So I got a IIIC

[s._c.]

This is my first Leica. I got a good price on it and went for it.

The only thing wrong with it is the 1000 speed sticks occasionally.

I noticed the shutter release stays a little below the resting point

when this happens. Could it be remedied myself? All the other

speeds seem to work fine. Also, I could use recommendations for 50

and 35 lenses.

[coolmingli]

You need to spend $250 for a CLA first.

[john_a.]

send it youxin for alot less. excellent service.

[victor_cruz1]

I second the CLA advice. Make sure it is done by a competent service person. As for lens recommendations, I really like the summitar and the summaron as my 50 and 35 LTMs.

I like using filters and the summaron is much better than the 35 elmar in this regard since the elmar aperture settings are by the front lens element. This means you must first set the aperture and then put on the filter. Summitar filters are difficult to find though. It took me several months, but I was able to get a set of all the filters I wanted.

Others will advise on modern CV lenses. I haven't tried these so cannot comment. Good luck with your "new" Leica.

[paul_neuthaler]

Enjoy it. Get a CLA & don't start buying/adding stuff to it. Just take pictures a la "Sunny 16"

[djl251]

III C, Summitar and sunny 16 - some nice Kodachrome or Provia

or Velvia. . . that combo gives a great bang for the buck!

[peter_evans4]

<p>I like my <a

href="http://www.davidde.com/articles/canon35.html">Canon 35/2</a>,

which is I think slightly smaller and lighter than a CV 35/2.5, and (in

Japan) cost me less.</p>

[tom5]

John Maddox cleaned and fixed the bad 1/1000 speed on my IIIa for less than a hundred dollars. His work is very good and very, very reasonably priced.

[paulstenquist]

The best screwmount 50 is the f2 Summicron Collapsible, hands down. It's as

sharp as many contemporary lenses.

[peter_evans4]

Isn't the "hands down" a tad dogmatic? There are excellent alternatives, though most are bigger.

[tgh]

Historically the Summitar was the f/2 lens which was sold with the IIIc when new. Both were made from about 1940 until the early 1950s. The Summicron wasn't made until after the IIIc was discontinued. I acquired a IIIc and Summitar separately a few months ago. By coincidence both were made in 1950. Nice little combination.

 

Don't know if it would have any effect on your shutter problem, but I was once told never to change the shutter speed without first advancing the film on a screw mount Leica.

 

I've noticed the shutter speed dial on mine doesn't quite seat down all the way when set at the 1000th speed. May be normal. Doesn't seem to have any effect since all the speeds seem to work correctly.

[alex_lofquist]

The high speed dial always sits a little higher when set to 1/1000 sec. This is the way it was designed. The reason to set the shutter speed after the film has been advanced, is that is the only way to ascertain the actual setting on the dial. (It will NOT damage the shutter if moved.)

 

If the other speeds work OK and the exposures are uniform across the frame, I wouldn't bother with a CLA. Particularly check out 1/500 sec for uniformity. Also listen to the slow speeds at 1 second to 1/5 seconds. It is usually obvious when they are bad.

 

The collapsable 50 Summicron is a nice lens and definitely superior to the Summitar at full aperture. The 50 Elmar is a fine lens, too with high contrast and sharpness. (I did a bench test on mine when was in college. Aerial images viewed with a bench-mounted microscope gave resolutions on a high contrast Gurley target of about 112 l/mm.)

 

My experience with the 35mm Elmar was disappointing. It had strong vignetting at full aperture. When stopped down to f/8 to f/11 it was good. Eventually I replaced it with a 35 f/3.5 Summaron that was sharp at all apertures. Don't forget that this will require an accessory viewfinder! They can be rather expensive, especially the bright-line viewfinder.

 

Considering the involvement in switching lenses/viewfinder, I elected to sell almost all (I did retain a bellows, 200mm Telyt, and Visoflex for some unknown reason) of my Leica screw-mount equipment, keeping my IIIc/f and 50 Summicron. It makes a great P&S camera. It also teaches you to estimate exposures without a meter.

 

When I need a wide angle today, usually for nighttime street photography, I find it more convenient to use a Nikkor 35mm f/2 on either my F4 or F5. But neither of these cameras are really pocketable in the sense that the Leica is.

[s._c.]

Thank you all for your help! I realized that the camera #413XXX should be wound prior to set the proper speed accurately. All the other speeds do seem accurate on inspection. I unscrewed the shutter release button's other collar and carefully wiped the neck of the button with a q-tip soaked with ronsonol. This seemed to lessen the amount of sticking significantly. Maybe I need to do a little more. I can't wait to get a lens for this camera to start finding out what leica feel is about. It has a nice feel similar to my rollei 35se and ikonta. Thanks again.

[uno_se]

Hi S.C.

I have exactly the same problem with the 1000 speed only, in a IIb camera. Have you in the meantime found a solution?

Uno

[s._c.]

I decided to bring it back to lens&repro since it was still under warrantee. It took six weeks & I don't know who they sent it to. It got a focus check, shutter and winder overhaul. Works fine even in cold weather now, but they had it so long I don't remember if it was as quiet as before. I used Camera Leather to replace the covering and it looks great.