Leicaflex insanity

Vickko said:
Nice. I like them in black. My two SL's are chrome. I may paint them black. Oh I can imagine the weight of your kit.
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It can be windy on the coast, a bit of weight helps to keep things under control.

The motor is a useless brick but the SL with that nice curved back is handy, despite its weight.
 
Sounds like you had fun with that Leicaflex, Vickko. Making it through the first roll of film is another milestone.

PF
 
Congratulations. Persistence, and a gentle touch so as not to break parts, are both key. Patience, and research, gets you the rest of the way. Just goes to show, it can be done with a combination of the right skill set and attitude. I'm grappling with an Exakta at present, which is a new experience for me, and it has been challenging in some respects, (usually because of previous repair practices). It's getting there slowly and will see film soon, but it's had its ups and downs. I think the first one of any type is usually the hardest, too.
Cheers,
Brett
 
Thanks.
It helped that I had a "good" camera to study and compare.

But I found that there were differences between my "good" working camera, and the one that I was trying to re-assemble.

Leicaflex SL cameras have ironically become so cheap that it is feasible to render one into a "study camera".

I'm halfway through shooting my first test film with my recently assembled camera.
 
Well, I worked on it over 3 days, probably 6 hrs a session. But it was the first one. The first one of any model is always slow.
 
Well, first of all congratulations. May I ask you if while repairing you could figure out any reason for the complicate design? I don't touch cameras but have an obsession similar to yours for watches and sometimes I cannot really figure out how people come out with certain designs, but then I remember that watches are somewhere between art and technology, but a camera...

GLF
 
I haven't taken apart a watch, but have browsed through watch magazines. I think they are very much more of an "art" than a camera is. The insides of a camera can be downright crude, in comparison to the internal finish of a watch, as far as I can see from the magazines.

Not sure why the Leicaflex was designed the way it was. At that time, the Nikon F was around, along with the Canon F1. But so was the Alpa and Contarex. Could have been a European influence, versus the simpler and more manufacturable design philosophy of the Japanese.

And once you "figure out" the internals, then you are "contaminated" with a notion of "oh, now it makes sense".

But I am curious about why some of the simpler modules of the Leica M didn't get carried over into the Leicaflex. I am told that the Leicaflex design team was an entirely different team than the M.

And the Leica R team was again different, with significant Japanese influence.

giellaleafapmu said:
Well, first of all congratulations. May I ask you if while repairing you could figure out any reason for the complicate design? I don't touch cameras but have an obsession similar to yours for watches and sometimes I cannot really figure out how people come out with certain designs, but then I remember that watches are somewhere between art and technology, but a camera...

GLF
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Hoping to tack on to this thread as it seemed the most recent...

I just unboxed a chrome Leicaflex. It was love at first sight (and touch)! I can not believe it took me this long to try one. Though I have yet to source a lens -I am starting to think I could easily sell all of my other film SLR's (well almost).

Despite some searches, anyone have any pointers to good Leicaflex reading here or elsewhere?

Thanks!
 
burancap said:
Hoping to tack on to this thread as it seemed the most recent...

I just unboxed a chrome Leicaflex. It was love at first sight (and touch)! I can not believe it took me this long to try one. Though I have yet to source a lens -I am starting to think I could easily sell all of my other film SLR's (well almost).

Despite some searches, anyone have any pointers to good Leicaflex reading here or elsewhere?

Thanks!
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Welcome to the mad world of Leicaflex Insanity! Yes, they're beautiful pieces of machinery.

You obtained a Leicaflex? or Leicaflex SL/SL2? I have a single-cam Summicron-R 50mm f/2, ideal for the Leicaflex, that I could part with.

If you haven't found them already, you can get a PDF of the manual from here:
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/leica.htm
... and you can get lots of supporting information about your camera's year, etc, from here:
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/

I had similar thoughts, but darn it, a Nikon F is also a wonderful piece of equipment too, and MUCH easier to have serviced when it needs it ... and for sentimental reasons, I'm keeping one of them.

Enjoy your Leicaflex!

G
 
Thanks folks!

Sounds like the usual suspects then ... I was hoping for a Flexaholic thread like the Zuikoholic thread. Though we are talking about an SLR, I am genuinely surprised there is not more activity on the Leicaflex and R models here.

Would anyone care to start one?

P.S. Godfrey: Yes, I have an original Leicaflex "Standard" Mk. II with the round counter. Actually, I have a pair now!
 
Start one and see what develops. Might motivate me to take out the SLs more... With too many cameras in the cupboard, each has it's moment but they can be few and far between.


Leicaflex SL + Summicron-R 90mm f/2
Ilford XP2 Super
ISO 400 @ f/11 @ 1/250s​

First time out with the Leicaflex SL and 90mm a couple of weeks ago.

G
 
Vickko said:
I haven't taken apart a watch, but have browsed through watch magazines. I think they are very much more of an "art" than a camera is.
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I saw your answer only today, sorry. Anyway, watches are jewels so there is a lot of decoration going on, even more so since the display case back become fashionable. Also, they are often sold for their novelty factor so many have also complications, however the main design as timekeepers is usually quite transparent. Most of the design variations happen in the following areas. The escapement: almost every design which is different than the standard Swiss Anchor are done in the attempt to separate the impulse phase from the pacing (not sure of the world), Daniels Co-Axial, Robin (now known as Audemars Piguet), and what not all exist for this reason which allow for lower forces and hence less need for lubricants and less frequent overhauls required. The tourbillons and similar are an attempt to make less relevant the effect of gravity. Then there are the changes needed for the variations in temperature. Even for quartz watches this is the main reason for lack of precision. Finally there are springs who give different forces when they are at a different tension and the consequent designs to compensate this. I can't think of many movements whose design is not "transparent" at the eyes of anyone who like had some training in building or repairing them. Most modern movements are highly modular since long ago. Jaeger LeCoultre movements now all sport a 24h hand wheel even if they don't have the complication exactly because it is easier to put or skip the corresponding hand than to design a new movement. Ok, back to cameras because this is now seriously of topic...

GLF
 
Hello Viccko,

Thanks for your repair infos on Leicaflex SL.

I have mine jammed too.
I'm aware of repairing many cameras including Leica M, but for this one i had an unpreviewed problem: i have put apart the top cover and around, but i can't take the bottom cover apart. Since it's often the most easy part to take off, i've unsrewed the two screws with their rings and the battery cover. But it seems to be still strongly stucked by the tripod hole, or any part around it. I uncovered all the leathers, no clue under it. As i can't go further, i can't get the bottom off to fix the shutter so i can't un-jam it.

The only clue i found is a square shaped hole at the end of the tripod insert. I tried to turn it to unlock the tripod, nothing moves. Dont wanna force on it, i don't find neither any grip.

Please would you have an advice about this strange problem and a way to put the bottom apart in a normal way?

Thanks by advance, and please excuse my errors as English is not my native language.
Best Regards
Fred
 
Hi guys, i've recently bought one beautiful black Leicaflex SL mainly for the Summicron-R 50mm so i didn't payed attention to much for the body. So now i figured my Leicaflex Sl mirror is getting stuck in the up position (viewfinder all black). I need to manualy lower the mirror again. Even when i press the shutter the mirror goes up very slowly.

Is there any easy way of fixing this before selling the camera. I would like to sell it in working condition since all functions (including meter =O) seem to work flawlessly.

Thank in advance guys.
 
is it hard to remove the top plate? i have a spare one because the actual sl i use has a dent which blocks the frame counter (other than that its working fine).
 
santino said:
is it hard to remove the top plate? i have a spare one because the actual sl i use has a dent which blocks the frame counter (other than that its working fine).
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I don't think it's hard. But going after that's another story. I dont have any knowledge in camera repair. Heck, i don't even know the best way to peel and reglue letherette. But, as i said it would be awesome if i could make it work before selling (must not think about it too much or i'll end up with another SLR =P).
 
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