Hi can I use shutter assembly of leica m3 ss or ds to my leica m4?

K

kasti

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Hi can I use the shutter curtain bar and shutter curtain for the DS or SS Leica M3?

Need some technical advice on this please...

Thanks in advance!!!

Truly
Kasti M4
 
Anyone?

I am gonna find out myself.
waiting for the donor m3 2nd curtain shutter in few days.

btw the only difference is m3 2nd shutter curtain has no sound dampening or stopper on the botom unlike m4, just what I am curious about.

KastiM4
 
Sorry. We are Leica photographers here, not Frankensteiners. We send Leicas to those who knows how to fix them.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
Sorry. We are Leica photographers here, not Frankensteiners. We send Leicas to those who knows how to fix them.
Click to expand...

Ditto.

This isn’t an old Nikon or Pentax cannibalized to resurrect a dead body. The M3 was designed and built like an old, fine watch. The very late M4, not so much though it did serve as the template for all later film M’s.
 
It is this attitude that the Leica and all other mechanical and electro-mechanical cameras are only serviceable by factory trained technicians, which allows me to have a large and probably expensive collection of formerly unusable photographic and motion picture gear. I say probably expensive because the only thing that can be quantified is my time as a supposedly unskilled hobbyist. That's fine by me. There is only one way to learn to do this, and that is not by paying someone else to fix the camera. They were made by mortal human beings with the same mental faculties which we all share, for the most part. So have at it and good luck!
Phil Forrest
 
Say it louder for the people in the back Phil!

Nothing easy has ever been worth doing!
 
There are DIYers here but maybe they didn’t venture to the forum and didn’t see the post, or there is simply no one who has done that specific swap from M3 to M4 and didn’t want to just guess...
 
I'm no expert on shutter curtain repair, though I do have a collection of busted shutters to try out, and have studied the issue. That said, there could be differences in the metal ends that might preclude using the M3 on an M4, but I think the part is reusable, so you can just keep the one off the M4 for the new curtain.

You also don't need to get another camera just for stripping the curtains out of it, but can buy the curtain and ribbon material to make your own. It usually comes pre-cut to the proper length to make the installation easier. I've got a couple of sets for my FSU cameras whenever I get around to fixing them.

PF
 
B-9 said:
Say it louder for the people in the back Phil!

Nothing easy has ever been worth doing!
Click to expand...

Phil_F_NM said:
It is this attitude that the Leica and all other mechanical and electro-mechanical cameras are only serviceable by factory trained technicians, which allows me to have a large and probably expensive collection of formerly unusable photographic and motion picture gear. I say probably expensive because the only thing that can be quantified is my time as a supposedly unskilled hobbyist. That's fine by me. There is only one way to learn to do this, and that is not by paying someone else to fix the camera. They were made by mortal human beings with the same mental faculties which we all share, for the most part. So have at it and good luck!
Phil Forrest
Click to expand...

I have fixed many cameras which I have purchased as in trouble. Fixed and sold as working ones. Never had money request for return. Including Zorki cameras with complete re-haul including new curtains cut by my hands.
Once I sold them enough I purchased M4-2. And because of this knowledge I'm not the clueless moron to change curtains on it by myself.

Sorry to call the truth on you both.
 
Phil_F_NM said:
It is this attitude that the Leica and all other mechanical and electro-mechanical cameras are only serviceable by factory trained technicians, which allows me to have a large and probably expensive collection of formerly unusable photographic and motion picture gear. I say probably expensive because the only thing that can be quantified is my time as a supposedly unskilled hobbyist. That's fine by me. There is only one way to learn to do this, and that is not by paying someone else to fix the camera. They were made by mortal human beings with the same mental faculties which we all share, for the most part. So have at it and good luck!
Phil Forrest
Click to expand...

Well, but there is something to be said for recognizing one's limitations. I'm a fairly decent woodworker. I can make a pretty nice table or wall cabinet. But I wouldn't want to try repairing a Stradivarius!

It's a matter of assessing the benefit vs. the risk.
 
I think it would be harder to do on a Leica III series than an M due to all the special tools you need to take the camera apart. The M is easier to open up.


What kasti does have to take into consideration is that the M3, 2, and 4 are all different cameras, though they look almost exactly the same on the outside. Each one has its own features that were not in the model previous to it, thus maybe the shutter curtains are different due to improvements Leica may have made. I have read of some folks who had Nikon titanium shutter curtains installed in their Leica, but not as a DIY project. It's in the adjustment of the curtains where I hesitate to replace a shutter unless I can find a definitive way to adjust the installment, like how many turns of spring tension do you put in the curtain drums before locking everything down?


PF
 
Ko.Fe. said:
I have fixed many cameras which I have purchased as in trouble. Fixed and sold as working ones. Never had money request for return. Including Zorki cameras with complete re-haul including new curtains cut by my hands.

Once I sold them enough I purchased M4-2. And because of this knowledge I'm not the clueless moron to change curtains on it by myself.

Sorry to call the truth on you both.
Click to expand...
I have nothing to prove to you but I am a bit confused by your contradictory statement. Regardless, I have a hobby of fixing cameras, especially motion picture cameras, these days. I love shooting 16mm film. I come from a family of medical professionals and engineers, so I have a little of both in me. I've been tinkering my whole life and I'm not going to let a negative statement like yours bother me. I wish you and your cameras pristine operation, for all your days. Happy shooting.
Phil Forrest
 
WOW!

I think you need to pump the brakes Kostya.

There is absolutely no reason for you to disrespect Phil and me like that.
 
Thanks for the response, this is gonna be fun.

ko.fe hold my beer, I'll be right back!

Hmm we will see... I've spoke to Don DAG about it and it can be done.

BTW, LxW of both shutter curtain on M3 and M4 has same dimension, you just gonna make a 2 holes to hold on M4 main roller...


KastiM4

Risk and Learn Baby!!!
 
KastiM4, it really depends on your level of expertise and access to the right tools whether you can do it or not.
I have messed about with a few zorkis - even though they seemed to work fine, simple things like shutter tension and running on leaving a constant gap between them is difficult to repair without the right tools - let alone replacing the whole shutter mechanism.

Leica cameras are expensive and prices are likely to raise in the future. If you don't have the skills to do it you risk ruin them. Personally I would pass it on to an expert, you might think otherwise.
 
I think it would be hard to 'ruin' an M in this manner. It's more about how much it would cost to make it right again by sending it to someone like DAG. :)
 
I would just give DAG or Sherry K. a call and ask the question. I suspect the answer is "no," but don't know enough to answer the question, which incidentally, appears to be the case for everyone who has responded so far. That's OK. We are not all expected to know everything.

On the other hand, if the OP is determined to get out the screw drivers and dremmel and find out for himself, I'd be interested in the answer for pure entertainment value.

BTW, I realize this is heresy to some folks, but there is no shame in a simple "I don't know."

Sitting back. Getting the popcorn. Carry on.
 
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