Rangefinder Quirks

[finarphin]

Unquirk

Unquirk

Having obtained a lens cap I thought I would test whether keeping it on except when exposing the film would make a difference: result, not much. With the other one it would have, probably. It's almost usable, demanding a painful amount of clone tool. But I like the lens. It has its own peculiar quality to it.

 

[charjohncarter]

You think you have problems, I have shutter bounce, see right.

 

[finarphin]

Sky

Sky

You think you have problems, I have shutter bounce, see right.

Nice shot of the sky...that is the sky, right?

What is shutter bounce, precious?

 

[sanmich]

You think you have problems, I have shutter bounce, see right.

John

If your scanner is a coolscan, your camera may be perfectly ok.
Nikon scans tend to show this annoying strip at the end of the frame.

 

[charjohncarter]

John

If your scanner is a coolscan, your camera may be perfectly ok.
Nikon scans tend to show this annoying strip at the end of the frame.

Thanks for the encouragement but I don't use CoolScan. I only happens on 1/100 and 1/75. So for now I'm avoiding those speeds. There is an easy adjustment (shutter brake), but figuring how much to adjust is the problem. So I'm going to find someone local to do it, if they have the right testing equipment.

 

[Dez]

You think you have problems, I have shutter bounce, see right.

It doesn't look like shutter bounce to me, but something holding up the leading curtain just at the end of its travel. If it were shutter bounce, the righthand bit would be overexposed, not underexposed. This is a common problem. It probably isn't the brake, which engages a bit further along the first curtain travel. I suspect you may also be seeing capping at the extreme edge at the highest shutter speed as well.

Right at the end of the first curtain travel, the rotating disc on the bottom of the camera encounters the flat spring that pushes up on the vertical shaft that engages the slow speed pawl. The spring may be roughened by corrosion or just crudded up, or the shaft may be sticky in its travel. Try taking out the spring and cleaning it, and putting a tiny bit of very light oil on the shaft where it passes through the baseplate. You may even want to flatten the raised part of the spring a tiny bit to reduce the drag, but be careful not to do this to the point where the slow speeds don't engage.

I have attached a photo of the relevant bits in a Leica IIIB, but a similar design exists with the later models, and all the Leica clones as well.



Good Luck!

Cheers,
Dez

 

[Filzkoeter]

Shutter brake adjustment is really not that hard 😉

http://www.pentax-manuals.com/manuals/service/screw_mount_leicas.pdf

p.129 for how it works
p.143 for adjusting it

 

[charjohncarter]

Thanks Dez and Filzkoeter. I appreciate the info. Next I have to try.

 

[finarphin]

More quirks, or perhaps vicissitudes would be a better word. I bought three IIIf's on ebay, and they all had problems with their shutters. So I tried KEH Camera. I was careful to inquire whether their "BGN" example had light leaks in the shutter. "Oh no, we test everything." Very good. Except when it arrived it wouldn't accept film. Disgusted, I sent it in for service, elsewhere. If they tested it they didn't test it very well; it had a misaligned pressure plate and some other problems, now resolved. So now I have one that actually works, meaning it will take pictures in the usual way.

I notice that, despite its being a IIIf, it still has misaligned film across the shutter; maybe not as bad as the IIIc, but noticeable. I'm going to try me a one millimeter washer.

I discovered something else about the lens. Summicrons have a little button on the focusing ring. I thought that was for aid in moving the ring, and it probably is. But it's also spring loaded, and when the focusing ring is moved to infinity, it pops into a slot and won't move, unless you reverse the spring loaded mechanism with pressure. Sheesh.

I also notice that I need a viewfinder for the 85mm lens; it doesn't take right from the middle of the 50mm frame. Good lens, though.

 

[Doug]

More quirks, or perhaps vicissitudes would be a better word. ... I discovered something else about the lens. Summicrons have a little button on the focusing ring. I thought that was for aid in moving the ring, and it probably is. But it's also spring loaded, and when the focusing ring is moved to infinity, it pops into a slot and won't move, unless you reverse the spring loaded mechanism with pressure. Sheesh.

Yes, as they say about software, that's a feature, not a bug. Very useful when screwing the lens on and off the camera.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

A lot of people think it's for holding the lens still whilst setting the aperture and then focusing. Focus and then set the aperture and you'll need to re-focus most times.

Regards, David

 

[traveler_101]

More quirks, or perhaps vicissitudes would be a better word. I bought three IIIf's on ebay, and they all had problems with their shutters. So I tried KEH Camera. I was careful to inquire whether their "BGN" example had light leaks in the shutter. "Oh no, we test everything." Very good. Except when it arrived it wouldn't accept film. Disgusted, I sent it in for service, elsewhere. If they tested it they didn't test it very well; it had a misaligned pressure plate and some other problems, now resolved. So now I have one that actually works, meaning it will take pictures in the usual way.

I wish I was the sort who has a knack for fixing things. Knowing that I don't have the talent or time, I bought my IIIf and Elmar 5cm combination through Youxin Ye. He has a number of cameras and lenses available to sell. I simply shot him an e-mail asking if he could select the camera and lens for me and get them into shape. He asked a few questions -- why the IIIf over the IIIc and did I want an Summitar or Elmar-- and then did the rest--and he was fast. I've had no trouble since buying it over two years ago (knock on wood). I'm sure I paid more than getting the camera on E-bay, but it was reasonable and I am happy.

 

[finarphin]

I wish I was the sort who has a knack for fixing things. Knowing that I don't have the talent or time, I bought my IIIf and Elmar 5cm combination through Youxin Ye. He has a number of cameras and lenses available to sell. I simply shot him an e-mail asking if he could select the camera and lens for me and get them into shape. He asked a few questions -- why the IIIf over the IIIc and did I want an Summitar or Elmar-- and then did the rest--and he was fast. I've had no trouble since buying it over two years ago (knock on wood). I'm sure I paid more than getting the camera on E-bay, but it was reasonable and I am happy.

You were smart. He fixed my camera; had it done very quickly.

 

[finarphin]

I got another quirk, or maybe it's more a question of ineptitude. I've been able to load the film into the camera, trip the shutter, and wind: I'm also able to watch the film advance.

Then I put the bottom on and take pictures. With one roll it worked. I got exposures. With three other rolls I got a failure of the film to advance, even though the shutter seems to fire, and the film advance knob revolves.

 

[Scrambler]

I got another quirk, or maybe it's more a question of ineptitude. I've been able to load the film into the camera, trip the shutter, and wind: I'm also able to watch the film advance. Then I put the bottom on and take pictures. With one roll it worked. I got exposures. With three other rolls I got a failure of the film to advance, even though the shutter seems to fire, and the film advance knob revolves.

Which camera please?

 

[finarphin]

Which camera please?

Leica IIIf.

 

[Scrambler]

1) Push the film really hard into the takeup spool.
2) Buy a FED takeup spool off ebay (or similar) and use that: they fit Barnacks nicely but have a hook which grabs the sprocket holes on the film. I had to file one (of 3) slightly on the end to make it fit.

I use these in preference because it is really hard to get the film back out of them. Downside: you need to stop when you feel firm resistance & pull the takeup spool out when removing the fillm canister, or risk breaking things and leaving film chips in the camera.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Quotes:- "even though the shutter seems to fire, and the film advance knob revolves".

That's the mistake, you should be watching the rewind knob and checking it rotates. I hope that doesn't sound too rude but it's something we all learn the hard way.

BTW there's two or three types of FED take up spool; as the Ukrainian technicians/designers made some improvements to them. Best to get a selection, if you go down that path. OTOH, I could have a FED camera with a genuine Leitz spool in it...

And (2) get the fit of the Leica's take up spool on the axle checked as it may just need adjusting. That assumes you've checked the clip on the Leitz spool, which can and does fail, mostly by being too loose to hold the film.

Regards, David

 

[finarphin]

1) Push the film really hard into the takeup spool.
2) Buy a FED takeup spool off ebay (or similar) and use that: they fit Barnacks nicely but have a hook which grabs the sprocket holes on the film.

1) I've tried that; I was suspicious.

2) Thanks, mate, I might try that. It appears some have hooks and some don't. I've had my camera serviced once so far, and there were bits of film debris in it the first time.

That's the mistake, you should be watching the rewind knob and checking it rotates. I hope that doesn't sound too rude but it's something we all learn the hard way.

Thank you, I'll watch that. I didn't think it rude at all. However if you had said, "That's the fault..." then that would be rude. As in the following exchange:

P1: Lend me thy handkerchief.

P2: Here, my Lord.

P1: That which I gave you.

P2: I have it not about me.

P1: Not?

P2: No indeed, my Lord.

P1: That's a fault.

Rude, particularly if followed up with a stronger phrase, such as "For that thou diest." Totally rude. David isn't rude, David is a cool dude.

 

[goamules]

Just scanned this thread, but if you have several things wrong with the cameras, it may be cheaper to sell them and buy one that is working well, than fixing them. For example, if you have light leaks in a IIIc, like I did, Yousin told me they really didn't have seals. He never fixed that problem. Shutter curtain replacement, and fixing the braking, and lubing it may cost a total of $200 or more. You can buy another Leica IIIc for about that much, with a recent CLA.