Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/25

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Subject: [Leica] M6 - Film Transport & Rewind Problems
From: Denis Boisclair <denis.a.boisclair@lineone.net>
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2000 21:55:22 +0100

My thanks to all those who responded so promptly to my email yesterday  - 
see below.

What struck me was  the overriding theme - that I should check the way that 
I loaded the film - nobody thought that the camera was the problem.YOU WERE 
ALL DEAD RIGHT!!!!!

Believe it or not I had been trying very hard to load the film correctly - 
but I had concentrated on placing the leader 'by the book' in the take up 
spool. In the light of your replies I tried again and this time kept the 
back open to see what was going on when I advanced the film - I saw that 
the film was riding over the sprockets which weren't engaging with the 
perforations............I then carefully adjusted the film to obtain this 
engagement, closed the back - advanced the film again - hey presto -  the 
rewind knob turned steadily each time and continued to do so during a 
shooting session this afternoon.

Quite right - loading the film is a 'no brainer' - but  having loaded 
several different  Canon EOS SLR cameras over many years without problems I 
somehow overlooked the  need to 'watch the basics'  more carefully with the 
M6. I am now rather humbled and embarrassed......!!!!!!

Sorry to all concerned for the false alarm - but thanks again for making me 
re-consider my loading technique. It feels very good to have the camera 
working again..........

Denis

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
"My immaculate 1998 M6 - bought a few weeks ago - has a problem!!

After successfully using  two films it's been a case of 'third time unlucky!

When I tried to rewind film 3(exposed to No 39) the rewind handle was hard 
to turn and  locked solid quite quickly. I had to open the back and cut 
across the film  before I could pull the exposed section away from the take 
up spool. I  also discovered that the film had become 'unlocked' inside the 
cassette  and it just pulled out from that end

  I inserted another film - 'exposed blanks' to no 36 and then rewound it - 
it felt ok and there was the release feeling when it came away from the 
take up spool. Opened the back and just a short section of film was 
protruding from the cassette.

Reinstalled the film and took the pictures - or so I thought - the film had 
never transported! I felt the 'release' from the take up spool as soon as I 
started the rewind.

I have spoken on the 'phone to a Leica repairer(of 40 years experience) and 
he talked me through some checks ,after which he thought the problem might 
lie with the take up spool clutch rather than the mechanism inside the top 
housing. As I live only two hours drive from him he suggested I take the 
camera to him and he will do a spot check - and hopefully sort out the 
problem while I am there - this will be on Saturday.

My main reason for this posting is to see if any other LUG member has had a 
similar problem with an M6.......????????? "

Denis Boisclair
(Northwich, UK)