Jammed Shutter on a Leica M3 DS.

Uncle Bill · Oct 8, 2011

I was exercising the shutter on my Leica M3 DS this morning and she jammed. It was overhauled by Jerry Smith at Kindermann over a year ago to the mechanicals are in decent shape.

The big question, is this a big fix? More importantly, an expensive one?

Bill

CGW · Oct 8, 2011

Uncle Bill said:
I was exercising the shutter on my Leica M3 DS this morning and she jammed. It was overhauled by Jerry Smith at Kindermann over a year ago to the mechanicals are in decent shape.

The big question, is this a big fix? More importantly, an expensive one?

Bill

Tough break. You might try this guy if you're not liking Kindermann:

Dead Link Removed

Uncle Bill · Oct 8, 2011

CGW said:
Tough break. You might try this guy if you're not liking Kindermann:

Dead Link Removed

I have no gripes with Kindermann, other I live in Oakville and it's up in Markham. I rather have Mr. Smith (no relation alas) work on it.

CGW · Oct 8, 2011

Uncle Bill said:
I have no gripes with Kindermann, other I live in Oakville and it's up in Markham. I rather have Mr. Smith (no relation alas) work on it.

Your call. Yau might be cheaper/faster than Kindermann. He's no slouch.

Uncle Bill · Oct 10, 2011

Yau is pretty much the same distance for me. Besides Jerry worked on my Rolleiflex and a bunch of my brother's Leicas so there's some goodwill built up.

CGW · Oct 10, 2011

Uncle Bill said:
Yau is pretty much the same distance for me. Besides Jerry worked on my Rolleiflex and a bunch of my brother's Leicas so there's some goodwill built up.

No worries. Hopefully it wasn't something he overlooked. Here's hoping for a cheap/minor fix.

John Koehrer · Oct 10, 2011

For giggles, take a close look at the film aperture. Both from front and back. They have a velvet light trap that the glue dries out on and will cause a jam.
If you can see the velvet it can be removed, Carefully! but the camera will likely fog film.

Ronald Moravec · Oct 11, 2011

Film chips can get in the shutter tracks. Never try to get extra frames.

DS mechanisms can go as they are getting old. Ribbons may pull off the shutter. None of this is predictable so do not blame Kinderman.

sangetsu · Oct 15, 2011

Another common problem is that the shutter curtain pulls out of the lathe. If the shutter is stuck open, this might be the cause.

buzzardkid · Nov 26, 2011

Likely the cause: the M3 DS has an intermediate gear that is held down by a bent washer. The washer makes the first stroke 'stick' before the second stroke can be set in. The gear jams when the first stroke is complete, is released again for further progress when the second stroke is set in.

The gear is brass and I have seen three M3 DS's that had a tooth (or teeth) broken off the gear because on the end of the first stroke it jams on the teeth. The gear has to take too much stress if the first strokes are forceful and over time a tooth can break off.

Don Goldberg has the correct gear, but getting it in just right requires either a skilled tech or lotsa time. I never got it right on my first try, spent four hours figuring out correct assembly on my second... I heard from a fellow M3 DS owner that KEH's technical department eventually sent his M3 DS to Sherry Krauter at Golden Touch. A tech has to line up both connecting gears just correct before putting in the intermediate gear, or it will never work correctly...

OP is some time ago but I still hope this will help somebody someday!

Cheers,
Johan

georg16nik · Nov 26, 2011

Johan is spot on for the M3 DS gears.
From all the Leicas, I or IIIc are the easiest to maintain and made simple but elegant (especially true for Leica I)...
As said by Antoine de Saint Exupéry

..perfection is attained not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to remove.

The M's are easier to put out of alignment in most regards and pricey to repair.
The good thing is that parts made for the newer models like M6, MP could be used in the old M's but still a RF replacement by Leitz in Solms might go for close to 500EUR.

kivis · Jan 23, 2020

I have an M3 SS. Same problem. It just came back from a CLA and then some from Youxin Ye. Was also just exercising the shutter, then in the middle of an exposure advance the shutter froze.

guangong · Jan 23, 2020

Interesting reading about all possible diagnosis possible for camera problem. Time to take M3 DS to expert for qualified repair. Perusing current asking prices for used M3 DS, competent repair, even if costs a little more, is well worth it. Best to get camera overhauled by DAG and have a camera that will work like new...sometimes better than new. Then your can use camera with confidence, but also one that will appreciate in cash value.
Oh yes, be prepared to be without M3 for quite a while, so have another camera to fill in during repair period!

btaylor · Jan 23, 2020

The inference here is that Mr. Ye is incompetent. My experiences with him have all been excellent. I’m sure he stands by his workmanship. Why don’t you just send it back to him and have him fix it? It is unlikely there would be any charge. He undoubtedly tested it and it functioned correctly when you received it. Give him an opportunity to correct the problem. As you know his turnaround is quick.

David Reynolds · Jan 26, 2020

The shutter on my M4 froze . I had it in storage for many years( More than ten years) and finally took it out to use . On the first advance the shutter froze open. It was time for a CLA anyway so I sent it to Youxin Ye . After the CLA and Curtain change it has worked perfectly. I find Mr Ye's work very good and price and turn around excellent.

guangong · Jan 27, 2020

No slight towards Ye Youshin intended. He recently serviced all of my LTM and M cameras. An extremely ethical man who noted that several cameras didn't require any service.

Jammed Shutter on a Leica M3 DS.

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency