Shutter repair gone wrong

[PFMcFarland]

Back in 2020, before all my medical issues got in the way, I sent my Leica IIIf off for a shutter replacement, seeing as I've never done a curtain replacement, nor have any idea as to what you set the spring tension to after assembly (all the instructions I've ever seen were very vague about that). Anyway, turns out the guy I sent it to really had a better impression of his own self-worth as a repairman than I could ever give him credit for. Not only did the shutter have a major fault on the roll of Kodak Gold 200 I ran through it, but the flash sync doesn't work anymore either. It was just fine when I shipped it off to Pennsylvania.

So, frames 2 through 7 are completely wrecked, and the rest of the roll was at least a whole stop over exposed.


A Revolting Predicament by P F McFarland, on Flickr

The NOOKY-HEESUM worked fine with the Summitar 50/2


Lichen Patch Even Closer by P F McFarland, on Flickr

And the Summaron 35/3.5 focuses well (point of interest is the sign)


Sign Up Close by P F McFarland, on Flickr

If you want to see the rest of the test photos with commentary, plus some others of an old factory, go to the album on Flickr at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBfBs2

PF

[titrisol]

Oh man! that sucks!!!
I hope you can get it fixed, I think the synchro issue is really bad
I sent mine to YYE, and he was very good and professional. Camera works fine, I just need to go out more

[melek]

Ugh - that's disappointing. Hopefully, it can get sorted out.

[Bennybee]

What a shame! To my untrained eye it looks like frames 1 and 5 have a similar problem, and frames 6 and 7 another but different issue. But then again, I do not claim to have any clue about shutter issues and shutter repair, let alone Leica shutters. I hope this fine camera can be fixed.

[PFMcFarland]

Pablo, Mike, and Benny

I think whatever was wrong with the camera in those first few frames has resolved itself as all the frames after #7 are okay as far as consistency of exposure across the frame. It could have been a bit of debris left over from the old shutter curtains replacement. Of course, I'll have to shoot another roll to see if the consistent over exposures were caused by my setting the wrong shutter speed or the shutter itself is not adjusted correctly. And I would like to get that flash sync working again.

PF

[Brazile]

If it still needs some attention and he's still working on them, I can vouch for Youxin Ye up here in Needham (or whichever Boston suburb he's in). He went over my IIIc some years ago and was kind enough to let me watch him do it, as I'd dropped it off in person once I realized he was local.

Robert

[PFMcFarland]

If it still needs some attention and he's still working on them, I can vouch for Youxin Ye up here in Needham (or whichever Boston suburb he's in). He went over my IIIc some years ago and was kind enough to let me watch him do it, as I'd dropped it off in person once I realized he was local.

Robert

I kind of feel like I don't want to put any more money into that camera, so I'm going to shelve it. I've already ordered another one that is definitely from the year I was born according to the serial number run, instead of possibly being a year older than me. That one I'll send off to DAG for a tune up as it is said to have slow curtain speeds. It's been discounted because of that.

PF

[titrisol]

PS, and very off-topic
I was traveling with the Leica IIIf (serviced by YYe) and it set off the alarms in those swabbing machines they have to detect "bad stuff"
I assume either glycerine or some nitrates?

[PFMcFarland]

PS, and very off-topic
I was traveling with the Leica IIIf (serviced by YYe) and it set off the alarms in those swabbing machines they have to detect "bad stuff"
I assume either glycerine or some nitrates?

The reason I'm reluctant to send my IIIf off to YYe is all the reports of excessive oiling that have cropped up ever since he started getting more repair orders, like maybe he is taking short-cuts in the process. Might be the source of the scanner hits.

PF