This film leader thing

["joe b." <joe@azurite.demon.co.uk>]

In message <Pine.SOL.3.91.960406093940.16821A-100000@wilbur>, Tom Hodge
<thodge@charweb.org> writes
>All:  I'm curious if ANY of the Leica M models that accept a winder make
>it any easier to load film?  My Leica experience is strictly the CL so
>before I even consider an M4-P or an M-6, am I gonna frustrate myself 
>trying to load film?  Except for the slide off back, the little CL is 
>just about the easiest thing to load I've seen.

I may be missing something, but I don't think so. I use a winder on my
M6 sometimes, but since the winder replaces the removable base, the
camera is loaded as normal anyway, the winder being put on after the
difficult bit is done. Except that it isn't difficult. I find loading my
M6 easier than with a Leica R body; the only bodies that are easier than
this for me are the autoloaders like EOS etc.
I just pull out the leader until it goes into the takeup spool (no
trimming!), as illustrated on the diagram inside the base, ensure that
the cassette is pushed up into the body and nudge the film also up into
correct alignment in the body with a finger, put the base or winder on
and that's it. Check takeup spool rotates, and it always does.
I fumbled briefly with the hinged backflap and so on the first couple of
times, until I got used to the idea, but since then I'm barely aware of
loading the camera. Which suits me fine! Apart from the initial fumbling
when I first used the camera, I never had a loading problem of any sort.
-- 
joe b.