Leica LTM First time with a Barnack

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
I'm PCP, a pre-cut-peep.

Was free-handing, but finally broke down and got a cutting guide.
This is the GC ripoff of the original Leica version. Man...it's FAST!
 
I don't trim. If I'm in a hurry, I use a biz card tucked in there but otherwise I take my time and find that's a plus in the long run.

It's not like I'm a war correspondant or something... ;)

There is no need for any hurry with a barnack.

William
 
Last edited by a moderator:
wlewisiii said:
I don't trim. If I'm in a hurry, I use a biz card tucked in there but otherwise I take my time and find that's a plus in the long run.

It's not like I'm a war correspondant or something... ;)

There is no need for any hurry with a barnack.

William
Click to expand...

Do you mean you place a biz card there before loading? I have no idea why people talk about cards...

Cheers,

Juan
 
I've had the same one for 47 years, and I can't believe how my Elmar 50 (I know) is still my best 35mm lens. Of course, I like lousy lenses but still I have some other 50s for SLRs (and a couple of really good ones, for me that is a first), and I can pick out the Elmar. Before that I had a IIIc with a f2 Summar. It was really different and I wish I still had it. Someday, I'll process my Summar images. My problem now is I can't find anyone to do my shutter timing for 1/1000. I've sent it all over the USA and it still is inconsistent.
 
Juan Valdenebro said:
Do you mean you place a biz card there before loading? I have no idea why people talk about cards...

Cheers,

Juan
Click to expand...

Ah, you slide a biz card in between the shutter and the pressure plate. Then you can slip the untrimmed leader down with the spools and not worry about getting anything in the open image gate. Canon, for example, in the leather EDC's for their III & IV series cameras, actually had a little pouch with a small hard plastic card in it for that purpose rather than telling people they had to trim their film leaders. I usually don't bother with even that much because it's just as easy to simply take your time.

Hope this helps,

William
 
charjohncarter said:
I've had the same one for 47 years, and I can't believe how my Elmar 50 (I know) is still my best 35mm lens. Of course, I like lousy lenses but still I have some other 50s for SLRs (and a couple of really good ones, for me that is a first), and I can pick out the Elmar. Before that I had a IIIc with a f2 Summar. It was really different and I wish I still had it. Someday, I'll process my Summar images. My problem now is I can't find anyone to do my shutter timing for 1/1000. I've sent it all over the USA and it still is inconsistent.
Click to expand...

Hi John,

1/1000 will be my main speed as I need it for direct sun at 3.5 (ISO 100, yellow filter) because I plan to use my Barnack under direct sun mostly so I don't need to care about metering...

I thought any technician could fix or adjust a Barnack shutter perfectly...

Cheers,

Juan
 
Juan Valdenebro said:
Hi John,

1/1000 will be my main speed as I need it for direct sun at 3.5 (ISO 100, yellow filter) because I plan to use my Barnack under direct sun mostly so I don't need to care about metering...

I thought any technician could fix or adjust a Barnack shutter perfectly...

Cheers,

Juan
Click to expand...

I remember there was a long thread about this. Some says 1/1000 on Barnack is more like 1/750. I shoot B/W pushed to 1600 with 1/1000. I've never actually checked the speed with machine or anything (and I do think it's running slightly slower than 1/1000), but photos come out fine and my guess-meter isn't that accurate anyway. :p
 
wlewisiii said:
Ah, you slide a biz card in between the shutter and the pressure plate. Then you can slip the untrimmed leader down with the spools and not worry about getting anything in the open image gate. Canon, for example, in the leather EDC's for their III & IV series cameras, actually had a little pouch with a small hard plastic card in it for that purpose rather than telling people they had to trim their film leaders. I usually don't bother with even that much because it's just as easy to simply take your time.

Hope this helps,

William
Click to expand...

Thanks, William... Now I understand... Unless you have time and scissors, it looks like a better solution...

Cheers,

Juan
 
coelacanth said:
I remember there was a long thread about this. Some says 1/1000 on Barnack is more like 1/750. I shoot B/W pushed to 1600 with 1/1000. I've never actually checked the speed with machine or anything (and I do think it's running slightly slower than 1/1000), but photos come out fine and my guess-meter isn't that accurate anyway. :p
Click to expand...

As I like grain, looks like instead of slower film I'll look for ND filters and use 1/500 as my main speed...

Cheers,

Juan
 
I tend to do shutter priority myself. If i've got EI200 film (FP4+ and Diafine forex) I put it on 200 & adjust the aperture as appropriate. Of course, any DOF games throw that out the window but that's where I start with my IIIf.

I was teaching a young friend about framing & composing landscapes this last weekend. I never touched my shutter speed dial - but played a heck of a lot with the lens. YMWV, obviously, but I find it easier to work a barnack that way.
 
You know, I've never quite understood why loading a Barnack is such a problem. True, it is definitely possible to insert film and take up spool in such a way that the film will not advance properly, but that should be perfectly clear by the way that the film canister is seated in the camera. If it doesn't clearly and solidly slide all the way down into position there will be a springy feeling to the canister when you press on it. Simply take both the take up spool and canister out, make sure that the film is in a straight line between canister and take up spool, and reinsert. Shouldn't take more that a couple of tries to get it right. Of course, the card trick makes the whole exercise a no-brainer, and would probably save a lot of time and trouble if done routinely.

Cheers...

Rem
 
remegius said:
You know, I've never quite understood why loading a Barnack is such a problem. True, it is definitely possible to insert film and take up spool in such a way that the film will not advance properly, but that should be perfectly clear by the way that the film canister is seated in the camera. If it doesn't clearly and solidly slide all the way down into position there will be a springy feeling to the canister when you press on it. Simply take both the take up spool and canister out, make sure that the film is in a straight line between canister and take up spool, and reinsert. Shouldn't take more that a couple of tries to get it right. Of course, the card trick makes the whole exercise a no-brainer, and would probably save a lot of time and trouble if done routinely.

Cheers...

Rem
Click to expand...


Same for me ... never had a problem and cutting the film leader can just be done in a straight line IMO. As long as it's done to a distance of around ten centimeters.
 
Juan Valdenebro said:
Hi John,

1/1000 will be my main speed as I need it for direct sun at 3.5 (ISO 100, yellow filter) because I plan to use my Barnack under direct sun mostly so I don't need to care about metering...

I thought any technician could fix or adjust a Barnack shutter perfectly...

Cheers,

Juan
Click to expand...

My 1/1000 worked great until I had my Barnack CLAed 6 years ago. Since then I've been trying to get my 1/1000 right; inconsistent from right to left.
 
I always cut with scissors, 10cm, freehand. Just make sure the curve is smooth, no rough edges. Works just fine.

10%2010%3A41%3A20%20PM.jpg
 
On the IIIa and IIIb Leicas 1/1000 allways is a problem because these shutters are too slow. They run across the field in 1/20 of a second. What you see is that at 1/20 one side of the image is darker and on 1/1000 the other. This cannot be corrected. At 1/1000 the slit is too narrow.
When the curtains start to run, the slit is narrower than at the end of their travel. This is to correct the increasing speed of the curtains during their travel.
It is clear that a broader slit causes less trouble. This is why on the IIIc the running speed of the shutter is increased to 1/30 of a second. This causes less trouble and a good 1/1000 should be obtainable, but it will never be a real 1/1000, when you have 1/700 or something you should be happy. More important is the eveness of the exposure.
On M-Leicas things are even better. The shutters of these cameras run at 1/50 of a second.

Erik.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom