Leica IIIf Flash Contact

[KoNickon]

All, the flash contact on my black dial is of a different design than the standard modern flash contact. I know there's an adaptor plug for the M cameras that will enable use with a modern strobe connection, but I don't believe that will fit the socket on the IIIf. Did Leica make a similar adaptor for the IIIf socket? How do folks use modern strobes with the IIIf? (I'm aware the maximum synch speed is 1/30 for the BD version.) Thanks.

 

[Filzkoeter]

On my IIIf BD it's a common PC contact. I can use nearly every modern flash with it 😕
I never heard that you need a adapter for a IIIf

 

[KoNickon]

Not the case for me, unfortunately. There is a thin center post, but the PC contact from the flash fits over it only loosely.

 

[summar]

Second Filzkoeter. I've used a Vivitar 283 with my IIIf many times, no problems. Could it be that the collar that surrounds the centre post on a PC contact is somehow incorrect/damaged on your camera? The collar is threaded where it fits into the camera body. The entire flash contact might have been replaced by someone who didn't know what they were doing.

 

[KoNickon]

It doesn't appear to be damaged -- the contact itself is a thin tube, into which the central prong on the flash connection fits. More modern PC contacts have a thicker collar surrounding the central tube/hole, over which the outside collar of the flash connector slides (and I figure that provides an electrical connection). It's this thicker collar that is missing.

 

[KoNickon]

Took a look at the instruction manual online -- and it appears that there ought to be a thicker collar but it's not there. Again, no apparent damage so I don't know how it disappeared. But suffice it to say that what's there is not complete. I imagine DAG would have the correct part, but is this replaceable by unscrewing the collar, without having to remove the top cover and do some soldering?

 

[Filzkoeter]

I attached how my socket looks like.

Unfortunately you'll have to remove the top cover and unsolder the cable in order to change the PC socket. Theres a nut from the inside which has to be unscrewed (it was really tight on my IIIf) otherwise you'll only turn the whole socket as there are no threads in the top cover.

 

[KoNickon]

Thanks! Well, I'll leave this to Youxin, I think.

 

[Dez]

Nick, can you send along a picture of the flash contact? I have never heard of a non-standard socket in a IIIf. Changing it would almost certainly require the removal of the top.

Cheers,
Dez