Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/03/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Sonny writes: <<In a film I saw of him (HCB) at work, he had a way of sliding his? forefinger along the wind knob of the LTM camera he was using, and the flow was? so smooth that it might as well have been a motordrive.? Try it, you can? wind the camera for the next shot with one stroke of your forefinger.>> HCB must have had thick calluses on his forefinger. I used to advance the film HCBs way with my LTM Leicas and wore the skin raw from the knurling on the winding knob. But in the waning days of the LTM models, I discovered a winding assist called the "Tech Rapid Advance Lever." This was a beautifully crafted investment casting that fitted over the knob. A curved finger cradling extension protruded out one side. It resembled a comma made of metal. You wound the film with a circular motion of your forefinger. After one revolution of the winding knob, your finger was positioned directly over the shutter button ready to take take the next picture. I could snap a pictur e a second with ease. The company that made this beautiful gadget was Tech Photo Products of Brooklyn, NY, now long out of business. Sherry Krauter has a drawer full of similar LTM winders but none nearly as nice. We tried to find a jewelry casting company that would produce a similar winding lever, but, given the size of the market, the price would have been prohibitive. Larry Z ?