Leica reference books..which?

[radiocemetery]

Hello Leica fans,

Which Lester and Morgan Leica guide edition covers the Leica screw mount cameras the best? Are there other standard references? Tom and LeoB, is your book close to publishing? Is there a book that has pictures of the "guts" of these cameras that might be useful as a service guide?

I figure I can't afford the M mount, especially the glass, so I am not even going to look!

Still looking for that Canon RF too. Thanks.

Steve

 

[mike goldberg]

Hi there,
Youxin Ye in Canon, MA recommends the Leica Camera Repair Handbook. See Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Leica-Camera-Repair-Handbook-Collectible/dp/0936262877

If you are into doing repairs on LTM cameras yourself [including Leica LTM copies], you'll also need some special tools, such as ring wrenches at:

www.micro-tools.com.

Good luck,

 

[LeicaTom]

Tom and LeoB, is your book close to publishing? Is there a book that has pictures of the "guts" of these cameras that might be useful as a service guide?

Nope not quite yet......still getting everything together, I`m currently looking for surviving members of staff at Wetzlar in 1945 and also US Forces personnel who were working at Leitz from 1945 to 1947 to add to our story

Our book will cover just a small amount of Leica`s the postwar production era ones from 1945 to mid 1946

The "numbers" and internal photos will also be worked into something else that we have planned, but there`s nothing concrete yet on release dates etc.
(I don`t know of any book already published that has detailed tear down photos - sorry)

I honestly have a good soild 6 months or more of research to do on things, before it all starts to come together

Tom

 

[ZorkiKat]

Hello Leica fans,

Which Lester and Morgan Leica guide edition covers the Leica screw mount cameras the best?

Steve

Haven't seen the others, but I would say Lester and Morgan (later Morgan and Morgan) editions 11, 12 and 13, published between 1947 and 1956 or so. The 12th edition would also have the M3 in it, but treats it just like the previous LTM models, so you can ignore it 🙂

You may also want to look at the "The Leica Way" (by Mattheson) editions from the same era.

Then there's Kißelbach's "Pocket Leica Book". As its title suggests, it's small and reads like a rather extensive instruction manual.


Jay

 

[ZorkiKat]

Tomosy's book

Tomosy's book

Hi there,
Youxin Ye in Canon, MA recommends the Leica Camera Repair Handbook. See Link:



Good luck,

Mike,


I have this book, and frankly, was disappointed with it. I got one with the intent of using it as a guide for fixing Leica and copy cameras. But I never got anything useful from it.

IMO, Tomosy's Leica Repair book isn't the best to use as reference for repairing Leicas. Too many details are missing. It's written as if, with the assumption that the reader has experience in disassembling Leicas. Many crucial steps and instructions *just aren't there*. For instance, there is very detail on how disassembly should be done -which should be done first, then next, then so on.

It is strange for a book which says "Repair" on its cover and yet not say much about shutter repair and replacement. This is perhaps the most common major repair done with old Leicas.

There also seems to be no mention on how to recalibrate the camera after putting it back together. Nothing at all about the importance of setting correct lens flange to focal distances, shutter calibration, or how to retense the shutter properly for that matter. All these and many more are critical in making sure that the restored/repaired camera is put back to working specs.

At best, the disassembly/assembly references in the book show only what's inside and how they go together. And with the rather light regard about calibration, it gives me the impression that cosmetic appearance is the only concern when an old Leica is restored.

The Maizenberg Russian Camera Repair book chapters on FED and Zorki does a better job in describing Leica repair basics. I was able to repair a Leica II using this book. And from the Zorki-6 chapter, I was able to understand better what the Leitz factory repair manual for IIIc/IIIf cameras was saying. 🙂

Jay

 

[radiocemetery]

Thanks you guys, RFF is always a place to get the answers. I found a real nice copy of "Leica Manual" tonight at one of our local used booksellers. It is the 12th edition from 1955. The book is a real clean copy and was only $6.00. Couldn't pass it up. This edition covers the screw mount cameras up to and including the IIIf. Tomosy's book I can get from the local library system. I can check it out and then decide if I want to buy.

Mike, thanks for the links, I may have to buy a ring wrench unless I can figure out how to build one. The rangefinder window and eyepiece on my FED 2 were easy enough to unscrew by hand. On a more expensive camera I would want to be sure of not slipping and leaving any marks.

Jay, the same bookseller had "The Leica Way" somewhere , but I could not find it on his shelves and it was close to closing time. Will try again. I still might buy a Russian Leica to practice on first.

Tom, your project sounds very interesting. Be sure to let RFF know when we can get your book. Have fun with the research.