Bottom loading and film leaders

I was wondering why bottom-loading cameras need such a long 'leader' when inserting the film and take-up spool into the camera.

I can see that the film could get caught up by the film pressure plate, but surely the film leader itself could get caught up by the pressure plate?

I used FED 1 a few years and I noticed some problems when loading film without long leader.
A film was not flat and it obstruct with upper egde of frame window of camera. In case I had no the long leader I had to press film to pressure plate with my finger to pass the edge.

When loading a Fed 1, a long leader is (for me) necessary.

When engaged, I always have a look at the position of the film by putting on Z, lens removed. It allows to control if the film is completely "square", and to correct with a finger if necessary.

Jacques.

Thanks Jacques, I have forgotten to write about putting speed on Z and opening shutter. Than I could correct film with a finger.

Ah, I had not understand...
In fact, the main causes of problems are,
- the film not correctly inserted into the spool,
- the spool or the film not completely pushed (but the base plate cannot be closed),
- the leader too short, which cannot correctly take the two rows of dents.

In the last case, you can even obtain some small pieces of film inside the shutter box when turning the winding button. Then, you have to dismount the camera to clean all that mess.

I know what I speak of!

Jacques.

Thanks for the replies and the info. Though I still can't picture in my mind why a long leader doesn't get caught up by the pressure plate and yet a film with a short leader does, even if the actual amount of the film between the cassette and the take-up spool is the correct length so that it can all fit into the camera.

Silly oskar barnack. If only he'd designed his leica 1 to have an opening back, there would've been so much less trouble for so many people.

Someone should get doctor who to go back in time and tell oskar to do that.

Cutting a leader of 10cm isn't that hard. I always have a small swiss pocket knife with a pair of scissors with me. Sometimes I use the Ablon.

Never load your film with the B method or a credit card. This will cause wear of the pressure plate and deformation of the crate. Grease of your fingers can cause corrosion that scratches the back of your film.

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Silly oskar barnack. If only he'd designed his leica 1 to have an opening back, there would've been so much less trouble for so many people.

Someone should get doctor who to go back in time and tell oskar to do that.

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Cutting the leader wasn't a problem back then. The Leica itself was much more convenient in its operation than many other camera.

Full agreement with Milo. Please remember that pre-load 35mm cartridges did not exist when the Leica was designed.

Sean, Oskar Barnack was maybe "silly' but we all know what he brought to photography. What is your contribution?

I completely agree. It's a matter of use.

The other main system, the Contax/Kiev one, seems easier. And it is. But problems as entries of light are less common with the Leica/Fed system with a non detachable back.

As for Barnack being silly....

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Originally posted by Gelios

Full agreement with Milo. Please remember that pre-load 35mm cartridges did not exist when the Leica was designed.

Sean, Oskar Barnack was maybe "silly' but we all know what he brought to photography. What is your contribution?

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If we're going to get 'personal', my 'contribution' to photography has been to take very few pics, some of which aren't so bad really, considering I'm a talentless bozo, but the rest of my pics are woeful.

I merely made the observation that Oskar's loading system isn't as easy as other, admittedly later, methods.

There's no need for anyone to 'get their knickers in a twist'.

How to load a screwmount Leica is clearly pictured on the baseplate's inside and it works flawlessly. In fact this is the only logical way to load a SM Leica. After all, Leitz designed these cameras, they should know better than anyone how to use them, even better than today's geniuses.

People were more skillful in the old days. Merlin said that magic won't solve all your problems. Technology doesn't either