Photos with the original Leica I with fixed lens.

[Erik van Straten]

Good question; probably to get them in colour by hand (artist) rather than mere B&W by a machine (camera). And who wants realism when looking at young ladies in sales brochures?

Regards, David

Yes, this painting comes to mind, by an unknown master.


Erik.

 

[David Hughes]

Thanks Erik.

I am really tempted to try the FILCA B type on my Ia. I have taken many photos with IIIa and later models, but with any older model have always thought that something may go wrong, that they were not suitable for using a modern cassette, etc...

Will definitely practice.

Max

I don't know what year your camera is but it's a little more complicated than people think.

There was the original FILCA (type A) then a B then three different C's and - according to something I read recently - the cameras all came with the Leica-Agfa cassette. It was published in an English translation of a German book of 1933.

Regards, David

 

[David Hughes]

Yes, this painting comes to mind, by an unknown master.

Erik.

When I think of paintings of young ladies I always think of Konstantin Razumov but I quite like the three in the Leitz brochure. You'll never guess what it cost me...

Regards, David

 

[carbo73]

Thanks Erik.

I am really tempted to try the FILCA B type on my Ia. I have taken many photos with IIIa and later models, but with any older model have always thought that something may go wrong, that they were not suitable for using a modern cassette, etc...

Will definitely practice.

Max

Just yesterday I tried my older Leica I (A) from 1929 with a FILCA B. No problem at all, although it's a bit tight, or at least it look to me. Anyway the pictures look perfect, the camera works great.
BUT there is a problem, I'm quite sure completely unrelated to the FILCA. I've found just now with my first film, that this Leica I does not allow to rewind. The rewind lever works, but it's the sprocket gear that does not turn back (in fact only a couple of times). Obviously with the rewind lever in the R position. It's a bit annoying, but with a dark bag or room I can unload anyway.

 

[Erik van Straten]

... I've found just now with my first film, that this Leica I does not allow to rewind. The rewind lever works, but it's the sprocket gear that does not turn back (in fact only a couple of times)...

Did you look if there was a film chip in the gears?

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

When I think of paintings of young ladies I always think of Konstantin Razumov but I quite like the three in the Leitz brochure. You'll never guess what it cost me...

Yes, Ranuzow is nice, but a bit kitschy. I prefer your three ladies with the Leica.

Erik.

 

[carbo73]

Did you look if there was a film chip in the gears?

Erik.

Not that I can see. It's strange, as it only allows to rewind "one picture" so to say. So I have to open the bottom in the dark, unload the whole ensemble of FILCA, film and spool and rewind it by hand. Nothing difficult but more cumbersome that should be. I had disassembled at least the main body as I received it and noticed nothing unusual. Apart from that rewind issue, the camera works wonderfully well. Here's one proof:

 

[Erik van Straten]

Did you expose the film until the end? Maybe the way the film was connected to the cassette spool acted as a brake. Maybe if you rewind the film a few shots before it is fully exposed it will go back without problems. Try it out with a piece of worthless film if you have that around.

Erik.

 

[carbo73]

Did you expose the film until the end? Maybe the way the film was connected to the cassette spool acted as a brake. Maybe if you rewind the film a few shots before it is fully exposed it will go back without problems. Try it out with a piece of worthless film if you have that around.

Erik.

No, no, I've tried to move it with small screwdriver in the rewind direction while disengaged (position R of the lever), and it only moves about the space of one picture, and then locks. And yes, I exposed the film to the end. So maybe there's something out of place.

 

[carbo73]

Does anybody know the kind of emulsion available back in the 20's for the Leica I? And which one could be used today to mostly replicate that? Maybe the Rollei Ortho 25? I've read somewhere that usually 35mm in that era was still arround 25-50 ISO and probably orthochromatic.

 

[David Hughes]

From memory (based on trying to date old phto's a long time ago) panchromatic appeared about 1908-ish but could everyone afford it?

Looking at pre-war exposure charts I'd say 8, 10 or 12 ASA/ISO would be about right. This is from Leitz in 1936 and you could work back from it using the funny 16 rule and a bit of sense...

Have fun, David


PS And colour film in the 30's was about 5 ISO, based on funny 16 and a leaflet in a Dufaycolor film box...

 

[carbo73]

more shots with my 1930 Leica I(A) "Bruno Maixner"; Elmar 50mm; Fomapan 100 developed with Rodinal. No rangefinder nor light meter used.

One of the first trips post-coronavirus-confinement, arround Sabadell, Catalonia.

 

[carbo73]

Did you expose the film until the end? Maybe the way the film was connected to the cassette spool acted as a brake. Maybe if you rewind the film a few shots before it is fully exposed it will go back without problems. Try it out with a piece of worthless film if you have that around.

Erik.

Now finally I understand what happens. The camera lacks a part, somebody dismantled it who knows when. It appears to only affect the rewinding, so the camera works well, but must be unloaded in the dark.

The part is the number 101 in that site describing the Leica shutter mechanism. The pictures are of a 1928 Leica I, so I could compare with my own 1929 Leica I, and also with my Leica IIIb.

http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/shutterm.html#Leica

In fact I now know much better how the Leica works, as I've disassembled a completely broken Zenit-1 that I bought for almost nothing. Even could consider if its part (that it has) could be a donor?

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Well b****cks!

I guess curtain replacement wasn't part of the rebuild.
Used temporary fix now but best would be a new set of shutter curtains.

 

[Dralowid]

Well b****cks!

I guess curtain replacement wasn't part of the rebuild.
Used temporary fix now but best would be a new set of shutter curtains.

Well that's an effect that would be hard to achieve even in Photoshop!

 

[Mr_Flibble]

A couple of images I've managed to salvage from that 'over-exposed' roll

Got a fresh roll in it now. We'll see how well the patch-job works.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Sharp Elmar! Congrats, Rick.


Erik.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Thanks Erik,

I'm actually pretty happy at finding a Model A for around €400.
But I wasn't expecting to have to perform open-heart surgery on it so soon.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Wow Rick, what a beauty! Looks like new!

The case is very nice too!

Congratulations!

Erik.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

It has been repainted and reskinned with brown leather.
It looks like it might have been re-plated as well, the engravings look a little shallow on the shutter speed dial.


Finding an affordable half-case has been a job and a half. I don't like the Kenji one. Luigi's is way to expensive. Came across this one from Funper on Ebay.
Initially I bought it for my early Leica II cameras.
The strap came from a leather shop in the UK.

Waiting for NobbySparrow to re-open his Ebay shop for a proper Nickel shutter button collar ring. Using a chrome one from the bits-box for now.