Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/05/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Julian Koplen wrote: >>>I have tried all the simple things mentioned, especially Ted's technique. I use mostly Fuji Superia 400 and 800 films. I continue to be plagued by a slight downward curve in the film leader, about two inches from its beginning. This causes the upper edge of the leader to get caught just beneath the upper edge of the camera's shutter gate, so that the film will not slip all the way in when I put on the baseplate. Oftentimes it catches one of the shutter curtains when I attempt to wind on. I then have to reopen the camera and fumble and struggle with the leader to lift it out of the shutter path (without damaging the shutter), so that it can be reloaded. I have thought of carrying one of those white plastic collar stays, just for the purpose of slipping it under the film and lifting out of the shutter's path. Anyhoo, it's that slight reverse film curve located almost in the center of the shutter gate that I can't control. Everytime I try KISS, with minimal fiddling, that is what defeats me. If I ensure that the sprocket holes are properly lined up before I close the camera, then it is no longer the KISS operation that several of you find so easy. How do you keep that little reverse film curvature from catching under the top edge of the shutter gate? Feeling dumb..............Julian<<<< Julian lad, No need to feel dumb many of us have gone through various film hang-ups over the years and the curvature comes with some films and not others. A couple things. When you see this bulge take the film between thumb and fore finger of both hands and slightly put pressure to reverse the bulge and at the same time roll the little bulge back and forth and it'll flatten out. But take care not to put too much pressure as you'll fold the film and that wont help any. Damn this is hard to explain, :-( much easier to show. ;-) Then flattened, it only takes a moment, I load in the normal fashion. Maybe you aren't getting the film deep enough into the chamber to clear the film gate opening as I can't re-call a time when the film hung up on the shutter curtain. In other words, the leader should be far enough through to the take up spool for the full width of film, sprocket to sprocket, covering the shutter curtain area. But there isn't any question I can see how the bulge can effect your loading. I just loaded a roll of Fuji film to see what was happening when you load. The same little inward bulge was there, it occurs just at the point where the film comes out of the canister. So doing the roll back and forth with film in fingers as explained above works, just did it again on another roll. Heck you might even consider using another film manufacturer that doesn't come with the inward bulge, However I vaguely re-call a post sometime ago where film bulge was discussed so maybe others out there have a different answer. ted Ted Grant Photography Limited www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html