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Old 28th February 2019, 05:54 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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Default Leica LTM puzzle

I have a puzzle concerbing a Leica IIIc, 2 years ago late friends wife gave me his cameras, he had passed away a few months earlier, and she wanted them gone, among them was his Leica IIIc that I knew had not worked f, beautiful, still +or a while, the film wind did not work, you could not even turn the shutter speed dial, which you should be able to do to set the shutter, for double exposures, the whole thing was jammed up, he had been ill for a while and much as he loved his Leica he was to ill to get it fixed, I took it to a local repair man, whom I new I could trust, an older person who was a friend, and he told me it needed so much work it would be better to get another one and keep this for spares, over the time I would get it out from my draw full of spares cameras, it just never worked, so back it would go, Last Saturday I was looking for something and out came the Leica, and loo and behold, it was working perfectly, film wind smooth and easy, tested the shutter speeds and they were spot on, not a thing wrong, Nothing had been done to it it had just been sitting in the draw all the time, I have film tested it beautiful negatives, still working as well today, I have no answer as to what happened, it seems impossible that a dead camera,even an old Leica, should come back to life, Anyone here got any?

Richard
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Old 28th February 2019, 06:17 PM
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B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
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These cameras are precision mechanical works of art and they like being used. It could be it just needed using and the fact that you had the occasional play with it was doing it some good - then the last play sorted out, but it got put back in the drawer.


Enjoy!

Neil.
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Old 28th February 2019, 07:23 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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Whatever, it is still working, With all of my old cameras I believe in using them, and will often when watching TV of an evening pick one or the other up and dry fire the shutter over the speeds,and that includes my other Leica, it keeps the shutters firing on all speeds, and I enjoy using them all, so they do get used, some more than others, for instance my TLR's are used a lot, but lately I have enjoyed my Folders, both 35mm and MF, so you could be right, I don't kn, but ow how long it had been sitting unused but it must be a good few years as he had lost interest in 35mm and gone to LF for a few years befpre he passed away, but he loved having the Leica even if he did not use it, but I certainly will use it
Richard
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Old 28th February 2019, 09:18 PM
Michael Michael is offline
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Richard, did you check the re-wind lever at the time? It could have been something as simple as that (though it beats me why the shutter speed selector wouldn't shift).

Whatever, I'm damned glad it works for you now!
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Old 1st March 2019, 01:00 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael View Post
Richard, did you check the re-wind lever at the time? It could have been something as simple as that (though it beats me why the shutter speed selector wouldn't shift).

Whatever, I'm damned glad it works for you now!
Yes checked everything and the film release lever was stuck in advance, also my friend the local repair man checked it, everything stuck, then I go to sort out my broken camera draw. tried to turn the film wind knob, it turned easily and fired, tried it at every shutter speed, all working fine, put a film though it, lovely negatives, everything working smoothly, and still working fine, it is a puzzle, but I am very happy that it has sorted itself out as I now have 2 working LTM Leica's
Richard
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Old 1st March 2019, 02:53 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
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Sounds like a change in temperature, or humidity may have affected it. The main thing is that it’s now working. I had the opposite situation with an Exakta SLR. It came to me unused for years, but working. I used it a few times until the whole thing ground to a halt. Different quality from the Leica, I suspect!
Alex


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Old 1st March 2019, 03:13 PM
Michael Michael is offline
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I have a Leica R6.2 in transit from Germany, with a lens waiting here for it. Excited but hoping it will all function properly.
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Old 1st March 2019, 09:42 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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you could always put it down to his spirit fixing it for you because he is happy you have got it .you just never know .


www.essexcockney.com
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Old 2nd March 2019, 08:18 AM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by big paul View Post
you could always put it down to his spirit fixing it for you because he is happy you have got it .you just never know .


www.essexcockney.com
Maybe the Leica Fairy's came in the night and fixed it
Richard
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