Leica IIIc focusing tips

bence8810

bence8810

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Hello,

Bought an old Summarit 50 f2 for my M3 and it came with a Leica IIIc which otherwise I wouldn't have bought. However, upon opening the package I fell immediately in love with it. The mechanics of this thing is just amazing.

The camera is in well used condition from the outside but is very clean from the inside.

My only trouble is focusing. If I look at something with a distinct vertical line it is rather easy to focus however when I use it actually and try to take a portrait from close by I have a very hard time focusing and keep shifting the thing from my left eye to the right as if I had some eye trouble. Also very hard on the eyes I'd imagine as I stress them too much.

Any experiences like mine? What do you guys do on yours? I am not interested in an external finder.

Thanks
Ben
 
madNbad said:
Makes you realize just how good the M3 finder window is.
Click to expand...

My eyes are certainly not what they used to be and I find the IIIc much easier to focus than than the M3, which I also use. The rangefinder for the IIIc is magnified, can be adjusted for my eyes with the diopter adjustment, and allows me to focus in on the details in the scene. None of this is possible on the M3.

The M3 viewfinder is certainly a lot easier to use and much less "squinty", to use a popular term, but that should not be confused with focusing. And when I install my VC Brightline viewfinder on top of the IIIc, even the viewfinder advantage largely goes away.

Among other things, the M3 advantage was that it combined the rangefinder and viewfinder, which made shooting quicker and easier. But don't sell the IIIc short. It is actually a very well designed shooter.
 
Thanks guys for all the replies.

When I sit down and just look through the finder calmly taking my time, I can focus very accurately on thugs like a picture frame on the wall, my TV's edge etc. however, when I am out and about trying to take a persons portrait, I can't find the focus for some reason. I move the focusing tab up and down and see almost no change which is very strange.

With the M3 I never had this problem only if it was in a very dim situation. Perhaps I am just not used to the IIIc's Finder?

Not sure if it needs to be cleaned, it works great when I just try it at home, it's only when I really need it to work that I can't get it to work.

My eyes were just tested and both are perfect (for now that is, I am sure life will catch up with me and my eyes too)

I am not sure if want to spend money on getting it cleaned even if that was necessary, I live in Japan and sending to the US would be troublesome anyways.

Thanks
Ben
 
+a bazillion on sending it to Youxin. He's a great guy (I have the fortune to live about 40min from him when I'm at home in Boston).

He sourced a Japanese-made beam-splitter and can install it during a CLA for a negligible difference (not sure if he'd be willing to do JUST the beam splitter, as the camera has to be practically apart in order to access it, I believe). The upgrade makes a TREMENDOUS difference, and coupled with the magnified RF, makes for easy and quick shooting in all but the most difficult of shooting situations.

Highly recommended!
 
I sent my IIIf to Youxin for service and he recommended changing the beam splitter. I had not planned on doing this as I thought the viewfinder was in pretty good shape. I went ahead with the replacement because since the camera was already disassembled the additional cost was very small. I was not expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised on how much it improved it.

My advice would be to go to one of the camera dealers in Tokyo ind see how your camera compares to what they have.
 
+ 1 on the beamsplitter.

I have 2 IIIc's, both on original beamsplitters. One bought from Youxin and he thought the image was good enough to not need the upgrade, the other is really bad - but even the really bad one can be focused if there is enough light and high contrast. And it has a contrast-enhancing filter (same function ashte OKARO).

With a good beamsplitter the IIIc RF is not hard to focus - it's magnified compared to an M Leica though you don't get the hard-edged split image. The contrast in a normal scene should be enough to focus.
 
... an external finder will not help with the focus...

a) Use the magnification lever located at the rewind knob
b) Rotate the body between portrait, landscape, and 45° depending on the subject to be focused
c) focus on something else at the same distance
e) try focusing from both directions, (near/far vs. far/near) sometimes it's easier to see in a particular direction
d) Slow down...

I normally take off my glasses to focus... I am aligning a split image so I don't have to see the detail.
If you can focus on some objects and not others, then give yourself some time to get use to the camera...

It's a great camera...

Casey
 
Thanks guys. Perhaps i should just compare it at a shop to another piece to see the difference. Might just be that I am pampered by the M3's Finder which is big and bright.

I played with the camera holding it to my eye yesterday too, but I just don't feel confident.

The lever is adjusted and if I am still and looking something vertical, I can make out the patch clearly and focus without a problem. It's the softer textures and dimmer conditions when I have trouble, which is pretty much when I prefer to photograph.

Thanks
Ben
 
One good way to determine if you need a beamsplitter (actually it is a semi-silvered mirror, which is more properly called a beam combiner) is to look at the fixed and moving images through the rangefinder. If they both have the same brilliance, you're good. If one image, usually the moving one, is notably dimmer, you probably need a new mirror. They can be sourced from Japanese vendors on ebay for about ten bucks.

The RF may also need cleaning. There are several glass-air surfaces in it which have been collecting crud for decades, and a cleanup often helps a lot. This is a fairly easy DIY project if you are at all handy.

Cheers,
Dez
 
Dez said:
One good way to determine if you need a beamsplitter (actually it is a semi-silvered mirror, which is more properly called a beam combiner) is to look at the fixed and moving images through the rangefinder. If they both have the same brilliance, you're good. If one image, usually the moving one, is notably dimmer, you probably need a new mirror. They can be sourced from Japanese vendors on ebay for about ten bucks.

The RF may also need cleaning. There are several glass-air surfaces in it which have been collecting crud for decades, and a cleanup often helps a lot. This is a fairly easy DIY project if you are at all handy.

Cheers,
Dez
Click to expand...

Hello DeZ,

Thanks a lot for that. You make it sound like it's a piece of cake 🙂 but I am not sure if I'd want to start at it without at least reading a manual / seeing a few pictures.
Do you have any sources that you trust?
Since i am in Japan, if it's easy to get to it, I'd replace the beam splitter no matter what if it's just 10 buck.

I did open a TLR up one but then again, a TLR is as advanced as my son's plastic toy tricycle.

Thanks,
Ben
 
The part of the IIIC that you need to get at to clean the finder is about at the tricycle level of complexity, but digging deeper can get complicated. I think I have some documents that can assist. See PM.

EDIT:

Yes, when the top cover is off, access to the mirror is fairly easy, but don't replace it unless you are sure it is necessary. It can be tricky to get the new mirror aligned perfectly.

Another thing to watch is the two tiny lenses which will probably fall out when you take the eyepiece off. Make sure you put them back in the same way they originally were.

Cheers,
Dez
 
batterytypehah! said:
Rick Oleson's tech notes were indispensable when I opened my IIIf up for the first time: http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-154.html

The round bezels can be a b*tch, you'll need one of these: http://www.zorkikat.com/2009/09/the-zorkikat-wrench/
Click to expand...

Just found Rick Oleson's notes on my own when you posted this. I really like Rick, bought a focusing screen from him for my Minoltacord TLR camera. A decent fella to deal with.

DeZ sent me a IIIf service manual, I might just do this when I find some time. Will be interesting and it isn't an M so if I mess it up, it hopefully won't hurt as bad.

Ben
 
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