amateriat
We're all light!
A while back, I mentioned a client of mine who mentioned having a Leica M2 she hasn't used in close to a (healthy) dog's age. I mentioned I might be interested in buying it, but she initially scoffed at the idea, in spite of her seriously deteriorating eyesight (the main reason for her giving up photography altogether), although she offered to loan it to me for a somewhat extended period.
Trouble was, she couldn't find the thing. In fact, her entire Domke bag, containing the Leica, a few lenses, flash and so on, couldn't be found in her apartment. Stolen? Unbelievably misplaced?
Turned out it was the latter. (Don't ask where.) After dropping by at her place for a free follow-up to a job I did for her several weeks back, I come home with this:
"M2 the Moon, Alice!"
So, I have my little yippee-ti-yay! moment. Don't have the slightest clue what generation (Canadian) Summicron I'm dealing with here, and the M2 itself is kind of worn 'round the edges, but, to quote a MINI catalog blurb, that just means that the thing was being used as intended (for a change). It even has a rapid-rewind accessory knob. I fondle the focusing tab (after unlocking it...forgot that's how things are done here...).
Then I try and stroke the film-advance lever. Not budging. Shutter's already cocked, generally not a good thing for any long-dormant mechanical shutter, and probably Leicas in particular. I punch the shutter release: nothing.
Damn. I was all set to load the thing up with Kodak BW400CN.
I explain the matter to my client. She said "It certainly worked the last time I used it." (Spoken like a true non-Leicaphile.
) I explained the idea of mechanical shutters, long-term storage, and the likelihood that the camera might be due for a CLA. (I also have a client with a mint M4 with a stuck shutter, whom I mentioned some time back. I need to check in on her, since there's a Super Ikonta with my name on it if I help her get all her gear fixed up and appraised.) I casually mention the idea of taking it in myself for a CLA, and possibly covering the bill if she might reconsider selling, or at least extend the camera loan somewhat longer (which is silly for me to ask, since the loan is thus far open-ended). She's thinking about it.
Back home, the pretty paperweight in my hands is just enchanting. Looks like a prince, but at the moment it's a frog. Always fancied having a "real" M of some sort, and in recent years got over the M2's lack of an auto-resetting frame counter. And it's likely cheaper than most any other standard-issue M. Played with the shutter-speed dial for a bit, remembering something a repair tech told me regarding horizontally-traveling shutters. Sure enough, the M2's cloth shutter emerged from hiding...at least, 3/4 of the way. I'm thinking what to do next: the trailing curtain looks a bit warped...possibly on account of the camera being left "wound" for so damned long?
And, I feel the urge to get a hood for that Summicron...but none 'o this is mine (yet...). :bang:
(Is this a sort of GAS-by-proxy?)
- Barrett
Trouble was, she couldn't find the thing. In fact, her entire Domke bag, containing the Leica, a few lenses, flash and so on, couldn't be found in her apartment. Stolen? Unbelievably misplaced?
Turned out it was the latter. (Don't ask where.) After dropping by at her place for a free follow-up to a job I did for her several weeks back, I come home with this:
"M2 the Moon, Alice!"
So, I have my little yippee-ti-yay! moment. Don't have the slightest clue what generation (Canadian) Summicron I'm dealing with here, and the M2 itself is kind of worn 'round the edges, but, to quote a MINI catalog blurb, that just means that the thing was being used as intended (for a change). It even has a rapid-rewind accessory knob. I fondle the focusing tab (after unlocking it...forgot that's how things are done here...).
Then I try and stroke the film-advance lever. Not budging. Shutter's already cocked, generally not a good thing for any long-dormant mechanical shutter, and probably Leicas in particular. I punch the shutter release: nothing.
Damn. I was all set to load the thing up with Kodak BW400CN.
I explain the matter to my client. She said "It certainly worked the last time I used it." (Spoken like a true non-Leicaphile.
) I explained the idea of mechanical shutters, long-term storage, and the likelihood that the camera might be due for a CLA. (I also have a client with a mint M4 with a stuck shutter, whom I mentioned some time back. I need to check in on her, since there's a Super Ikonta with my name on it if I help her get all her gear fixed up and appraised.) I casually mention the idea of taking it in myself for a CLA, and possibly covering the bill if she might reconsider selling, or at least extend the camera loan somewhat longer (which is silly for me to ask, since the loan is thus far open-ended). She's thinking about it.Back home, the pretty paperweight in my hands is just enchanting. Looks like a prince, but at the moment it's a frog. Always fancied having a "real" M of some sort, and in recent years got over the M2's lack of an auto-resetting frame counter. And it's likely cheaper than most any other standard-issue M. Played with the shutter-speed dial for a bit, remembering something a repair tech told me regarding horizontally-traveling shutters. Sure enough, the M2's cloth shutter emerged from hiding...at least, 3/4 of the way. I'm thinking what to do next: the trailing curtain looks a bit warped...possibly on account of the camera being left "wound" for so damned long?
And, I feel the urge to get a hood for that Summicron...but none 'o this is mine (yet...). :bang:
(Is this a sort of GAS-by-proxy?)
- Barrett
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LeicaTom
Watch that step!
Give the lady $200 for it and send it off to Youxin Ye and he`ll have it working tip top in no time!!!!
Tom
hans voralberg
Veteran
The cron is the 1st version, 8-element, quite rare and certainly worth much more than $200 if it's clean.
amateriat
We're all light!
Hans: If I end up taking both the body and lens (still way up in the air...way too soon to sort all this out) I would pay a fair price for both, adjusting for whatever expenses I pay for servicing the body. Big thanks for the lens info.
The plot thickens...
- Barrett
The plot thickens...
- Barrett
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Pablito
coco frío
Sounds like trouble to me if she's a client. Nice as the camera may be, if you want to maintain a good business relationship with her probably best to find a way to give everything back and buy another M2 "at a fair price" elsewhere. Sounds to me like you're already in a sticky area with the "oh it worked fine the last time I used it..." I speak from experience, but then I don't know the extent of your relationship with her so I could be totally wrong... I have an M4p on indefinite loan. Film transport was rough so I paid for CLA. It will be awkward when and if the owner asks for it back. Should I be out the full cost of the CLA? hummmm awkward situation.
amateriat
We're all light!
Pablito: Thankfully, we're past that "what happened" phase: she understands that whatever failed in the M2 happened on her watch, not mine. She even seems a bit more receptive to my ultimately buying the camera (no hurry here, I get to use it now, so I won't push the matter). We're still sorting out the CLA stuff: if I decide to shell out for a trip to DAG or Sherry, I'm angling for purchase here. But all will be handled cordially and fairly. That's the only way I deal.
- Barrett
- Barrett
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ferider
Veteran
Hi Barrett,
nice system. That Summicron v1 is quite rare as M2 version without eyes. Easily worth US 1k or more, if clean.
Did you check if there is film in the camera ? Maybe it's locked on the last frame and does work after all .... Try to rewind and then shoot.
Cheers,
Roland.
nice system. That Summicron v1 is quite rare as M2 version without eyes. Easily worth US 1k or more, if clean.
Did you check if there is film in the camera ? Maybe it's locked on the last frame and does work after all .... Try to rewind and then shoot.
Cheers,
Roland.
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That same model v.1 35 Summicron cost me $164.50 new at retail in Seattle in 1967. Still have it, though it might have appreciated in value since then. Nice thing about Leica gear... Also, at the same time, I bought a used button-rewind M2 like that one for $150. Hope you get it working and enjoy, Barrett!
Hope you get it working and enjoy, Barrett!chrishayton
Well-known
That lens looks beautiful. It is indeed an awkward situation but If you manage to buy the camera for a good price ( in all fairness she isnt using it ) then go for it.
newsgrunt
Well-known
If someone were to let me borrow a Leica for as long as I wanted, I'd be inclined to cover the cla. The fact that she's not using it and hasn't for years, shouldn't be a factor. If she does sell it to you, hopefully she'll take the cla into consideration. An act of generosity deserves to be reciprocated.
Al Kaplan
Veteran
Prices go up for sure. I still have and use the button rewind M2 that I bought used in 1972 for $100 but I foolishly sold the black paint version of that first model 8 element 35mm Summicron. I'd picked it up for $125 about 1969. I sold it a few years later when I ran into a newer version, which I still have.
amateriat
We're all light!
Agreed. Not everybody willfully hands you their Leica and says "Knock yourself out."
Now that I've been clued in about the 35 f/2 Summicron I've got here (v1) I take it that not everyone here is of a mind on which version is "best", but the gist I've gotten is that they're all good with some perhaps being a bit better than others. No dogs, in other words.
- Barrett
Ronald M
Veteran
Anything less than $1000 is stealing from an old lady. You need new curtains and a cla.
Look at the lens for internal fog with a small light from the opposite end. $100 to clean.
Look at the lens for internal fog with a small light from the opposite end. $100 to clean.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Barrett,
One of my M2s is currently on loan to another RFF member. If it's useful, fine, I'll sell it at a fair price. If not... well, not. I'm not looking for a CLA out of it. Indeed, given the standards of some CLAs, I'd rather see it back untampered-with, if it's not wanted. If we can't trust one another on RFF (after a modest degree of interaction), who can we trust?
Tashi deleg,
R.
amateriat
We're all light!
Roger: The timing of your post is uncanny: With a bit of luck (and just a few bucks) a camera techie and me managed to un-stick the M2's shutter (gently). He said the chances of the shutter needing wholesale replacement is 50/50 at worst, and advised me to just load up and shoot with it for now. So far, it appears to be making the right noises at the right shutter speeds.
I think it's about time to find a roll of film and take a little walk.
- Barrett
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Roger Hicks
Veteran
amateriat
We're all light!
May the M2 remain unbroken...
May the M2 remain unbroken...
Looks like I (we) got it fixed:
(Technical: M2, 35mm f/2 Summicron [v.1], Kodak BW400CN)
So...I get to say things like "Look at that glow" now?
- Barrett
May the M2 remain unbroken...
Looks like I (we) got it fixed:
(Technical: M2, 35mm f/2 Summicron [v.1], Kodak BW400CN)
So...I get to say things like "Look at that glow" now?
- Barrett
gdi
Veteran
Stop!
You're gonna ruin that camera, running chromogenic film through it! Go get some proper Tri-X before you gum the whole thing up!
You're gonna ruin that camera, running chromogenic film through it! Go get some proper Tri-X before you gum the whole thing up!
