Re: M6 film winding

[TTAbrahams@aol.com]

Adi, The Leicavit was a filmwinding device designed by Leica for the Leica
MP. This was a camera aimed at the pro-shooters of the 50's. They made some
400 of these and continued to make the Leicavit MP for the M2 Leica for some
years. They also had these for the older screwmount cameras. Unfortunately
the Leicavits have become highly priced collectables and they are virtually
impossible to find anymore. They are also somewhat fragile and if they break
you cant get them repaired. It used a chaindrive and a single action clutch.
The Vit replaced the regular baseplate and there was a folding lever that you
pulled from right to left to advance the film and cock the shutter. For those
of us who are left eye shooters it means that we could shoot without dropping
the camera from our eye ( left) and not poke the right eye out with the
regular advance lever. I might be dating myself, but I used to work with
these cameras in the 60's in Sweden. I did not keep them, which is too bad as
today I could sell them for enough money to buy a nice car!
 In 1984 my last Leicavit bit the dust and was sold to a collector. I thought
that the regular power winder for the M4-2 and M4-P Leica would be an
adequate substitute. It wasn't and still isn't. Frustrated with the lack of
"left hand film advances" I designed my own version and in 1987 I made the
first one. Initially it was a project to supply myself with 1/2 dozen for my
own use, but it caught on and now i make them almost full time. Rather than
making them from brass ( original Leica design) I have the cases machined
from a titanium/aluminum alloy and then make and install the drive train for
the M6/M4-P/M4-2 in them. They weigh about 130 gram and add 14 mm to the
overall height of the camera. There is no modification to the camera
required. Some of the early ones were crude, but hey I did not know anything
about machining and manufacturing when I started. Now they are rather
sophisticated. Most of my production goes to Japan and Europe and the
majority of buyers are pro-shooters. It is available in black only ( I have
made some in a chrome finish and even a red, a green and a deep purple one).
The price for the standard M6/M4-2/M4-P ones is US$ 425, including shipping.
For the truly retrograde among us I do make a M2 version also. This one fits
on the Leica M2/Md and MP and uses a similar drivetrain to the old Leicavit
MP with the exception that I use a polycarbonate drive belt and a multipin
clutch( techtalk for a quiet drive and a positive clutch action). Oh, the
tripod bushing is also centered on my winder.The M2 version is a limited
production and costs US$ 525 in silver finish ( it is more complex to make,
thats why the price is higher).
 The operating life of these winders is as yet undetermined, I know of
several that has 15-20 000 rolls through them. Occasionally i have replaced
clutches and drives on them, but so far nobody has managed to wear out the
drivebelt. Production is a one-man operation and right now I am back logged
for about a month. Sunny weather tends to affect production adversely, but
Vancouver provides for enough grey skies and rain to keep the delays to a
manageble level.
Tom A