Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/01/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The ABLON template does not cut through sprocket holes. It still seems to me to be faster to use a long leader. It is bad enough having to have three hands to load an LTM already and my plastic surgeon refuses to attach a fourth! John Collier > From: Douglas Cooper <douglas@metaversalstudios.com> > > >> >> If you remove the baseplate of your camera and look at the loading diagram, >> you will see the diagram shows the long leader. >> >> Trim it! The number one killer of LTM cameras is loose bits of film. >> >> John Collier > > > There is no doubt that film chips will kill your camera -- it's like feeding > chicken bones to a dog. *However*, I have it from a guy who may well know > more about the insides of these cameras than any man alive (note I said > "man"), that untrimmed film is just fine if you load it properly. In fact, > he suggested this over cutting the leader. (The man in question is DAG; > dunno if Sherry would support this.) > > A) remove the lens and base plate > > B) turn the shutter to "T" and press the release. (This locks the shutter > open.) > > C) attach the untrimmed film to the spool, and insert both, carefully, > guiding the film as it moves across the shutter window so that it doesn't > catch on the upper edge of the window. DO NOT FORCE IT. You will feel it > when it is in the right place. > > D) replace lens and base plate, then turn the shutter dial to release the > lock. > > Done. > > Never had a problem. And it's much less of a pain than trimming that > leader. (In fact, when you trim the film, you often cut through a sprocket > hole, which leaves a tab that looks to me as if it's a prime candidate for > chipping off.) > >