes ago, kivis said:

Ok but that doesn't make it was wrong.

To be fair to Mr Tamarkin, I think he's trying to show how it works rather than the optimum loading method (see his first YT comment). But if you do it exactly as shown, you'll take longer than necessary (and so miss that Pulitzer Prize shot), have a couple of fewer frames per roll (which is why Leica says not to check the film is winding on with the camera open), and if the tip of the leader sticks out from the other end of the tulip, you apparently risk the end of the film breaking off in very cold conditions when it's brittle (as Leica warns in the manual).

[Huss]

1 hour ago, kivis said:

Ok but that doesn't make it was wrong.

It does.  If you pay attention to Leica's instructions, the base plate needs to be on before you wind on, as the tulip is designed to correctly place the film.  There is a very specific reason Leica not only makes it a specific paragraph - and even heads it "WARNING".

Every single thread where there has been a film advance issue - film slips after firing 20 shots, cannot advance etc - always comes down to the incorrect loading technique demonstrated so ably by Tamarkin.

[Fotoklaus]

It' s remarkable that after almost 60 years since the M4 this is still a topic. Youtube doesn' t make it better...

[Photon42]

I only watched the girlfriend video. Definitely the way to 😇

[250swb]

I think if he's going to do an instructional video he should follow Leica's guide exactly.

But there is too much stress in this thread assuming the Leica method is always correct. And if you've ever used a Leica M camera professionally paying attention to film loading is an alternative reality of speed and giving yourself a guarantee at the same time; make sure it's on the gear teeth both sides, close the back, put the base on. After you've done that the film can't slip and you can immediately get back to photographing without even checking to see if the rewind crank is rotating. Doing it how Mr Tamarkin demonstrates is the belt and braces approach to make sure your film is loaded. It's an amateur who has the time furrow their brow and 'pay attention' just to save a couple of frames of film. 

Any new user should follow the Leica way exactly because it ensures they understand how the principle of the loading system works, but for speed it's not guaranteed because it allows too many individual things to be overlooked, so both sides of the film engaged on the teeth is far better if you are in a hurry.

Edited June 3, 2023 by 250swb

[M9reno]

10 hours ago, Anbaric said:

The M6 should only be loaded as part of a sexy game with a hot friend.

 

This gives me hope I can keep going with Leica in 40 years when I can no longer see.

[Mikep996]

If you load the way Leica shows in the manual, you can unload/load an M camera while walking down the street with no issue at all.  I do it all the time.  No need to stop/sit somewhere and no reason at all for the futzing around per the video, opening the back, checking for winding, etc.  That video is a perfect example of the bad side of the internet - absurd information is published just as easily (and it seems more often) than valid information.  If you know nothing at all about a particular subject, it can be very difficult to know if the info is right/wrong.  

 

[nitroplait]

2 hours ago, Mikep996 said:

If you load the way Leica shows in the manual, you can unload/load an M camera while walking down the street with no issue at all.  I do it all the time.  No need to stop/sit somewhere and no reason at all for the futzing around per the video, opening the back, checking for winding, etc.

 

Still, it would be nice with a third hand to hold the base plate.
Ok, I you aren’t smoking while walking and changing film, you can always use your mouth 😉

[Anbaric]

This one is almost an ASMR video:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GW9ozP9vze8

 

[Mikep996]

"Still, it would be nice with a third hand to hold the base plate."

Two hands are all that is needed IF you have a neck strap holding the camera.  If you don't, then yes, you will have to take the baseplate off and stick it in your pocket.  I turn the camera upside down - hanging from the neck strap -  remove the base plate and hold it in one hand while loading the film with the other.  If you need to pull a bit more film out of the canister to engage the tulip, you can do that with the same hand that is holding the baseplate.  I don't actually carry the camera around my neck most of the time but the Leica web strap is always attached and I typically wrap it around my wrist but hang the camera around my neck to change film.

[Danner]

I disagree with Dan Tamarkin's M6 film loading technique.  He put too much leader though the tulip, manually aligned the sprocket holes, and advanced the film with the back open.  I do none of those things...

[Danner]

13 hours ago, Anbaric said:

This one is almost an ASMR video:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GW9ozP9vze8

This is what I do.

 

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[hepcat]

On 6/3/2023 at 1:03 AM, Photon42 said:

I only watched the girlfriend video. Definitely the way to 😇

The hot chick comes with every newLeica sold.  Didn't you get one with yours?  It's a great advertising hook.