Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/11/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well my photo p/op on Friday was not as big as I thought it would be but I still managed to run three rolls though the old M2 so here is a quick mini review. The Leica accessory rewind crank mounts on beside and on top of the rewind knob so it sits just slightly proud of the top plate. The small spring loaded knob sits up a further few mm from there. The front edge also sits about a .5 mm out at the front as well. Otherwise it sits within the confines of the top plate. All the edges are well rounded and smooth. Most of the accessory rewind cranks fill the space by the rewind knob. This means when they are deployed for rewinding, they just miss the top plate. It is very easy to scratch the top plate with most of the accessory rewind cranks out there. One notable exception is the "Magnum" design that Stephen Gandy has made available again. The Leica accessory rewind crank does not fill the space by the rewind knob and that, in combination with the spring loaded knob, makes it much less likely you will scratch the top plate. All accessory rewind crank have some risk of scratching the top plate. Some make it difficult not to while others make it easy not to. I would say the Leica is the best in this regard with the "Magnum" second but still miles ahead of the rest of the field. Most of the accessory rewind cranks have long easy to grip knobs which work very well when you are actually rewinding. Unfortunately this same long easy to grip knob also means that the crank catches on your clothing, bag, curtains, etc. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING. It is such a problem that I have always ended up taking the accessory rewind cranks off and sticking with the knob. Better a slow rewind than a camera that is hard to get out of a bag or constantly playing "wait-a-minute" with your clothes and surroundings. The smaller spring loaded knob of the Leica accessory rewind crank seems to avoid this problem with its lower profile and smooth corners. Thank you Leica! The accessory rewind cranks do speed up rewinding significantly. Because there is no angle coupling in the rewind mechanism of M3/2/P cameras, the rewind action is smoother and even faster than with the M4/6/7 cameras. This is where the longer knobs of some accessory rewind cranks shine. Easy to grip and a pleasure to use. The smaller spring loaded knob of the Leica accessory rewind crank is not quite as good. You need to either tightly grip the knob with the fleshy part of your thumb and finger -- just like trying to hold on to an M4/6/7 knob -- or hook the knob with one of your nails. I use my thumbnail and it works just fine. The rewinding is faster and easier than with an M4/6/7 camera and almost as nice as the other accessory rewind cranks with their longer knob. One failing that all the accessory rewind cranks have is that the now increased mass results in the rewind knob/crank assembly deploying if the camera is knocked about while upside down or sideways. This is a pretty picky point but it does happen and it might then scratch your BP finish (if such things matter to you). The MP may or may not be better in this regard as the knob amy have more resistance to inadvertent deployment than my aged M2. I suppose it would also happen if you slammed the camera onto rock or concrete but that would then be the least of your concerns :-) In summary, is Leica's accessory rewind crank perfect? No, none of the accessory rewind cranks is perfect; but, to me, it does strike the perfect compromise. The Leica accessory rewind crank is also very expensive. I wish they had spent less on packaging and screwdrivers and knocked $70US off the price. Regardless this one is going to stay on my M2 and will also mean that my M2 will no longer be the ugly duckling in the family. Heck it may even become my second choice rather than my third or fourth. If I bought an MP, I would consider this a necessary accessory and one that should have been included with the camera in the first place. Shame on you Leica! If you are on a budget then I would suggest you could try the "Magnum" one as it is the second best of the lot and is $70US cheaper. Your faithful servant, John Collier Who did not get a free one from Leica for testing but would readily assent to any such underhanded chicanery. - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html