Leica IIIC letdown...

[Vince Lupo]

If you really want to attempt to do a temporary patch, try using a black fabric marker. They are normally used to decorate t-shirts, and you can pick them up at arts supply stores for about $3.00. It will fill in the holes and sink into the fabric somewhat, and it is also flexible so it won't crack. I filled an entire 6x6 shutter curtain from a Reflex Korelle, and it worked great.

 

[Dralowid]

Hi 'Kapa',

Is it me or do many of the cameras that come out of NZ appear to have suffered from storage in a damp environment? I was recently shown a beautiful M3 and lenses, brought over from Devonport, that were really beyond all hope.

Just curious.

Michael
(Full CLA, shutter blinds, beam splitter etc can be had for around £150 in the UK)

 

[Kapa]

Thanks for the handy tip Vince- may just give that a go as one last shot....

"Dralowid", yeah dampness is a real problem in NZ and does end in a lot of issues with film gear. I don't know if it's worse than else where, but possibly....

 

[ZorkiKat]

This is interesting. I have an IIIf with the first curtain dried and with holes. I have had IIIc's, never with a problem. And I have a nice IIIg with a good shutter, but I just anticipate that it is a newer camera.

I find it intriguing that the IIIf may have had less durable shutter material

Vick

Vick, these are two of my IIIf with bad curtains. One more IIIf has them slightly better because they haven't crumbled yet. Shutter is in same state for my IIIg, whose curtains I plan to replace soon.

After Replacement- did them myself:

Could it be possible that the 'new' postwar materials they used in Leitz proved to be inferior to what they used earlier? But if there entirely so, what could explain the more durable M3 shutters?

Some Leitz literature mention the use of "new and lightweight" shutters for the IIIf and IIIg. Could this be the explanation why the older IIIc shutters (thicker and heavier?) fared better decades and decades later?