Loading film - What's the big deal?

[anoldsock]

I've heard a lot of heart ache over loading film with the Leica LTM, and was expecting the worst when i loaded my Leica for the for time today. To my surprise it was pretty easy and straight forward. It was much to do about nothing. Granted it was a little more involving than loading film in a camera which the back swings open, but still...it wasn't that bad. :)

[George Bonanno]

I agree... a big to-do about nothing.

Sort of like learning the Morse Code.

It's actually about old dogs and new tricks... they just don't get it.

[Gary Sandhu]

Got a iiif 2 weeks ago -- no big deal here either.

[TheHub]

Been using a IIIf since last summer, no problems here either.

[projectbluebird]

My first bottom loader was a Zorki. The first 2 times I loaded it, it took awhile. After that it was fine. When I finally got my IIIf last year, I had no trouble loading it.

Woof!

[semrich]

I've had more than a few rolls through my IIIf never a problem after my repair guy showed me how to do it the first time.

[thetooth]

i find it's hit and miss . sometimes is goes great other times it seems like you chose the most brittle film possible and you let the explicatives fly .

yesterday i could not load a roll of color film , frustrated i took it out and loaded a roll of black and white no problem .

[Roger Hicks]

I've never understood why people get so excited about it either.

Mind you, when I started using Leicas, films were still sold with the long leader, i.e you didn't have to trim them.

Cheers,

R.

[merlin]

Yeah, why the fuss? Count back 15 (or 13 or 17) sprocket holes, scissor-in 45º close behind the wasted hole and swing up the lean side of the center line to the leader tip, then round the newly-cut sprocket-side shoulder with a fine snip or two. Cutting straight isn't too important, leaving rough edges where the film can hang up, IS.

I've found that visually verifiying sprocket-to-film engagement is much quicker and easier when the rewind knob is under light tension while advancing/engaging the film – particularly those less-bendy films thetooth just mentioned.

[payasam]

As a child I saw people loading screw Leicas, so bottom loading has never seemed strange.

[januaryman]

While I never have, so far - I found this and it looked easy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heMk-4hde9E