IIf: Hazy viewfinder & dim RF patch

[captainslack]

I'm slowly falling in love with my first Leica, a IIf I got from eBay for $99. It's in remarkably good shape, but the RF window is slightly hazy, which is making the RF patch hard to see in dim light. I doubt this is normal, especially since the viewfinder window is crystal clear. I've tried cleaning the exterior windows, but that only seems to help so much. I'm guessing I need to get a CLA done. Any suggestions on where? My budget is really tight right now, so the cheaper the better.

 

[Skinny McGee]

May Be try getting an OKARO... I picked up an ORAKO which is for the earlier cameras. for my 111a and it help alot for alot less money.. It is the little orange filter that goes over your rangefinder window and gives you contrast from the different color... It is probably not the very best answer but it will get you by. I have used it in very dark theaters before and it work pretty good.... I think you can find them on ebay for about $25. Good luck

 

[richard_l]

.....Any suggestions on where? My budget is really tight right now, so the cheaper the better.

John Maddox
L&J Leica Repair
109 Royal Oak Rd.
Greenville, SC 29607
804-297-6931

He has an excellent reputation as an LTM specialist, and his prices are probably as good as you're going to get. It would be worth giving him a call.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

My Leica IIIF was also like this. The beamsplitter needed to be replaced. I sent it to Essex and it came back like new. That was quite a while ago (12 yrs), but the beamsplitter was only $20 over the price of the CLA. You might use their online form and ask for a quote on getting the beamsplitter replaced with a CLA. Get a couple of estimates, and let us know how you do. I just noticed that Essex raised their Leica repair prices by about 25% recently, but did not raise the price on Nikon and Canon repair.

http://essexcamera.com/

 

[richard_l]

I just noticed that Essex raised there Leica repair prices by about 25% recently, but did not raise the price on Nikon and Canon repair.

The Leica price increases have already caused the value of used equipment to increase and probably has also affected repair prices. (An M6 graded Ex+ now now sells for about the same as I paid for my M6 several years ago, which was graded LN-.)

Essex is an excellent repair facility, and they are scrupulously honest. If they give an acceptable repair estimate, I wouldn't hesitate to use them.

 

[back alley]

my one experience with them was mixed.

the rf was out when it returned, i think because, the camera was so poorly packed for shipping. the rest of the repairs were great, they actually did more than they said they would do.
the packing looked like some kid in a hurry kind of job.
what was worse is that i sent an email to them, complimenting the work but stating concern about the packing, and did not receive a reply.
i thought that was odd.

i'm not sure that i would use them again, despite the excellent work they did.

joe

 

[chendayuan]

I had the same experience like Job, but it was a Nikon F, $110 bill, return in non-working condition, I send a Rapid-Synchro shutter to official Schneider reapir shop, return in one speed from 1/30-1/250.

 

[chendayuan]

replace the beamsplitter is a fairly easy repair, even a trained monkey can do it.

 

[Graybeard]

As the others have mentioned, the usual cause of a faint rangefinder patch is a deteriorated beamsplitter window.

DAG, Essex, and Maddox all replace the beamspitter windows - I've used DAG with good results (just like everything else he does). Don't attempt to replace the window yourself - it is really buried in there and there is a high probability of your reducing your jewel of a Barnack Leica to junk (I replace beamsplitters on other cameras but value my Leicas too much for kitchen table repairs).

Bite the bullet, have a competent service technician repair the beamsplitter along with a CLA and use the camera with confidence for the next 50 years.

 

[CZeni]

I'm slowly falling in love with my first Leica, a IIf I got from eBay for $99. It's in remarkably good shape, but the RF window is slightly hazy, which is making the RF patch hard to see in dim light. I doubt this is normal, especially since the viewfinder window is crystal clear. I've tried cleaning the exterior windows, but that only seems to help so much. I'm guessing I need to get a CLA done. Any suggestions on where? My budget is really tight right now, so the cheaper the better.

I took a look thru your camera the other day in the camera store in Cary 🙂 - the RF is quite dim...a good cleaning might do it but I'm not aware of anybody in the area that I'd trust with a screw mount Leica...possibly Sebastian in Durham at Camera Works but that's only a maybe...

 

[Sonnar Brian]

> the packing looked like some kid in a hurry kind of job

Joe, the many cameras that I have sent to Essex have always come back packed:

Inner Plastic bag, folded.
Statement of Work rubberbanded around outside of plastic bag
Bubblewrap, taped closed and require scissors to be undone,
Styrofoam Peanuts,
in a box shipped UPS.

I've sent them at ten cameras over the last three years. Is there any chance that Customs opened the package to inspect the camera? In some countries they get suspicious of cameras sent out of the country for repair, thinking they are trying to avoid tariffs. It would not be the first time I've seen customs do a number on a camera.

 

[back alley]

brian,
inner bag - yes
statement -yes
bubblewrap - no
peanuts - yes...but not enough for the much too big of a box that was used. 6 cameras could have fit. i saved the box.

it looked rushed, maybe they had a temp.

joe

 

[captainslack]

I took a look thru your camera the other day in the camera store in Cary 🙂 - the RF is quite dim...a good cleaning might do it but I'm not aware of anybody in the area that I'd trust with a screw mount Leica...possibly Sebastian in Durham at Camera Works but that's only a maybe...

I was wondering if I'd see you here!!! Welcome aboard!!! You're gonna love this place! 😀

 

[ChadHahn]

May Be try getting an OKARO... I picked up an ORAKO which is for the earlier cameras. for my 111a and it help alot for alot less money.. It is the little orange filter that goes over your rangefinder window and gives you contrast from the different color... It is probably not the very best answer but it will get you by. I have used it in very dark theaters before and it work pretty good.... I think you can find them on ebay for about $25. Good luck

A cheaper way to go is to take a peice of exposed but over exposed color film and cut it to fit into the rangefinder window. The film stock is orange and it's free.

 

[Ben Z]

replace the beamsplitter is a fairly easy repair, even a trained monkey can do it.

Well, just in case captainslack can't happen to locate a trained monkey or his prices are too high, I can second the endorsement of John Maddox. His work is A#1 and his prices have always been much less than DAG or Golden Touch. He takes his good time about it though, so be prepared to wait several months. Another source is Kinderman in Toronto. Their repair guy has a great reputation and he's been with them forever and a day. Their prices are about the same as DAG or Golden Touch just in Canadian dollars, so it's quite a bit less in US dollars.

 

[Graybeard]

Well, just in case captainslack can't happen to locate a trained monkey or his prices are too high, I can second the endorsement of John Maddox. His work is A#1 and his prices have always been much less than DAG or Golden Touch. He takes his good time about it though, so be prepared to wait several months. Another source is Kinderman in Toronto. Their repair guy has a great reputation and he's been with them forever and a day. Their prices are about the same as DAG or Golden Touch just in Canadian dollars, so it's quite a bit less in US dollars.

My experience with Kindermann has been quite poor - I had to return a camera to them after a CLA because the camera wasn't completely functional and then the shutter speed dial came loose it was returned the second time.

In addition, if you live in the US, Kindermann will ship the camera back to you via UPS. UPS will then charge you a US$31 customs brokerage fee just to give your own property back to you. If you live in the US, you can do better than Kindermann.

 

[chendayuan]

guys
if you like classic Rf you have to learn how to CLA it or you can find a good sources to reapir it for you. the problem is money, you do not want to buy a $99 camera end up repair bill for $300. I have replaced the beamsplitter myself, buy a big 50%/50% beamsplitter from edmounds $30 can cut into 50 pieces, then take off the top plate and few screws and replace it and adjust it. If you have money to burn, ok forget about the trained monkey.

 

[Nikon Bob]

As far as I know Kindermann does not replace beamsplitters ( I asked a few months back before sending the camera to DAG). I have had an M4 CLA'd recently by them and so far so good with no parts falling off and everything seems to be in working order.

Bob

 

[chendayuan]

http://www.mediajoy.com/en/lrc/refresh/01.html
details ahow to replace a beamsplitter.

 

[captainslack]

Well, I figured out why this body was only $99.

Got my first roll of film back today. There's about a half dozen pinholes in the shutter which appear in every single frame. Guess this one is going on the shelf until I can save up the money to get a proper CLA & curtain replacement done. *sigh* And I was really starting to enjoy shooting it, too. 🙁

I know Oleg in Russia does this kind of work. Has anyone send their Leica to him?