Saving a Leica IIIG from camera hell - advice?

Ibanez · 2025-10-15T10:10:13-0400

Hi all

So I’ve just made (another) camera purchase, this time it was a Leica IIIG and what I believe to be an LTM summitar or summicron.

I believe that the Lens cannot be saved (which is a shame) but the body looks like it might be worth salvaging. The seller advised that it was found in an abandoned garage.

In inspection, I couldn’t see any rust/corrosion/fungus etc. The shutter looks like it hasn’t been left cocked. I assume that the curtains will be shot as the lens cap wasn’t left on.

I will try and clean it and see what’s up but does anyone have advice on what to do once it is received? Can anyone recommend any repair shops in the UK that would accept such a challenge? I’ve been looking for a backup to my M5 and this may be the one.

Vintage Leica IIIB D.R.P. Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Camera. | eBay UK

Vintage Leica IIIB D.R.P. Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Camera.for parts or spare or repair!I find this camera in a abandoned garage…! Please see all pictures for condition! Thank you for looking! Happy bidding! Kind regards

ebay.us

Cheers.

koraks · 2025-10-15T12:20:37-0400

Ibanez said:
Can anyone recommend any repair shops in the UK that would accept such a challenge?

IDK, but I expect that even if you find a shop willing to take this on, they'll charge significantly more than what you'd pay for a usable III on the 2nd hand market. A camera like the one you bought looks more like the kind of project you take on yourself if you have the competence or are in the process of acquiring it (although I'd start with some simpler repairs).

mshchem · 2025-10-15T12:31:35-0400

Start by cleaning the exterior with an old (clean) scrap of an undershirt, warm distilled water with a single drop of dish washing soap. Report back

4season · 2025-10-15T12:44:16-0400

That looks like a fantastic buy, IMO. I don't know if it would be practical to restore it to operating condition, as such an endeavor could become "interesting" if fasteners are frozen solid due to corrosion. But the worst-case scenario is that you may have a display piece could easily fetch far more than your purchase price if enough people think the wreckage looks cool. You may remember the fire-damaged M4 from a few years ago:

https://rangefinderonline.com/news-...-damaged-vintage-leica-m4-sold-for-over-2000/

bdial · 2025-10-15T21:07:44-0400

It’s not too likely, but you might be surprised once you clean the grime from the lens. That it didn’t have a lens cap doesn’t necessarily mean the shutter is dead, not from that anyway. But it looks to have been subjected to a lot of humidity, which is never good.
I’d give it a good cleaning, then evaluate.

Besk · 2025-10-15T21:18:52-0400

I believe that it can be cleaned up quite nicely.

Clean up the outside very well and a regular CLA may well be all that it needed inside.

Just be careful cleaning the glass. You don't want to scratch it.

Lee Rust · 2025-10-15T21:20:56-0400

There doesn't seem to be that much metal corrosion... mostly mold. The lens might be too far gone, but a careful cleaning might surprise you.

Jbennett68 · 2025-10-15T22:15:27-0400

That looks cool as all get out as is. Would be awesome if you could get it workingc lean any glass but leave the outside patina as is minus any mold.

Saving a Leica IIIG from camera hell - advice?

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