Robert_Lai

Ken is the BEST. He's overhauled a Canon FX for me (jammed), as well as an FTb. Also several lenses, to have the haze cleaned out, stuck diaphragms degreased, etc. The finest workmanship, and FAST.

There are a set of gold plated contacts that transfer the ISO dial settings to the camera. It is possible that a speck of dust or debris is preventing good contact. Once the film roll is done, it may be worthwhile to use a Q-tip with some rubbing alcohol (91%), and just give them a good cleaning. Then try again with your previous roll of film (wound into the cassette). See if the ISO dial works again. At least it is reading the film can correctly. When my M7 went crazy (after upgrading to the optical ISO reader), it kept saying ISO 5000 regardless of whatever the setting was. A repeat trip to Leica USA was needed (they had just made the change to the optical reader), and they said that the circuit board was faulty. They replaced that circuit board, and it's been fine since. If your camera still behaves badly after cleaning the contacts, then it may require a visit to Leica USA in New Jersey. Don Goldberg says that he can't handle the film speed reader issues as he doesn't have the circuit boards. Only Leica has them.

I've had the 0.85X finder, and the 0.72x finder. If you want to use the 35mm lens almost exclusively, then the 0.72X magnification of the viewfinder is easier to use. I wear glasses, and I found the 35mm framelines hard to see with a 0.85X finder. You have to pan around with your eye to see all 4 corners. With the 0.72X finder, there is a 28mm frame which is very hard to see with glasses. However, the 35mm framelines are easy to see and compose with. The 0.85X finder will have greater focusing accuracy for the 90 and 135mm lenses. However, at the focal lengths of 35 - 75mm, you will not suffer in focusing accuracy for having the 0.72x finder. What Mukul Dube is referring to is framing accuracy: how well the framelines compose a picture relative to what you get on film. Earlier 35mm framelines (on the M2 - M4) were a bit farther apart. They represent the field of view with your lens set at 1m, which was the minimum focus distance of Leica rangefinder lenses in those days. When Leica added the 28mm framelines in the M4-P onwards, they pushed the framelines for 35mm a bit more towards the center. Their reasoning is that the minimum focus is now 0.7m, and these framelines give you the field of view at 0.7m. As you focus towards infinity, more and more of the "edges" will show up on your film that the frameline won't show. The reason is that as you focus closer, the lens actually becomes slightly longer in focal length, so it becomes slightly "telephoto", and has a narrower field of view than when the lens is at infinity. So, at infinity you have more stuff on film than what you saw in the finder. You can always crop to restore the view you had when composing.

If you read the original posting, the person seems to have decided that he likes film better. Thus, I find it odd that so many people are trying to get him to try another digital camera, of whatever make. If you go to RFF, one of the most popular threads there bemoans how the Leica M10 has now killed off the resale values of the previous Leica digital cameras. Digital cameras are computers. Computers depreciate very quickly in value as newer models come out. Thus, if he wants to get rid of his current Nikon digital camera, the time to do it is NOW. As for the film camera, since he already has an FTb (which I also have), he already knows what the 35mm SLR experience is. Presumably, he doesn't want to continue having more of the same. After 25+ years of using a Nikon F3, I now view it as a loud cacophony anytime I press that shutter release. The same goes for the Nikon F, F2, F3, and the Canon FTb. It's just the nature of the SLR beast. I suggest that he go with his initial inclination and get an M6 or M6TTL. Leica lust is like no other. No other camera will ever be good enough until you get one. I have Leotax and Canon RF cameras, but I also have my Leicas. The Leicas are very wonderfully built, silky, smooth, and precise. The meter in my M7 is very accurate, as long as you are aware of the semi-spot nature of the metering pattern (analogous to the semi-spot metering of the FT-b, except that the Leica's is a circular pattern). I'm sure the meter in an M6 or MP will be as equally accurate. I have an M4-2 with MR-4 meter also, and it does take more effort to get a good reflected light reading. Carrying a hand-held meter for incident light metering is probably the best way, but then you have yet another gadget to carry around. Just get what you want. If it turns out that the M6TTL is not for you, then it is easy to resell with little to no loss.

<p>A Leica MP for $80 more than a standard M3. If only I had been alive at the time, and I had the money!</p>

<p>They still look like ugly worn cameras to me. I wouldn't pay any extra money for them.</p>

<p>I presume that you are using the X-flash port and not the M flash port?<br> If you are using the X synch port, then this is incorrect. The flash should fire at 1/50 and all slower speeds.</p>

<p>I have Tim's 50 1.2 L and 85 1.2 L, and I have to respectfully disagree with him. I find both lenses exceptionally good. They are better than anything comparable that Nikon has made, with the possible exception of the Noct Nikkor, with which I have no experience. </p> <p>The 50 1.2 L is perfectly usable wide open. I could not have said as much for my 58mm f/1.2 FL Canon that I originally had. Stopped down, the 50 1.2 is very sharp also.</p>

<p>Hi David,<br> I received it today, THANKS! It works great.</p>

<p>Hi is active. If you do send him your equipment, prepare to wait a very long time. His skills are very much in demand. He's had 3 of my Leica cameras with him for the past 2 years or so, waiting in his lineup for full overhauls.<br> He will give you a link and a password to his queue to show you where you are in line, when you send your equipment. I see from his web site that he is currently not accepting any more repairs until mid Feb. 2017.<br> Also, he does post here now and then.</p>

<p>Hi David,<br> I would be interested in the release. I have an MD-3 for my F2, and it should work for this also.<br> I'll send you a private email with my address.<br> Rob</p>

<p>Thanks for this edition. I have the compensating aperture Canon FL 50mm f/3.5 Macro lens, and I always wondered how good it was. Now I don't have to question it.</p>

<p>One possible way is to use a 1/4" x 20 bolt (or is that base a 3/8" x 16 hole?). On it, put a nut to act as a lock nut. Thread the bolt all the way in, finger tight. Then use a wrench and tighten down the lock nut against the base of the tripod head. Now you can use a socket wrench on the top of the bolt to loosen the works up. You may need to put the tripod head in between padded vise jaws to prevent it from rotating while you try to loosen it up.</p>

<p>Ken Oikawa is my US Canon repair expert. He used to work for Canon, but he is now retired.<br> Call him at 951-246-9136, and leave a message. He will get back to you.</p>

<p>I ordered 6 rolls of the Cinestill 50D and 800 films. I brought them on a visit to Toronto, to photograph my children with their grandfather. After I got back, I sent the rolls to North Coast Photographic for developing. They called me, and warned me that they've had problems with Cinestill films. Occasionally the remjet is not removed properly, and you get long horizontal streaks which extend the entire length of the film.</p> <p>Sure enough, the roll with the pictures of the children with their grandfather was the one that had the streak issue. All pictures on that roll were ruined.<br> From now on, I will stick to Kodak Portra, or a Fuji film instead, for color negative film.</p>

<p>I would recommend the Voigtlander 21mm finder in metal. They are very bright, and the view is clear and contrasty. I keep mine in a film can to keep it dust free when not in use.<br> I've had the Zeiss finder. Yes, the image is wonderful, but the cost is astronomical for a finder. Also, it's bulky, and has sharp corners which can catch things. The big front glass is flush with the finder metal frame, so there is a risk of scratching that frontal glass.<br> I've had the Kobalux finder for the 28mm lens, and it was big enough. The 21mm finder is even bigger.</p>

<p>I've had a couple of these lenses, and two FX, so here's my experience.<br> The FX camera itself is sturdy and reliable. However, there are two potential problems. One is the foam that was packed around the prism, under the housing. With time, it can pull the silver off the prism. It takes a long time to find an FX with an intact prism. If you do find one, get it to a serviceperson to remove that deadly foam. Otherwise you see black patches on the lateral edges of the finder image, where the silver is gone.</p> <p>The FX winding gear is susceptible to jamming. Easiest way to jam it is to not fully wind it, or to fire it at a slow shutter speed such as 1 second, then try to wind it before the shutter is fully closed.</p> <p>The meter scale shifts with the shutter speed dial. This shifting is by a silken cord running from the shutter to the meter. Check to be sure that the meter scale is still working when you change shutter speeds.</p> <p>As for the lens, it is the earliest of the FL mount fast lenses. It has a radioactive element, so it may be yellowed. This can be corrected by UV exposure.<br> There is only one guide pin, so the lens sometimes feels a bit rough when focusing.<br> This lens is susceptible to grease migration from the focusing helical into the diaphragm. This will seize the diaphragm, so that it no longer works. This is usually why the lens needs to be serviced.<br> Image wise, it is reasonably sharp in the center at f/1.2. The bokeh is quite unique for this lens.<br> Stopped down to about f/4, it is a good lens.</p>

<p>Your Konica S2 and Rollei 35 are more than enough. If you like the results you're getting with rangefinders, you're on the slippery and very expensive slope which ends at Leica.</p> <p>Japanese sellers in my experience usually are very conservative in their ratings, and usually their ads have tons of photographs also to let you see the condition. Beware of fungus in optical equipment from Japan, as they have hot and humid weather. The same warning goes for cameras from FL, GA, Hawaii, Louisiana, etc in the USA. I've never had any item from Japan have an import duty placed on it by US Customs. Japan Post EMS is about the most fantastic postal system in the entire world. I've had parcels from Japan shipped on Friday show up the next Tuesday in Chicago, IL.</p>

<p>Karl Bryan is an Autocord guru.<br> karl.kathy@frontier.com<br> He will tell you what requires repair, or if an overall CLA is required.</p>

<p>A very nice looking camera! It is hard to find meter heads that 1)work, and 2) don't show desilvering of the prism.<br> The carbon resistor on these heads wear out, and you no longer get accurate readings. There was one repairman I know who had replacements, but he has now run out. What some repair folks will do to get them working again is to have the wipers shift to the unworn areas of the carbon resistors.</p> <p>There is foam packed around the prism as a cushion. After all these years, the foam is now deteriorated. In the process, the foam often pulls off the silver from areas of the prism. You'll see this as dark blobs in your viewfinder image. As far as I know, Sover Wong is the only person who will do a thorough job and remove this foam. ALL other Nikon service people that I've sent my Nikons to have neglected to bother to do this job.</p>

<p>I have the Medalist II. It still has the metal strap brackets, but my case has attachment points for the strap, so they go there. The strap is leather, but inside the leather is a plastic reinforcement layer, along the entire length of the strap. This would prevent the strap from ever letting go if the leather broke.<br> The cases and straps for the Nikon F and F2 followed a similar concept. There is a metal liner in the strap where it attaches to the loop on the case. Thus, the strap attachement is metal to metal, never to leather. The inside of the early Nikon straps also have some type of plastic reinforcement to prevent letting go if the leather cracks through. <br> <br />If only Leica had thought to take such careful precautions with their early leather cases and straps! I routinely cut off almost all vintage leather straps due to their insecurity at this point in time. The Medalist and Nikon straps have been the exception.</p> <p>In terms of industrial construction, the Medalist II has 1/4 inch wide brass rails internally, along with the appropriate wipers to allow the lens to extend, and maintain flash synch.</p> <p>Overall, though it is an extremely good camera, its size and weight make it a tripod camera.<br> Trying to shoot it handheld invariably results in blurs for me. The shutter release requires deliberate effort to plunge it all the way down.</p>

<p>As Arthur points out, the main benefits of Aspherical lenses are better sharpness into the corners. Thus, these lenses are at, or often near their optimum sharpness into the corners wide open. With older lenses, you often have to stop them down 2 stops from wide open to achieve similar results in the corners.</p> <p>With extreme wide angles, your film cameras are actually at an advantage compared to digital sensors. Lenses such as the original Voigtlander 15mm f/4.5 ASPH image just fine on film, but have problems with color shifts on digital sensors. This is because the rear of the lens comes very close to the image plane. On digital sensors the rays going into the corners are too acute, whereas film doesn't care what angle the image forming rays are coming from. Later wide angle lenses are now retrofocus, to try to get the corner rays going into a digital sensor at a more perpendicular angle of incidence.</p> <p>Contrast will be a function of today's multicoating, newer optical glass requiring fewer elements, improved transmission in the optical designs and better internal blackening in the lens mounts.</p> <p>The net result IS visible on film - even color negative film. There is little to no "veiling flare" visible wide open. Contrast is high from wide open, and you adjust the aperture to achieve depth of field.</p> <p>Modern Lenses that behave this way are plenty (and not all are ASPH). These are from my experience:<br /> 21mm Zeiss Biogon 2.8 (spherical)<br /> 28mm f/2.8 Leica Elmarit ASPH<br /> 35mm f/1.7 Cosina Voigtlander Ultron M ASPH (New design, not the older LTM lens)<br /> 35mm f/2 Leica Summicron ASPH<br /> 90mm CV f/3.5 Apo-Lanthar LTM (spherical)<br /> 90mm f/2.8 Leica Elmarit M (spherical)<br /> 135mm f/3.4 Leica Apo-Telyt (spherical).</p>

<p>Congratulations,<br> You have one of the finest medium format cameras ever made.</p> <p>The Kodak shutter wants a cable release with a cylindrical thread, not the tapered thread that virtually all cable releases now have. If you don't want to ruin the cable release socket on your shutter, then find the correct cable release. They are easily found on ebay.</p> <p>If you want a self-timer, then get one that pushes down on a cable release instead of plugging directly into your camera.</p>

<p>Hello Ross,<br> Scratches on the top of the camera are most often from the accessory meter. These clipped into the accessory shoe, and then coupled with the shutter speed dial. That way, rotating the shutter speed also adjusts the meter. Unfortunately, if the meter was not set to sit level (they have an adjustment for that), a lot of these meters scratched up the top of the camera when inserted or removed. They don't do anything bad, just look ugly.</p> <p>What you need to look out for are dents and dings. They indicate a rather severe impact at some point in time.<br> The M3 finder is cemented together with Canada balsam. Some of these have started to delaminate. At its worse, the rangefinder will be completely dark. There is at least one repairer that I know of (in England) who can recement these prisms at considerable expense. Otherwise, what Leica or most techs will do is to put in the modern 0.85X viewfinder/rangefinder that is seen on the M7, or MP a la carte models - also at considerable expense. </p> <p>How this ties in is that a sharp knock may kill off an original M3 viewfinder/rangefinder by causing the optical cement to give way.</p>

<p>The Leica M3, being the first model of its type, has strong collector attraction.<br> The Nikon F has a similar fan base.</p> <p>The M3 first came out with no frameline selector, double stroke wind, and a glass pressure plate for the absolute in film flatness. The strap lugs also had an upsidedown teardrop shape, commonly referred to as "Buddha's ears".</p> <p>In my experience with these older cameras, expect them all to need service, especially at the lower price ranges. <br> Having said that, I paid well over $2000 for a truly cosmetically mint M3, and now it's with Gus Lazzari being fully overhauled.<br> So, what would I know?</p> <p>If you want a less expensive M that has uncluttered frame lines, then consider the M2. It has a 0.72x finder, and framelines for 35, 50, and 90mm.</p>