pesphoto
Veteran
I can't believe what you paid for this thing. You must be a bit touched in the head. 
Keep showing us your progress its very interesting stuff.
Keep showing us your progress its very interesting stuff.
DrLeoB
Shoot a IIIc "K" !!!
Sanity check?
Sanity check?
Yeah, my girlfriend thinks the same thing ....
But really, I wanted to learn where the major issues with corrosion and time are in the leica. At this point, I have been able to dis-assemble the Elmar, clean it out of all the rust from the aperture blades .... nothin left of them except some little black pieces of metal flake which washed out easily. The optical path is no longer obscured, however all external optical surfaces are severely etched, from the alkaline soils? This Elmar will never give a theoretical Airy disc again....
I've begun sealing the light leaks in the body and I should finish that sometime this week then comes the interior repaint and reassembly. Probably take about 3 weeks total time.
This is still fun....
Sanity check?
Yeah, my girlfriend thinks the same thing ....
But really, I wanted to learn where the major issues with corrosion and time are in the leica. At this point, I have been able to dis-assemble the Elmar, clean it out of all the rust from the aperture blades .... nothin left of them except some little black pieces of metal flake which washed out easily. The optical path is no longer obscured, however all external optical surfaces are severely etched, from the alkaline soils? This Elmar will never give a theoretical Airy disc again....
I've begun sealing the light leaks in the body and I should finish that sometime this week then comes the interior repaint and reassembly. Probably take about 3 weeks total time.
This is still fun....
DrLeoB
Shoot a IIIc "K" !!!
So, now the questions.....
Anyone have any idea about the Elmar age? S/n: 138229 ....None of the charts I find go this low.
Anyone have any idea about the Elmar age? S/n: 138229 ....None of the charts I find go this low.
DrLeoB
Shoot a IIIc "K" !!!
Camera s/n is 92035 which shud be sometime in 1935, but is black and shudn't be...according to Cameraquest list, this body is in the first batch of Leica II (Feb to Oct 1932) but shud be chrome, next batch with s/n's greater than 101000 were black????
DrLeoB
Shoot a IIIc "K" !!!
I have also found an engraved "W" on the underside of the top cover between the two rangefinder sigt tubes.... What's that? PIX tomorrow.
reagan
hey, they're only Zorkis
The plot thickens and I'm hanging on every post, Dr.L. Fun stuff. Hang in there. ツDrLeoB said:
I had two earlier assessments that I think are correct. (1) "doctor_leo better be a reconstructive surgeon!" - True. and (2) "Real deal no doubt - a II converted to IIIa..." Factory conversions pretty much negate the serial numbers. Part of the conversion must have been *paint it black.* ... right? The W, I have no clue, but look forward to hearing accurate input on that. Maybe it stands for "waterline"
john neal
fallor ergo sum
Leo,
I have an 11 o'clock Elmar with a similar serial no - the best i have been able to learn is that numbering started at 80,000 in 1931/32 and that 120,000 would have been reached by the end of 1932.
I have an 11 o'clock Elmar with a similar serial no - the best i have been able to learn is that numbering started at 80,000 in 1931/32 and that 120,000 would have been reached by the end of 1932.
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DrLeoB
Shoot a IIIc "K" !!!
Really exciting - FILM PATH restored
Really exciting - FILM PATH restored
Now this is really gratifying..... I have worked out the chemistry to strip the contamination and corrosion, WITHOUT attacking the base metal of the interior parts.
Most are brass alloys and have been resistant for the most part, to corrosion. There is, however, a little surface etching but nothing to severe.
Anyway, this picture is of the all important pressureplate and filmguide plate area of the restored interior light shield ....these are the ORIGINALS..... cool, huh? Please refer to earlier posts for how they started out.....
I have these at the first blackening step, planning to add at least 4 more layers to reach something near the original texture. These steps consist of coating, drying, buffing and repeat. I plan to replate all of the interior parts to match, as closely as my eye will allow, another IIa that I have ( an N-L engraved one).
More on this next step, re-rubberizing the original curtains?????
Really exciting - FILM PATH restored
Now this is really gratifying..... I have worked out the chemistry to strip the contamination and corrosion, WITHOUT attacking the base metal of the interior parts.
Most are brass alloys and have been resistant for the most part, to corrosion. There is, however, a little surface etching but nothing to severe.
Anyway, this picture is of the all important pressureplate and filmguide plate area of the restored interior light shield ....these are the ORIGINALS..... cool, huh?
Please refer to earlier posts for how they started out.....I have these at the first blackening step, planning to add at least 4 more layers to reach something near the original texture. These steps consist of coating, drying, buffing and repeat. I plan to replate all of the interior parts to match, as closely as my eye will allow, another IIa that I have ( an N-L engraved one).
More on this next step, re-rubberizing the original curtains?????
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LeicaTom
Watch that step!
Great stuff Leo
Ohh I have good news on that "black paint" deal, so that peeler IIIC can be your next project
Tom
Ohh I have good news on that "black paint" deal, so that peeler IIIC can be your next project
Tom
DrLeoB
Shoot a IIIc "K" !!!
First light through the Elmar, too.
First light through the Elmar, too.
Was able to clean the rust out of the Elmar and actually get partially resolvable light through it.....
There, see .....Flamenco Beach in Rio....
First light through the Elmar, too.
Was able to clean the rust out of the Elmar and actually get partially resolvable light through it.....
There, see .....Flamenco Beach in Rio....
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DrLeoB
Shoot a IIIc "K" !!!
No,..... Really.....
No,..... Really.....
As you can see, the glass was pretty severely etched over about 80% of the surfaces.... still, there is hope for it?????
No,..... Really.....
As you can see, the glass was pretty severely etched over about 80% of the surfaces.... still, there is hope for it?????
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DrLeoB
Shoot a IIIc "K" !!!
And the last Image.....
And the last Image.....
Actually, the across the street neighbor's house....not too bad really, considering the lack of clear imaging path through this lens....
Oh, all of these were shot using my Sony P&S DCS-w100, @ 8.4 megapix, infinity focus and handheld through the Elmar.
And the last Image.....
Actually, the across the street neighbor's house....not too bad really, considering the lack of clear imaging path through this lens....
Oh, all of these were shot using my Sony P&S DCS-w100, @ 8.4 megapix, infinity focus and handheld through the Elmar.
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LeicaTom
Watch that step!
DrLeoB said:
Wow!
Now thats some real soft "bokeh"
Tom