I got the Ritz Camera test photos of about 2 out of 5 rolls of Fuji 100 Superia I shot this weekend back and was disappointed very severely. Most of the photographs were marred by faded colors and lots of white streaks strewn all over. I suspect that the shutter curtains are faulty and need to be replaced although I didn't see any obvious defects in the curtains themselves-- no obvious holes I meant. Sadly enough, I was hoping to use the Leica IIIF for my trip tomorrow but it looks like I need some advice on what to do about repairing or fixing the "broken" Leica.

I guess that the white streaks are due to light leaks? That's the only explanation I presume...

(p.s. Time to use my new Leica R4 I just got in the mail today! It works and the batteries are functional. Really odd looking meter relative to the Nikon without the +/- LED's but LEDs which specify which shutter speed to use. It's really good and although I wish that I had a functional Leica IIIF it's a wonderful 1980's camera so far.)

-- Albert Wang (leica_phile@hotmail.com), November 19, 2001

Answers

Albert,

Send it to Don Goldberg with the photos. He will make it work like new.

D.A.G. Camera Repair

2128 Vintage Drive

Oregon, WI 53575

Don's web page is www.dagcamera.com

Good luck!

-- Tony Oresteen (aoresteen@mindspring.com), November 19, 2001.

Sounds like pinhole leaks in the shutter. Send it to DAG.

-- Josh Root (rootj@att.net), November 19, 2001.

Sounds like Don's the man, I'd send it along. I had a similar experience with a IIIf that was like new in the box, I sent it out to John Van Stelton who also cleaned out the haze in the Summarit. It's worked fine ever since, heck even made back what it cost me to repair with it and then some.

-- Dave Doyle (soilsouth@home.com), November 19, 2001.

Welcome to the world of vintage cameras. Things get dried out, worn out, or else suffer from lack of use. Unless you see the invoices and know exactly what maintenance an old camera has received, this is the norm. Sending a couple bad slides or a strip of problematic negatives along with the camera can be a help to the technician. Faded colors sound like with flare or cloudiness in the lens. Acquiring a number of cameras in rapid succession makes it hard to keep ahead of CLA needs and complicates learning the machine intimately.

-- Joe Brugger (joebrugger@news.oregonian.com), November 19, 2001.

Alfie, it's really a wonderful mid-1950's camera. Production began in 1950 with the black dial IIIf. The last year for the red-dial model was 1957.

Regards,

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), November 19, 2001.

Your "new" R4 is not new! Get it checked out before you use it.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), November 20, 2001.

I did manage to check the Leica R4 with a friend at CBOP camera shop and he ran through all of the function. The serial number is above the 1,600,000 number which means that it's in safe territory. I am happy not to have a dog and I would like to thank Samy's Camera for their help.

On the Leica IIIF camera, I did manage to talk with Sherry Krauter of Golden Touch Repairs and she informed me of the potential problem. The leaky shutter is evidently caused by the dried up and cracked rubber on one side of the camera's shutter which allows the pinhole shutter leaks to let in the light so that it can cause the internal fogging which I view on the film as the white streaks. She offered a quote of 197 dollars for repairs which sounded rather reasonable although the turnaround is about 1 year. Hmm... Not bad although I guess that the Leica IIIF would be good as "new".

I guess that I'm thoroughly excited about the whole agenda of course! I am going to be flying out in about 5 hours to see my princess so definitely I'm happy for some wonderful photo shooting away! :)...

sincerely, Alfie

-- Albert Wang (leica_phile@hotmail.com), November 20, 2001.

Alfie, Some advice (since you solicit it constantly): keep one camera body (repeat: one) and three good prime lenses (28 or 35,50,90). Junk/sell the other stuff -- all of it, including the clapped out III. You'll never improve as a photographer if you keep attempting to master so much gear. Make sure the keeper has a functioning viewfinder and accurate light meter. (I've seen your photos, and I sense that you're flying more or less blind when it comes to framing and metering.) One final comment. Perhaps you'd be better off spending your time and money on your bride-to-be. No woman wants to come in second to a camera.

-- Eve Hassler (Evehassler@yahoo.com), November 20, 2001.

Some might find it rude, but I must second everything that Eve says.

-- Ron Buchanan (ronb@fusive.com), November 20, 2001.

Don's turn-a-round is around 3 weeks.

-- Tony Oresteen (aoresteen@lsqgroup.com), November 20, 2001.

The IIIf is a great camera, and a good IIIf is a joy. I don't know about ONLY camera, though.

-- John Fleetwood (johnfleetwood@hotmail.com), November 20, 2001.

Alfie, I had a similiar problem in my IIIc a few months ago. Another repair person recommended on the LHSA(won't mention his name) couldn't figure out the problem. I sent it to Don and he had it back in two weeks for much less than Sherry quoted, although she also has a great reputation.

-- Gerry Widen (gwiden@alliancepartners.org), November 20, 2001.

I had the same problem with a IIIf I purchased last year. Don replaced the curtains, did a CLA, and had it back to me in less than three weeks. I couldn't ask for better service and I love the camera.

-- Mark Scheuern (mgscheue@hotmail.com), November 20, 2001.

Question to Albert, to Gerry:

If you would be in the LEICA repairbusiness would you find it fair if your customers discuss your prices/ costs in public? Or am I wrong here? And do not forget, what S. K. said was on the telephone, without having seen the camera. To compare those $- figures exactly you should have more deatails.

But I would like to add one suggestion to Albert: It is indeed not a good idea to get too much LEICA gear too fast. That is one (actually the only) good thing about the extraordinary prices of LEICA stuff.

Once you aquire something you normally have to recover from the investment and you can take your time to get to know your new equipment thoroughly and take lots of photos with it. Then is a good time to invest further.

It took me 20+ yrs with my LEICA M before I got my first LEICA R. When in need for a reflexsytem I grabbed my VISOFLEX attachment with either 65/ 90 or 135 mm lenshead. This worked alright in the old days. But those young people nowadays they want everything fast and immediatly.

Good shooting

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), November 20, 2001.

K.G. I was very careful not to mention the actual cost of my repair (no matter how tempting because I found it very fair and reasonable) and only mentioned it was less than the other quote as a point of reference. Also to be fair I didn't mention the other person who couldn't fugure out the problem.

-- Gerry Widen (gwiden@alliancepartners.org), November 20, 2001.

I'd contact the seller from who you just bought it on ebay and tell him to take it back and give you a full refund, and I'd leave negative feedback if they did not. The camera was supposed to be in good working order even though it is beat up cosmetically. It is not worth pouring any money into a rough III series camera in my opinion.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), November 20, 2001.

Hallo Gerry,

you are right, I think your answer was quite diplomatic and there is much more which could be contributed to the repair- and costquestion.

IŽam fairly new here and do not know how it is being dealt with this sort of information so far. If it goes into more detail this LUESNET could turn into an appendix of ebay.

Best wishes

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), November 20, 2001.

Alfie: I agree with Eve. One camera body in excellent condition and a few lenses, (35, 50, and 90) should cover most subjects. Too many different cameras would only confuse me. You need to "focus" your attention on only one camera and get to know your equipment intimately.I use an M6 with the above mentioned lenses although the 90 rarely gets used. I would sell the other cameras since they are expensive to repair and you need think about how often would they actually be used as opposed to sitting on a shelf somewhere gathering dust.I have a few more cameras to get rid of since they are never, never used. Think about this advice. Enjoy your vacation.

-- John Alfred Tropiano (jat18@psu.edu), November 20, 2001.

I have a Canon F1 in my desk at work for documenting surgeries and necropsies. I have an Olympus 35RC in my desk for its wonderful and very useful flash guide number exposure system, for shooting through glass and water. I have a Canon A5 for action photography. I have a Leica IIf for fun. I have a Pentax UC-1 for when my pants are too tight for my IIf, or if I'm too drunk to lug around and operate a "real" camera. I have a Yashica TLR and a Mamiya 645 when I need a big negative for extreme enlargement. These cameras all have different operating systems, but strangely enough, I can still use them all. Have fun with your hobby, A. W.

-- John Fleetwood (johnfleetwood@hotmail.com), November 20, 2001.

Alfie:

I had a IIIF [red dial]. I bought it back in the late 60's when no one wanted this stuff. I think that it cost me 125 with a Canon 50 f/1.8. I got a Leitz 35 for another 50. It took great photographs. I still have some of the negatives. After 6 months, the shutter quit, at all speeds. I sent it back for repairs. After 2 months, the shutter quit, repairs. After one month, shutter quit; I was discouraged. The dealer that sold it to me took it back at sale price as a trade-in on a blad.

Now, I might have had a bad one. It could have been that I was shooting in a climate where -20F was common and -50F occurred. Still, it was not a happy experience. As much as I liked it, the M3 was better. Have fun, your experience may be different.

Art

-- Art (AKarr90975@aol.com), November 20, 2001.