Today I processed four rolls of film, each shot through my Leitz M6 and new Leica Motor M set always on slow, i.e. "1." In chronological order, rolls #1 and #4 clearly have frames exposed on top of one another, leaving roughly half of the entire roll unexposed. Apparently the film was feeding. Rolls #2 and #3, however, fed perfectly, i.e. frames #1 through #35 each clearly exposed and perfectly spaced.

Is this a problem with my film loading, or is this a problem with the camera? Time for a CLA? Hate the thought.

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), December 22, 2001

Answers

Argh! "Apparently, the film was NOT feeding." (sorry)

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), December 22, 2001.

Tony:

If your motor was not properly engaging in the winding mechanism, I cannot see how the motor could cock the shutter without advancing the film, so this is probably not the culprit.

If the film was not loaded correctly, I can see how the situation you describe might arise as the film could be slipping on the take-up spool -- But I assume you have not had loading/feeding problems in the past with this particular body.

Barring a film loading problem, it sounds like something has gone awry inside your M, and perhaps the degenerative condition was simply accelerated by the addition of the motor.

Just my random thoughts, and please keep in mind that I am no camera mechanic!

Good luck with it,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), December 22, 2001.

Tony:

I had the same thing happen to me with an R4 two weeks ago driving into Anchorage. The film came loose from the take-up spool and worked until the film advance stopped pushing the film around the take-up spool. I caught it after two frames. You probably would have felt it if you had been advancing the film manually. I hope you didn't lose too many good shots. Merry Christmas and thank you for taking the time to moderate this forum.

MJ

-- M. Johnson (logic@gci.net), December 22, 2001.

Tony, it sounds like the sprocket-spool clutch (aka rewind clutch)is slipping. The takeup spool has a "drag" mechanism like a fishing reel, so it alone won't wind the film. That's how the rewind mechanism can operate, and how you can cock the shutter with the rewind lever in the down position for intentional multiple exposures. First check to make sure the rewind lever is back to the up position. Then make sure you take up the slack in the cassette after loading, by turning the rewind crank until you feel resistance. Then watch the rewind knob as you shoot. If it doesn't turn, or turns only slightly, it's the clutch.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), December 22, 2001.