i inhereted a Leica IIF with some accessories

[seth_albaum]

With the help of some posts on here I was able to go to the Leica

web page and determine that it is a IIF. It also has a leather case

for the body and the light meter.

I can't seem to find info on the light meter anywhere. It

says "Leica Meter" on it with a big wheel. It also seems to work -

I'm a little worried by what sort of power source would last that

long!?

Mounted on top is a 50mm viewfinder that is easier than the one

built into the body to use.

Over the lens is a metal hood.

 

I took some pictures!! I'm bad at focusing this camera. My other

camera is a Canon AE1 SLR. That issue aside, there are glowing balls

of light all over the photo. Either there are little holes in the

shutter or I have ghosts.

 

I have no plans to sell it. My grandfather brought it over on the

boat from Germany in 1951 planning to turn it into cash but never

did. It was hardly used, if at all!!! But, it looks worn. He made it

look "used" on purpose to fool customs after learning he might get

in trouble for it.

 

Does anyone know a good and trustworthy shop in Boston or Providence

that can do repairs in house? Also.. about that light meter?

 

Thanks

[chris hughes]

The selenium cell that powers the meter can last for decades but it does degrade over time. I

have a Leica Meter MC that came with my M3 and it reads pretty close to accurate but I don't

actually use it. If I were you I'd invest in new meter and set the Leica Meter aside.

 

Others here will have good advice on having the camera serviced.

[jerry_lehrer]

Seth--- May I ask how Gramps made the camera "look used"? did he scratch the lens? Did he chip the Vulcanite? Did he abrade the chrome

with sand paper? He would have been better off paying the small import tax.

 

Your surest bet to get the camera serviced correctly, is to send it to

Sherry Krauter.

 

Jerry

[james_elwing]

You say 'the photo'. Do all the photos have this effect? It could be flare from uncoated lens or facing into strong light. What lens is on it, how clear is it, and what does the shutter look like with the lens off, cocked and uncocked??

I am saying It's possible all is normal, but you can do a little Sherlock Holmes yourself.

[stuart_richardson]

The "little balls of light" are probably holes in the shutter curtain. The best way to check this

is when there is no film in the camera. Since it is a IIf, I don't think the back swings open, so

you probably have to try a different way. Take a flashlight, and shine it under the camera

where you load the film...hopefully there will be enough light spill behind the shutter to show

you if there are any holes. The holes will look like little bright points of light. If there are, it is

a problem. Replacing the shutter curtain can be very expensive. The other fix would be to

take liquid electrical tape and carefully apply very small amounts to cover the holes. Then you

need to wait 24 hours for it to cure, so that it does not gum up the shutter when you wind it.

Remember, there are two shutter curtains, so you need to check both.

[stuart_richardson]

Oh, I forgot. For the meter, Quality Light Metric in LA will repair the meter and install a new

selenium cell in it. They are very friendly and do a great job...very quickly.

[steve_levine]

A CLA is in order (if you want to get another 50 years of service from it). However, Sherry K. doesn't work on screwmount bodies. I think DAG is the best SM shop from what I've read. Sherry will work wonders on old SM lenses though.

 

Once you get the loading issue down, these are great shooting cameras. These and a few rolls of Tri-X pan,= serendipity. After it is working right again ,I would think that shooting "Grandpa's" camera would be a thrill.

[al_kaplan1]

We tend to bandy about terms you might not be familiar with. CLA means "clean, lubricate, adjust". The selenium cell in the meter uses light energy to produce electricity. It requires no battery. The downside is that it is less sensive in low light than more modern meters.

[andrew robertson]

Selenium meters degrade more with exposure to light than time. The selenium meters in

my Contaflex II and Minox B are both 40+ years old, yet they are quite accurate.

 

Good decision on keeping the camera. It's a brick, and in a pinch is probably just as good

for hand-to-hand combat as taking pictures.

[jtk]

The IIF was Leica's finest flower. Nothing's rivaled it since. It's well worth major investment to restore...hundreds of dollars. Unfortunately the meter is self destructing...it's just the nature of the beast. Your IIF is a treasur. Your AE1 is lucky to be functioning and has limited value into the future. That's like comparing a 1999 Hyundai to a funky 1951 Mercedes. Which will be of more value in fifty years years? Which serves you better today.

[alicia_rovel]

you will enjoy using it and you can buy modern relatively inexpensive cosina voigtlander lenses to use with it. i have a IIIF with both Leitz and CV lenses. the drawbacks of the small viewfinder can be overcome with auxilliary viewfinders which come with the CV lenses. just get a modern light meter to use with it or use the "sunny 16" method. also check out the auction site for a small orange filter that goes over the rangefinder window to imporove the contrast. it's nice that you want to keep it after all the trouble your grandfather went to to hold on to it.

[david_doyle]

I inherited a IIIf/Summarit back in '98 from a great uncle who bought it new from the PX in

'52, it was mint (save the engraving...) in the velvet box with brown wrapper etc, but

needed a CLA and lens cleaning.

 

It has been a good friend since (though it required an adjustment in '03...), John Van

Stelton (Colorado) did the first round and someone who's name escapes me did the

second, he is in North or South Carolina I believe and is a SM specialist.<div></div>

[jason]

A keeper! Compact, accurate and great fun! Get it seen to..

Kinderman in Toronto, Canada purchased all the Screw Mount camera and lens material and parts from Leitz/Leica. The Leicameter if working is very close to the B/W color spectrum, thus very accurate but not very sensitive! My selenium meters on the M-3 still work fine.

[kajabbi]

Try This:

 

S.K.Grimes Camera Repair

23 Drydock Ave

Boston MA 02210

617-951-1480