Trimming film leader on Nicca-3F?

anta40 · Jun 5, 2019

I have some experiences with few Leica M film cameras.
But the Nicca-3F, one of the Leica screw mount copies, is really new to me.
A few YouTube videos recommend to trim the film leader like 11 or 13 sprocket holes before putting in in the body.
Yet, I don't see this mentioned in the manual, though.
So, I wonder if this is a neccesary procedure or not.

Ballinderry-Michael · Jun 5, 2019

Figure 2, early in the manual, illustrates what is clearly a long leader. So an 18-hole trim (13, if it's a commercial film already trimmed to 5 holes) looks appropriate.

I should have said that the procedure looks the same as I'd use on my Leica IIIf.

anta40 · Jun 5, 2019

Ouch, I just noticed this is posted on the wrong place. Should have been on "Rangefinder Forum" instead.
So what if I want to use modern films like Kodak Portra 400? Should I trim it or not?

Jim Jones · Jun 5, 2019

When loading these bottom-loading cameras with a short leader film, the film sometimes catches on the film gate. To avoid this, insert a business card in the film slot to cover the take-up edge of the film gate, and load the film behind the card.

BradS · Jun 5, 2019

anta40 said:
Ouch, I just noticed this is posted on the wrong place. Should have been on "Rangefinder Forum" instead.
So what if I want to use modern films like Kodak Portra 400? Should I trim it or not?

Yes. All modern films need to have the leader trimmed. The necessity of trimming the leader is not mentioned in the manual because films at that time used to have the long leader - modern films do not have it...thus the need. Same as for the Leica screw ,mounts.

MattKing · Jun 5, 2019

It might be more accurately described as "shaping" the leader.
A camera that has a back "door" that you swing open to load film is sort of a "modern" invention.

Trimming film leader on Nicca-3F?

anta40

Ballinderry-Michael

anta40

Jim Jones

BradS

MattKing

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