Unfortunately my M6 was dropped and the rewind crank was cracked. Does anyone have a suggestion as to whether I could order the part and repair it myself or should I send it off for repair. There does not appear to be any other damage.

-- Bill Mathis (abmathis@home.com), February 17, 2002

Answers

It is very easy to replace the crank. One tiny setscrew in the collar is revealed when you flip up the handle. Loosen this and then with a screwdriver in the center (from the top) just either hold the crank and turn the screwdriver clockwise, (if there is no film in the camera)or hold the screwdriver steady and wind the crank backwards. Wind the new one on and tighten the setscrew. (The new crank may not come with one.) It might be a bit easier to start the new crank if you hold the shaft inside the camera, but it can be changed without even unloading film.

-- Ian MacEachern (iwmac@sympatico.ca), February 17, 2002.

Your country's distributor would cheerfully sell you the part. Phone or email them and ask.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), February 17, 2002.

I did the exact same thing to my 0.72 body. If you are in Canada Lisle-Kelco will cheerfully sell you the part for about $50 CDN. You will need a precision screwdriver set to perform the change. Also, there are two screws to loosen: the top screw and the set screw on the shaft. Its a pretty easy 2 minute affair.

Good luck.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), February 17, 2002.

Oh, forgot to mention, the top screw doesn't loosen (its part of the rewind shaft), rather the assembly threads OFF the top screw so just hold it tight with a philips head and "wind" the old crank off then "wind" the new crank on.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), February 17, 2002.

I had to change the one on my M4-P, the same crank as the M6. In the UK last year the price was about £32 from Leica. Its a very easy job, just a 'jewellers' screwdriver in the screw revealed by lifting the crank, hold it, or the crank steady, and turn the screw clockwise, or the crank anticlockwise to undo.

-- Steve Barnett (barnet@globalnet.co.uk), February 18, 2002.