I joined the club today!

P

powasky

Newbie
Local time
1:58 AM
Joined
Sep 30, 2010
Messages
10
View My Gallery
One of my buddies at a local vintage shop sent me a heads up email letting me know that a "Leica DRP" had come into the shop, and they were asking $245.

I showed up to take a look at it, offered $175 and took it home. It's a red dial IIIF with a collapsible Summicron.

The vulcanite needs to be replaced and the camera needs a CLA (sticky shutter) but the 'cron is GORGEOUS. It is absolutely pristine, no cleaning marks, no haze, not even dust. It came with a "Bel-View for Leica" UV filter on it so that might explain why. The body came with the never ready Leitz case as well.

I have a few questions about the camera:

I cannot find anything about the Bel-View filter online, does anyone have a bit of information about it?

Is Youxin the man for this CLA?
 
Youxin did a terrific job on my IIIC, that's who I'd recommend. Turnaround time was amazing - a week, as I recall. I'm in the midwest, he's up East. That's quick! And the camera works like a charm!

m

Enjoy your Leica!

m
 
Sometimes Youxin "cannot fix" certain problems. He couldn't fix my IIIc. Which is strange, knowing any part can be either replaced, or re-manufactured. If you want a really good CLA that will include any repairs needed, use DAG.
 
congrats on the deal. Youxin will make you a good choice from what I have read from others. Seems like I read a post that DAG was hard to contact. I could be wrong about that. Seems Youxin's turn-a-round time is better.
 
When I sent my M4-2 to Youxin he happened to be backed up in repairs and he told me 4 weeks. He is, after all just one man and is very popular. I reccomend him without reservation.
 
I bought my M4-P body from Youxin, and went down to him (my house is only 30min away) while I was back in town one year for Thanksgiving to have both it and a IIIc CLA'd.

He had just then sourced a "Japanese beamsplitter," the mirrored part in the Barnack/Leica clones that is absolutely amazing. It transformed my IIIc into the clearest-focusing camera I have -- it's a shame that it's a bit quirky to use (film leader trimming, only being appropriate with 50mm lenses, having to focus first then frame, etc), as the focusing is so brilliant since the new beamsplitter was installed. I would guess they are still available, and
I would consider it a "must-have" upgrade. The part is cheap, and easily installed during a CLA.

Since then, I've done the same thing with a Canon 100/3.5 LTM, a Canon P, and also bought and CLA'd an M4 from him for a friend... Great guy, very interesting both to chat with and watch him work (and participate/assist with it on my own cameras, which was very educational), and does fine work for a great price and very reasonable turnaround.

Recommended without hesitation.
 
gb hill said:
... Youxin will make you a good choice from what I have read from others. Seems like I read a post that DAG was hard to contact. I could be wrong about that. Seems Youxin's turn-a-round time is better.
Click to expand...

I'd rather get recommendations from people who have used him, not 'read about him'. I've used him, I liked his prices and turnaround, but had to send the camera back 2 times because he didn't check it with film (it was a winding brake problem the second time. After the CLA it wouldn't wind past 9 frames.), then light seals (didn't check, that was the third time). I got tired of this process, so sent it to another Leica pro. He said the inside looked like it had been just soaked with solvent, and there were metal shavings inside. I got the feeling he was just trying to discredit another tech, so asked that he send it back unfixed.

So I sent the next one to DAG, who checked and calibrated everything, and now prefer DAG.

The problem with the internet is a lot of people like to parrot back advice they've "read on the internet." It becomes a reforcing cycle of good, or bad reputations. So I always ask "have you USED this person/service/product...."
 
goamules said:
I'd rather get recommendations from people who have used him, not 'read about him'. I've used him, I liked his prices and turnaround, but had to send the camera back 2 times because he didn't check it with film (it was a winding brake problem the second time. After the CLA it wouldn't wind past 9 frames.), then light seals (didn't check, that was the third time). I got tired of this process, so sent it to another Leica pro. He said the inside looked like it had been just soaked with solvent, and there were metal shavings inside. I got the feeling he was just trying to discredit another tech, so asked that he send it back unfixed.

So I sent the next one to DAG, who checked and calibrated everything, and now prefer DAG.

The problem with the internet is a lot of people like to parrot back advice they've "read on the internet." It becomes a reforcing cycle of good, or bad reputations. So I always ask "have you USED this person/service/product...."
Click to expand...

I'm glad you got that off your chest. Apparently unlike you I have come to trust the recommendations of others here on this forum & so I think I can make an accurate referral. I wouldn't hesitate to use Youxin in a heartbeat to service a barnack.
 
My point is this; if one person gets good service at a business, but all the other reviews are "I heard it's good...", you're really only getting one person's opinion. In forums, many people recommend lenses, films, developers, cameras, etc., only to find out they've never actually used them. No offence intended.
 
goamules said:
My point is this; if one person gets good service at a business, but all the other reviews are "I heard it's good...", you're really only getting one person's opinion. In forums, many people recommend lenses, films, developers, cameras, etc., only to find out they've never actually used them. No offence intended.
Click to expand...

Understood, & I do understand your point. Not sure I understand your user name.😉 I'm always thinking goat-mules & I know that is not your intention. Sorry about that. I think it should be go-amules...interesting none the less.🙂
 
gb hill said:
I'm glad you got that off your chest. Apparently unlike you I have come to trust the recommendations of others here on this forum & so I think I can make an accurate referral. I wouldn't hesitate to use Youxin in a heartbeat to service a barnack.
Click to expand...

Greg, just so I understand, you actually haven't used YY's services, right? It seems from your earlier post that you haven't, but I just want to be sure.

I was in the OP's situation when I looked for information about service of my Ms (so far my Leica II has not needed service; but this thread interests me because it will likely do so in the future). At that point, I wanted to hear from those who had actually used the services of various technicians - with good and bad results - because that would assist me in deciding whether to send my equipment to them. "Accurate referral", for me in such a situation looking for useful information to help me decide, would mean that the referring individual has personal experience of a service point. Hearsay would be much less (as in not) helpful.

Just my 2cts, not intended to offend but simply clarify.

Philip
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

neal3k
Information about my 1931 Leica I (C)
Replies
15
Views
955
Erik van Straten
Erik van Straten
p.giannakis
The concept of micro-contrast
2 3
Replies
51
Views
3K
peterm1
peterm1
Dralowid
Service history
Replies
7
Views
890
ddutchison2
ddutchison2
farlymac
Leica IIIf Post DAG Overhaul Test
Replies
18
Views
2K
Godfrey
Godfrey
J
  • Article Article
A Leica Lover’s Guide to Acquiring a Digital M:
2
Replies
26
Views
4K
ranger9
R
Back
Top Bottom