Nicca / Tower LTM My Nicca 3-S Test Roll Images

Nicca / Tower M39 screw mount bodies

gb hill

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Back before Christmas I met up with a local RFF member. If he wishes to be known I'll let him chime in. Anyhow, while ogling over his collection of camera's he handed me a Nicca 3-S said it's capping but it's yours. I was thrilled to say the least. The RFF member showed me the frames he shot with the camera to show it was capping.

I planned to send the camera to YYe Camera but said what the heck & loaded a roll of Arista EDU 100 in the little Nicca. My 50/3.5 post war elmar is perfect for the Nicca so on it went & off to shoot. Every frame turned out good with the slower speeds.

I called him & told him all my frames were OK & he said "Good, perhaps the camera just needs to be used. Next I loaded some Arista Premium 400 & began to shoot that roll. Of course life got busy so it took me a while to finish the roll. I finished said roll then life got busy again & took some time to develop the roll.

Just finished scanning the roll. I can tell you my Epson V500 film holder is NOT friendly when film has a bow to it so these aren't my best scans. Oh BTW there was only one frame that was capped & I knew it as soon as I pressed the shutter. Happened at 1/500th of a sec. & when I developed the roll I said yep that's the shot. Happened on the 29th frame. All else turned out good, least capping wise. The shot's might put you to sleep though. I'm going to load another roll of 400 film to try out. I may just have the camera adjusted. There is a local guy in High Point, Ken Toda who specializes in these cameras. Anyhow photo's.
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The first curtain roller probably just needs a little tension added, but a complete CLA wouldn't hurt. I also have a 3-S, and a 5L on the way.
 
What happens when it caps? Just a blank exposure?

Reminds me I need to shoot some more with my Nicca/Tower. Last roll had a couple shots with processing issues, at least that was the verdict when I asked here. Nice neat little camera though. I finally got a period-correct Nikkor 50/f2 for it and a Tower clip-on light meter. Its fun!
 
What happens when it caps? Just a blank exposure?
I think it has something to do wirh the one curtain catches up to the other curtain before the first curtain completes travel thus making half the frame blank. This is what the frame looks like.
 

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Some good looking exposures on the slower speeds, Greg. Capping is a high speed issue, and a little adjustment is usually all it takes to cure it. But it won't get better on its own.

Enjoy it a lot after you send it in for some care.

PF
 
Some good looking exposures on the slower speeds, Greg. Capping is a high speed issue, and a little adjustment is usually all it takes to cure it. But it won't get better on its own.

Enjoy it a lot after you send it in for some care.

PF

All the shots including the capped were taken a 1/500. Earlier I shot a roll of 100 asa film & all the shots came out OK. Most were at 1/100 & 50? Don't have the camera in front of me.

When I can I will carry it over to Ken Toda.
http://www.filmfotoforever.com/repairs
 
Here are a couple of shots I made with the EDU100 film.
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And this one right around Christmas when I first received the Nicca.
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After reloading the Nicca with Arista Premium 400 I carried the camera with me to work. After stopping at a custermer & getting out of my truck I liked the early morning light. So I took a qiuck reading with my light meter app & snapped this photo.
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A Saturday morning at the dealership getting my trucks oil changed.
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All the shots including the capped were taken a 1/500. Earlier I shot a roll of 100 asa film & all the shots came out OK. Most were at 1/100 & 50? Don't have the camera in front of me.

When I can I will carry it over to Ken Toda.
http://www.filmfotoforever.com/repairs

After thinking it over a bit, that much overlap shown in the one frame it happened could actually just be an intermittent sticky shutter. CLA in order anyway.

And thanks for the link to Ken. When you get it back, I'll have to come down there, and we can do a Nicca shoot-out.

PF
 
After thinking it over a bit, that much overlap shown in the one frame it happened could actually just be an intermittent sticky shutter. CLA in order anyway.

And thanks for the link to Ken. When you get it back, I'll have to come down there, and we can do a Nicca shoot-out.

PF
Hope I can take it over soon. Have a few priorities I need to take care of 1st. but a Nicca or any other camera shootout sounds like a plan. I finally finished a roll in my Canonet which was long overdue & haven't shot with my Bessa in a long while.
 
The camera takes great shots - impressive Elmar performance as well (as usual with these). Keep it up!

As noted by at least one other, capping is often worse, or even only noticeable on higher shutter speeds. Back off on the shutter speed and it is often mitigated or even unnoticeable.
 
The camera takes great shots - impressive Elmar performance as well (as usual with these). Keep it up!

As noted by at least one other, capping is often worse, or even only noticeable on higher shutter speeds. Back off on the shutter speed and it is often mitigated or even unnoticeable.

Thank you David. I think I'll shoot a few more rolls like some EDU 100. Keep the camera exercised until I can afford to get it serviced.

Think I will keep posting photo's here. I like what Koysta (Ko.Fe.) is doing with his Canadian Leica thread.
 
My computer crashed on me & haven’t been shooting. Now that I’m back on I can’t wait to load the Nicca & post more photos here. I hope my hc-110 & RO9 is still good :D time will tell.
 
Oh, I know how that is, Greg. My hard drive failed, but they were able to get all the data off it. Only problem is it happened right after Microsoft did an update, and that wiped out all my photos I had on the unit. I still have the original scans and digital files on the old computer that I can transfer over again (save for the last sixteen rolls), but those I can download from Flickr.

And before anyone wants to chime in, I was planning on doing a back-up after I had finished fine tuning the system, and eliminating some programs I didn't need anymore. Microsoft just beat me to it. I think they planted that bug in their Updates (this is the third time it has happened to folks) to drive people to using their Cloud services so they can rake in more profits.

PF

ps: I need to get my Nicca down to Ken's as the shutter broke on it.
 
ps: I need to get my Nicca down to Ken's as the shutter broke on it.

Ouch!!! don’t say that;) I haven’t had mine serviced either but have run through the speeds from time to time. Right now I’m running a roll though my QL 17. You have a barnack don’t you? My wife has had some physical issues & I need tires for the truck so priorities always seem to get in my way. I feel like I’m starting all over again.

I also got a C41 kit from the FPP that I need to mix & start shooting up this stock pile of c-41 color film (expired)... boy talk about color shifts. We’ll see:D
 
Here is another photo from the Nicca S3 from one of the old Erlanger Mill homes located in the Erlanger community. I’d forgotten I had posted this in the gallery.

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Ouch!!! don’t say that;) I haven’t had mine serviced either but have run through the speeds from time to time. Right now I’m running a roll though my QL 17. You have a barnack don’t you? My wife has had some physical issues & I need tires for the truck so priorities always seem to get in my way. I feel like I’m starting all over again.

I also got a C41 kit from the FPP that I need to mix & start shooting up this stock pile of c-41 color film (expired)... boy talk about color shifts. We’ll see:D

I've been looking into getting a IIIf, but have had to put off all photo gear purchases. Seemed like everything I owned broke in December (and almost me, too) so I spent all my cash replacing things. I do have a Zorki-1e for when I get the urge.

Hope the missus is doing better now.

PF
 
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