Is there a hole in my new IIIf red dial?

[SteveM(PA)]

I received my long-awaited iiif rd/st today, have been unable to put it down, I love it...I've been carefully cleaning small bits of grime in little crevices (although it is exceptionally clean already), getting ready to load it up. The one dial I hadn't bothered with, until a few moments ago, is the red flash sync dial. It had been set to zero. I just rotated the dial, moving the pointer away from the zero area, and found what appears to be corrosion and a hole about 2mm's wide, looking as if it is going to get bigger. In fact, it looks as if the whole area between the dial and the hot shoe area is going to collapse. This is my first Barnack...I'm trying not to poke around too much (partly because it is making me sick), but my thought is, perhaps this tiny area is actually supposed to be open and is covered by a spider web or some sort of fabric. Or is this, unbelievably, an actual hole in the metal? It is a small area and I can barely see what is going on there, but hopefully my shaky digicam pics can help. Thank you for any thoughts.

 

[john neal]

Steve,

I just checked my RD - it has a small aperture where you indicate, but it appears to be filled with some sort of shellac or resin. I think it's part of the flash sync circuit (I did look at it when I had the top-plate off recently, but can't remember exactly).

If it is an obvious hole that stuff can fall into, then that does not seem right - I can just see the brown colour of the shellac and there is no direct hole (IYSWIM). In fact, it looks quite like your pic.

You could take off the cold shoe for a better look - that's only 4 small screws and no electrics to damage.

Hope that helps - you will probably get a more definitive answer from one of the Leica experts around here.

 

[Dingo]

Mine has a similar problem ! I thought it was a particular one but it seems some IIIf red dials do suffer from this. But it doesn't affect the function of the camera.

 

[Solinar]

I believe that is shellac, not rust. My IIIf red dial is the same.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

Thanks, I am less freaked out now. I took off the shoe (what a nice shoe!) and could see the little strip of shellac...a very thin sliver of parchment-looking material...with a little hole poked through it. I'm wondering why there was shellac, and not metal, in this location to begin with. Well, no big deal. It will be going for a CLA soon, as 1000 is sticking. maybe the hole can be addressed. BTW, I think this is the most pleasurable thing I've ever held in my hands. Thanks for the help fellers.

 

[Graybeard]

I also have that spot on my RD IIIf. To my eye, the color is the same as the red flash synch markings.

From the number of others who also have cameras with this spot, it would seem to be a Leitz build characteristic and not a cause for concern. Why not send an eMail off to DAG and see what he has to say?

Time to go out and shoot some film.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

Time to go out and shoot some film.

Agreed! I can't wait. Thank you sir!
🙂