Lesson learned- check! Uh...

jdos2 · 03-26-2005

Lesson number one.
Do NOT open the bottom of a Leica with film in it, unless said film is rewound, or you do it in a dark bag.

Lesson number two.
Don't repeat the mistake of lesson number within a week of learning it the first time.

back alley · 03-26-2005

ouch!

joe

felipe · 03-26-2005

oh well, I still do this from time to time and I have had mine for nearly 8 months, so no reason to worry.

Appears to happen only when ruining a roll is the last thing you can afford to happen though...

Having said that, if you manage to close it again fast enough, chances are good you are only loosing 3-4 frames. The film seems to be wound quite tightly.

cheers,
Phil

aizan · 03-26-2005

always check the tension on the rewind!

Flyfisher Tom · 03-26-2005

second Aizan, I always check the rewind lever before I open ... this learned after similar experiences to yours ;-) The other thing I do is put a small bit of masking tape on loaded cameras that have what is in them. I peel the tape off when I unload.

Brian Sweeney · 03-26-2005

Another good reason to use the camera in an ever-ready case. If you take it out of the case, it is either to load it or unload it. And with the Leica, Canon RF, Nikon RF, and Nikon F, you can still rewind it without taking it out of the case. Last time I did this was with the Canon F1. Forgot that the reason that I took it out of the case was to rewind it...

felipe · 03-26-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manolo Gozales

Hey

Lesson 2: When you change from a 35mm to a 21mm (or from any lens to another), on your non metered Leica, remember to remove the lens cap. There won't be any meter LEDS ro remind you like there are on your Bessa R2.

D'oh!

Could have been worse - only lost about 5 frames this time.

ManGo

I don't do this anymore. The one time when the client reminded me that the pics would look much better with the lens cap OFF the lens was enough.

Must say I don't have lenscaps on all the other lenses though (only filters)

Another bright thing is to put 120 roll film into a 220 back and exposing 24 frames nonetheless. Even more impressive is reloading and repeating this act of ultimate coolness two time before finally noticing where all that "fancy extra frames" came from.

SolaresLarrave · 03-26-2005

So that's why the metering arrows flicker so much!

Of course, the lens cap's on.

One thing, jdos, your advice came a bit too late. I could have used it a year and a half ago...

But then, as felipe said, the film is so tightly wound I didn't lose more than two frames.

How about shooting a Yashica GS with the lens cap on because there's NO way in the camera to prevent you from doing such a dumb thing?

Stu :) · 03-26-2005

Recently I ventured into the local camera store where the owner's daughter took a shine to my new M2. So I gave her the M2 and she gave me the keys to the camera cabinets. Two minutes later I hear-
"Oh sorry, have you got film in here?!"
I turn back to the counter and see the bottom plate removed and reply-
"Not any more..."

Stu

jdos2 · 03-26-2005

My Tri-X came out of the Diafine.

All is not lost, but sadly, for the 1,600ASA of the film, rather more than 4-6 frames. A lesson learned. Twice.

It's not as bad as it WAS when I was just learning photography on my Medium Format Mamiya Universal- I was using a Polaroid back constantly, and just as constantly forgetting the darkslide.

tbm · 03-27-2005

Re accidentally opening your M6 with film in it , I've been a semi-professional cook for twenty years and store uneaten main course portions in Tupperware and store the containers in my freezer, only after writing the identity of the contents on a strip of freezer tape (similar to masking tape but easier to remove) and applying the tape to the Tupperware. Since buying my M6, I consistently write on a strip of freezer tape the name of the film I've loaded into my M6 and place the strip on the base plate. Even if I put my M6 away for weeks and don't use it, when I next pull it out and see the tape on the base plate I immediately know that there is film in the M6. Just the same, if there is no strip on the base plate, I immediately know no film has been loaded. Works for me every time!

jdos2 · 03-27-2005

Oh, it's just me being an "ID-ten-tee," (ask someone who's suffered a military initiation...)

There's a learning curve associated with new equipment. I'm normally fairly decent about "workflow" with Medium Format, I've just not yet gotten the "hang" of the Leica.
It'll happen.

What's funny about the whole thing is that film loading is easier than I ever heard it would be, and though it took a bit to get used to, I have no problems doing it. Different learning curves.

2maneekameras · 03-27-2005

When using any of my cameras with an accessory shoe, and not using any device in said shoe, I cut down a piece of cardboard or end flap from film package and place it in the shoe. This reminds me, not only that I have film in the camera, but also which kind. Many of my cameras have some sort of film type user setable device, but that doen't really tell me if there is still film in the camera. I remove the cardbord "reminder" when the camera is empty. If I am really in doubt, I'll go into my darkroom and open the camera there to check.

kafrf · 03-30-2005

I got a roll of film back the other day, with some really interesting artsy images....couldn't figure out what they were until I remembered this was the roll I trashed when I took the bottom off without checking the rewind tension! Happens to most of us..

Now, my problem is remembering what film I've got loaded, and I'm not about to stick one of those little plastic pockets on the back of my Leicas.

sockdaddy · 03-30-2005

i've been digital for what seems like ages, and decided to make a real effort to pick up 35mm (and MF) photography last year for my New Year's resolution.

i bought a Seagull 205a rangefinder (my first film camera in years, and it's a RF!) and started shooting everything. of course, i just couldn't get in the habit of pressing the rewind/sprocket release before i started cranking the film back... i think i shredded about half of my first 10-12 rolls of 35mm that month!

tell me i'm not the only one who has ever done that...

Doug · 03-30-2005

Rewinding must have taken quite an effort...

sockdaddy · 03-30-2005

i just kept telling myself, it's not auto-rewind, so you gottal move the lever until there isn't any more tension - and i was so excited about getting my film out and getting on to the next roll i would rewind them at turbo speed!

for about 6-8 frames...

Stu :) · 03-31-2005

That reminds me, two years ago on the university field trip one of my fellow students took the school's Horizon 202 out for day's hike. He walked for two hours in one direction before taking any shots. When the film apparently ran out he had to hike back for four hours to base camp. Later that night he asked me that something was wrong with the camera, as I was the only student with any experience using this odd beast. So I got out my changing bag felt around inside the camera and discovered he shredded the first several frames worth of socket holes on the film and the film didn't advance any further than the standard film wind on.
The language used was colourful to say the least...

Stu