Problem putting the film into the tulip of M6

[George Stoichev]

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Hi,

Always on loading film in my M6 and try to put the one end of the film in the tulip shaped spool it seems like the film can’t get inside to the pool. Like there is no space for the film to get inside.

Finally I always managed to insert it, but all the time not easy as it looks on the movies in youtube.

is it possible the three leafs of the tulip to got closer each other and this is why I can’t insert (put down) the film inside easily?

Did you have same experience?

Edited August 9, 2024 by George Stoichev

[TomB_tx]

Never had a problem, but have been loading M4 & M6 for over 50 years - guess I just got used to it.

[Mute-on]

No issue here with M4 and MP (same tulip). If the tulip opening you are trying to insert the film leader into is not facing the film path, recall that partially advancing the wind-on lever will rotate the tulip anti-clockwise. You only need the film leader tip to sit within the tulip, not pass through to the other side. 

Edited August 10, 2024 by Mute-on

[hansvons]

10 hours ago, George Stoichev said:

Finally I always managed to insert it, but all the time not easy as it looks on the movies in youtube.

 

YouTube is probably the most useless place to learn something valid on photography. Why? Because your personality must be somewhat loaded with questionable self-importance to feel the urge to film yourself talking about your favourite hobby. There are exceptions but 90% of the content on photography is at best boring or at worst plainly wrong. 

There are very good books on photography in general and manuals on technical questions. One of them is the M6  manual. If I were you, I’ll get one. You will find it via Google. That said, just follow the depiction in the camera on how to load it. It’s arguably the fastest way of loading a manual film camera. Here you go: 

Open the lid, put it aside. Open the film gate window. Take your film. Insert it halfway into the camera. Pull the leader until it fits into the take-up spool (tulip). Push the film and the cassette gently down. Don't worry about sprocket holes, etc. Just make sure that it roughly fits the gate. Don't advance the film! Add the lid and close it correctly. 

Now you advance the film. Check the spool on the left. Does it turn? You are now ready to shoot.

The lid plays an essential role in the loading process. Remember Leica is an engineering-driven companty. Loading can’t be a fiddly process. 

[Fotoklaus]

Just do it like in the manual. If the tulip doesn´tline up to the film leader just move the cocking lever a little bit, that´s it.

Never had a problem.

https://leica-camera.com/sites/default/files/pm-85045-leica-m6_instructions_en.pdf

This works since the M4, nothing changed here.

[250swb]

11 hours ago, George Stoichev said:

Hi,

Always on loading film in my M6 and try to put the one end of the film in the tulip shaped spool it seems like the film can’t get inside to the pool. Like there is no space for the film to get inside.

 

I have seen posts from other forums about the spring inside the tulip being out of position like here

https://www.reddit.com/r/Leica/comments/199m6qg/just_purchased_an_mp_and_noticed_this_the_spring/ 

- scroll to the second photo,

and this is easy to check, but whenever things seem difficult it's often a case of trying too hard. But if the tulip doesn't look like it should in the illustration on the base of the camera, or the You Tube videos, or the spring is out of position (as above) it may be faulty or been damaged by a previous owner. Maybe post a photo of the tulip and spring on your camera?

[a.noctilux]

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13 hours ago, George Stoichev said:

Did you have same experience?

As many answers here, no.

Maybe you are just overthinking *.

If the rest is fine, enjoy the rest.

 

*if you feel the tightness with many types of film,

you can put a small screwdriver in the grooves to widen a bit the grooves.

[NAvalanche]

I find I have more problems with recent Kodak films. The film end needs to be in the exact position in the take up spool to make it advance. 
Do they have a thinner film base now then they use to have?