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Leica MotorM

I used both the hand grip and the motor driver. It increased the size and weight of the camera. It also make a loud nose esp. with 2frame/s setting. These opposites the reason of using a M camera.

It gives a better handling but is similar to the hand grip for me. I sold the moter driver with no regreat.
 
Having slagged off the Winder M4-2 something rotten (above), today I discovered a webpage (which may already be known to some of you: http://www2.bitstream.net/~c&bell/ ) that told me how to make said winder quiet and smooth. So I pulled my winder out of the drawer in which it had lingered, cameraless until very lately, since about 1987, dismantled it, and set about making the appropriate adjustments. I also put a stronger spring (cut from a retractable ballpoint pen) under the winder dog because it was plain that the winder dog was slipping against the camera coupling. Anyway, that done (and me being pleased with my new-found quiet, smooth winder) I looked at it again.
Properly adjusted it works very well and is now a complete revelation. Mine was bought new, completely out of whack and at the time they didn't want to know about it - hence my annoyed letter to Leitz. Why they couldn't adjust them right at the works I don't know.
It now gives a very efficient 3fps with the brand new batteries I put in today (actually slightly quicker than my Nikon MD18 on some, admittedly well-used, Duracells) if the shutter release is "ridden" properly.
It has a major advantage over the new Motor M - it takes available-anywhere AA batteries.

So what are the two problems that remain with this winder?

1) That it almost doubles the height of the camera and makes it rather more massive than one would normally like. Having said that, what about the motors for the M2's and 4's??????Blimey!
2) That with the motor attached you can no longer put the camera down standing upright.
The main issue for me is No 2.

So what if you could take the battery holder off the bottom and put it, say on the front????? In the manner of the Remopak batteries that were applied to the Nikon S's and Fs. Has anybody done this already?? The idea would be to mount the pack, maybe in a custom housing, so that it widens the base forwards and gives a stable platform for putting the camera down. I've been looking at this, and it should be easy to accomplish. The main issue will be slimness: it would need to leave sufficient room (for me at least) to comfortably get to the focussing lever on my 35 'lux. Mind being applied; we'll have to see what happens. Watch this space.
 
Andy, The first version of M4-2 Winders had a battery which ran the lenngth of the base. It came with a cord to allow you to carry the battery pack in your coat pocket. Using this cord should make your idea, easily work.
Happy Snaps,
 
Yup. I've got one of those battery packs and a cord that I made up myself (better than the Leitz offering) years ago. But I never got on with the batteries in the pocket thing. Too 1950's Nikon for my liking. I'm looking at fabricating an ABS extension to the front of the winder which will be hard-wired into the switch assembly. I have a number of old 4xAA holders in the right format and access to plastic of the right variety. By attaching the batteries to the front of the thing it'll provide a stable base, and will still leave the old battery connections free on the camera base should I ever feel the need to take it out in -20 degs.
I'd have looked at doing this years and years ago if the thing had worked to my liking in the first place!
 
> I've been looking at this, and it should be easy to accomplish. The main issue will be slimness: it would need to leave sufficient room (for me at least) to comfortably get to the focussing lever on my 35'lux. =================================================================

I pursued a similar solution, but for a different reason. I bought an extra battery holder and modified it with a connector to accept a power cord. The power cord allows me to use a remote battery pack for cold weather shooting. The four AA cells do not seem like much weight, but it is a noticable difference. Since I did not have to butcher the original battery holder I still have the option of using it either way.

Depending on your skills at fabrication, you might consider making a new battery case that will hold either four AA cells or two Lithiums off to one side of the lens rather than across the entiure front of the camera. That would sove you lens accesibility problem.
 
Could someone tell me how long this motor takes to rewind a 35 roll of film? Haven't seen this information. thanks.
 
are you serious?!?! What's up with that? that seems so asinine. is it really that hard for them to make it rewind the *&^% film? rewinding in heavy action is half the point! erghh....
 
On the good side Garth, if you happen to live in really cold and dry areas, without the motor drive you won't be as likely to risk those little lightening strikes on the film from rewinding too fast. I went to college in South Dakota where just this week was around 0 without the windchill. That's where I learned about lightening striking the film from within the camera.
happy.gif


Cathy in Atlanta
 
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