[Leica] Benefits of Leica M film loading/rewind system

[Tristan Tom <tt@tristan.net>]

One of the seldomly mentioned benefits of the Leica M camera is the 
film loading/unloading system. For instance, I can easily rewind the 
film by feel in order to leave the leader out. This is something that 
most other cameras (esp. SLRs) have to either be programmed to do, or 
in many cases, have to be sent to a service center to have modified 
to leave the leader out (Nikon F100 is one example).

With my Leica I often rewind the film without having shot the entire 
roll. I leave the leader out, and mark which frame number I was at 
and then put another kind of film in, etc..When I reload a half shot 
roll of film, I shoot through to the frame number where I left off by 
leaving the lens cap on, and setting the camera to the fastest 
shutter speed, smallest aperature and focus at infinity. Seems to 
work well!


Tristan Tom
<http://www.tristan.net/>