I have managed to break my brand new Leica just after 3 weeks of use.

Because I did not do a very good job bulkloading a cassette, the film broke off the spool and I could not rewind it. I decided to remove the film from the camera in the darkroom, instead I managed to remove the spring that was sitting inside the takeup spool.

I can still load the camera without any problems, but it seems that the shutter produces a lot more noise than it used to. Is it possible that my hearing got amplified by the sence of guilt, or the spring is designed to reduce the vibration of the shutter?

Should I get it fixed or just let it be the way it is now? Does it really perform any function in a Leica? I would hate to send it out for some 6 to 8 weeks to repair.

I would appreciate any advice, even if you folks tell me to go check my head instead.

Mik

-- Mike Meskin (grafloc@earthlink.net), September 25, 2001

Answers

It's guilt, pure guilt. The spring pushes the leader down against the "basket" on the baseplate so that the leader is properly located relative to the inside of the camera. Can't you just jam the spring back into place???? (My camera's got film in it, or I'd check, myself).

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), September 25, 2001.

Mike,

The spring (actually one of two inside the film takeup device) is pretty soft, I doubt you can push it back into place. On mine it looks like the spring slips into a track at the base of the tulip- shaped spool. You might be able to lead it back in there with a tool (something plastic, not metal or wood). But there is very little clearance. Realistically, I think the spool has to come out to get the spring back in properly.

I tugged on mine a little, and it felt to me like it would distort before coming out, so you may have to replace the spring anyway. If you can load film reliably then I’d set that spring aside in a safe place till the time comes to send the camera back to Leica for some other reason.

I agree with Michael, the spring in question has nothing to do with the shutter. Of course while you were filddling in the dark you might have also done something to the shutter. I suggest you shoot a roll running through all the shutter speeds just to be sure the speeds are OK. Odds are, the sound you hear is all in your head. (I wish there was a Passport warranty for that, man, my head could stand a good CLA.)

Hope this helps, good luck,

-- Jeff Stuart (jstuart1@tampabay.rr.com), September 25, 2001.

Thanks so much for your answers.

Unfortunatelly I also managed to bend that spring as well. I guess I will keep shooting my Leica for a while and see how it performs. Maybe I will stop by a dealer and see how other Leicas sound compared to mine. It seemed kind of loud even before the mishap - compared with the one I rented a while ago. But then again most probably it's just my paranoia.

I almost wish I stayed with that FED of mine - if a couple of screws fall out - no problem - can always fix it with a kitchen nife, and the shutter sounds just like the good old AK-47. What could be b

-- Mike Meskin (grafloc@earthlink.net), September 25, 2001.

I took a look at mine, and there doesn't seem to be too much to it. I'd try pushing it back in with a pencil--take the most damaged end and put it in first--thet'll help hold it and let the better end still move freely. The worst that can happen is that you'll have to go in with tweezers and pull it back out. There's nothing up in there that you can hurt. In its normal position it comes about halfway down the hole it's in.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), September 26, 2001.