Leica Mooly Motors by Jim Lager

[CameraQuest]

Leica Motor MOOLY

The spring wound Leica Motor MOOLY joined the Leica System in 1938.Leitz Wetzlar prepared
a four page leaflet 7827 January 1939 explaining this useful accessory. During and after the
Second World War the long base motor (MOOLY-C) was available for the Leica IIIc and IIId.
Leicas above serial number 400000 (IIIc,IIIf,IIIg) could be modified to accept the MOOLY-C.
The motors illustrated span the years 1938-1948.

ILLUSTRATIONS


#1. MOOLY #111 delivered 1938
#2. MOOLY 216 delivered 1938
#3. MOOLY-C 3525 delivered 1941
#4. MOOLY-C 5273K grey delivered 1947. Mounted on grey IIIcK.
#5. MOOLY-C 5505 black with box delivered 1948
#6. Front cover leaflet 7827 January 1939
#7. Page 2
#8. Page 3
#9. Rear cover leaflet 7827

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I'm still looking for an actuator arm for my MOOLY.
I see there's a reproduction for sale on the Cameraquest site, but for $800 I can buy a complete MOOLY! 🙁

 

[PCR]

I'm still looking for an actuator arm for my MOOLY.
I see there's a reproduction for sale on the Cameraquest site, but for $800 I can buy a complete MOOLY! 🙁

3D Printing or Lasercutting?

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Might be an idea. Not sure if a 3D printed arm would be quite strong enough.
Someone needs to draw one up! 😉

 

[PCR]

Might be an idea. Not sure if a 3D printed arm would be quite strong enough.
Someone needs to draw one up! 😉

If someone measure the arm and make a sketch i could create a CAD 3D Model out of it 😉

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I'll see what I can do

 

[Mr_Flibble]

If someone measure the arm and make a sketch i could create a CAD 3D Model out of it 😉

Would these help?

Note: all measurements are extrapolated from just the motor as I don't have the actual arm.
The distance between the pin going into the motor and the top that presses down on the release button is most critical,
As the instructions above seem to indicate that some bending might be in order to get the camera and the motor to synchronize properly.

 

[Vince Lupo]

One of a few Moolys I used to own (but the only Mooly-C -- I was lucky enough to find it locally for $400). This one is mounted to a Luftwaffe IIIc - the combo worked beautifully and I used it quite often. I sold it to a collector in South Korea about 6 years ago.


FL3 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


FL1 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

BTW you can actually use the earlier Moolys without the actuating arm. It's not as fluid a process, but you can still use it. You simply take a picture normally, and then press the lever on the front of the motor to advance the film. Here again, not quite as elegant as using the lever only with the actuator arm (which enables you to take the picture by just using the lever in one motion), but better than it just sitting on a shelf unused.