I just had my Leica IIIf CLA'd and the shutter curtains replaced.
On my first test roll upon receiving the camera back from repair, I began by making exposures at 1/1000 and 1/500 to check for shutter capping: also called "tapering" where the second curtain catches up with the first curtain while within the film gate, producing no image in the worst case or a partial image on the negative.
I noticed a ~5mm lack of density on the left side of the negative when viewed in the same orientation as the scene I photographed. On a scan/print it would appear that the left side of the picture slides into darkness.
This shutter capping only happened on the first two exposures, then cleared up for the rest of the 24 exposure roll that was exposed all using the same 1/1000 or 1/500 shutter speeds.
I plan to expose a couple more rolls to see if this "first two exposure" issue is repeatable.
I immediately communicated my findings to the popular and respected shop that did the work and the technician responded quickly saying that this is "normal for a camera of this age". He explained that he could adjust the tension to correct the first two exposures, but that subsequent high speed exposures would be over exposed. He also noted that this is a pattern that he has seen on a number of thread mount Leicas. He added that this happens because the thread mount Leicas have weaker shutter springs than the M series cameras.
I have been a photographer developing film for 50 years but I am a recent newcomer to Leicas. I wanted to get a Leica thread mount camera to experience the Barnack camera system that started 35mm photography. I also shoot LF, so I am accustomed to and enjoy full manual operation of a camera.
Is this a commonly known weakness of the design, a problem that is not repairable, and one that is well known among long-time users of Barnack cameras?
John near Seattle
On my first test roll upon receiving the camera back from repair, I began by making exposures at 1/1000 and 1/500 to check for shutter capping: also called "tapering" where the second curtain catches up with the first curtain while within the film gate, producing no image in the worst case or a partial image on the negative.
I noticed a ~5mm lack of density on the left side of the negative when viewed in the same orientation as the scene I photographed. On a scan/print it would appear that the left side of the picture slides into darkness.
This shutter capping only happened on the first two exposures, then cleared up for the rest of the 24 exposure roll that was exposed all using the same 1/1000 or 1/500 shutter speeds.
I plan to expose a couple more rolls to see if this "first two exposure" issue is repeatable.
I immediately communicated my findings to the popular and respected shop that did the work and the technician responded quickly saying that this is "normal for a camera of this age". He explained that he could adjust the tension to correct the first two exposures, but that subsequent high speed exposures would be over exposed. He also noted that this is a pattern that he has seen on a number of thread mount Leicas. He added that this happens because the thread mount Leicas have weaker shutter springs than the M series cameras.
I have been a photographer developing film for 50 years but I am a recent newcomer to Leicas. I wanted to get a Leica thread mount camera to experience the Barnack camera system that started 35mm photography. I also shoot LF, so I am accustomed to and enjoy full manual operation of a camera.
Is this a commonly known weakness of the design, a problem that is not repairable, and one that is well known among long-time users of Barnack cameras?
John near Seattle