Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/04/05

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To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: Film leaders
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 1996 18:11:27 -0500
Cc: sproul@psc.psc.sc.edu (Robert Sproul)

Well, I'm operating here without 2/3 of my library, which is stranded at my
estranged wife's house at the back end of a storage room, so I may be sloppy
on this.

When Leica developed the quick-load system in about 1965, film manufacturers
marketed their wares with a 'long leader', not quite of the length required
on a thread-mount Leica, but much longer than the 'short leader' of today's
films, which came into use in 1976 or thereabouts.  At that point, many M4
users began having problems with loading their cameras, and Leica's
immediate solution was to advise trimming the leader to have a longer
'tongue'.  This DOES help.  When I had trouble several years back with
wasting one roll out of three on my M4, I called Leica, and they still
recommended trimming the leader.  It worked for me.

Take a look at the layout in an M4, M4-2, M4-P, or M6:  the idea is to have
the curve on the tongue begin where the film exits the cassette so that the
top half (bottom half as you install it, as the camera body is now upside
down) of the film doesn't actually contact the platen or the pressure strips
until a couple of exposures have been fired off.

Apparently, a lot of folks don't have difficulties loading their M's without
trimming.  So be it.  I do have problems, and the trimming eliminates the
difficulties for me.  Simply a thought:  whatever works for the individual
photographer -- within some REALLY broad guidelines -- is okay.

Best,

Marc

msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!