RE: [Leica] You're on the Board!

["Dan Honemann" <ddh@home.com>]

Thanks for these tips, Rick.  I'll try using them next roll.

Oddly, the first roll went in without a hitch.  The second roll was
stubborn, however, and it took three attempts (and a rather delicate
operation with a pair of tweezers to fetch the film leader back out and get
it into the take-up spool) to get it loaded properly.  What I found scary
was just how difficult (in this case, impossible) it is to get the film back
out of the camera once it is fully inserted; it would be easy, it seems, to
damage the shutter curtain this way.

I'm sure I'll get the knack of it eventually.  I do appreciate the tips,
though.

Dan

> Seems like you've done the same thing I did, jam one of the first film
> loads.  Made me sweat, it did.  But I soon learnt how to load the easy
> way.  Do it just like it shows inside the baseplate, yet take a little
> care to ensure the backplate will flatten the film against the film
> guides when its closed.  Don't worry about the film sprocket holes not
> sitting on the sprocket roller; the bottom plate's basket thingy nudges
> the film into the right position when putting it on.
>
> Trick: Once the bottom plate is on, wind the shutter a little, say a
> third of a wind, to get the sprockets sitting in the film's sprocket
> holes, then rewind the rewind lever a little to feel that the film has
> been taken up.  Then complete the wind and watch the rewinding lever
> turn.  This simple method makes you sure it's all working.
>
> Basically, with a minimum of fuss, it'll work every time, and your first
> three wishes will be granted.
>
> Regards
>
> Rick Dykstra