Service for a Leica IIIc, preferably in the US

WilliamKT50 · Apr 20, 2024

Hello everyone,

Everyone was very helpful with my focusing to infinity question earlier, and I appreciate that.

The camera was working fine about a week ago when I first got it. I worked it through all of the shutter speeds, including the slow ones, when I first got it home. Watching through the lens opening at that time, everything looked like it was working and moving properly. I loaded it with a test roll of film and followed the instructions for cutting the film leader and had taken around 15 pics without incident.

I took it out to do the infinity adjustment and decided to take more test pics. Problem was, after winding the film, I would press the shutter button, and nothing would happen. I tapped it a couple of times, and then tapped the shutter speed dial, and then the shutter triggered. I went home and kept trying to get it to work properly, but it wouldn't. I attached a couple of pics, and what I think I'm seeing is an issue with the rear curtain.

Now, I looked online, got brave, and took the outer casing off of the camera to have a look inside. I work on watches and clocks as a hobby, so this was only a little daunting. But I didn't see anything obviously amiss. But that's as far as I felt comfortable going today. I almost feel like I could fix this myself, but I don't want to be the cause of further problems. So, I put it back together and set it aside. No extra parts when I was done.

Is there someone, preferably in the US, who's doing CLA work on these cameras? I'll send it overseas if needed, but that adds time away from home.

Thank you,
-Bill

btaylor · Apr 20, 2024

The usual three are DAG (Dan Goldberg), Sherry Krauter and Youxin Ye. All are expert. Of these, I have only used Youxin. I’ve been very pleased with his work.

Don_ih · Apr 21, 2024

I think, if you work on watches and successfully got that camera apart and back together, you can probably fix it. It's probably mostly a matter of cleaning the parts (particularly those under the speed dial and the gears attaching to the winder and the gears on the bottom). A watch is far more complicated than a Leica IIIC.

The shutter looks messed up but that may rectify itself once everything is cleaned.

guangong · Apr 21, 2024

btaylor said:
The usual three are DAG (Dan Goldberg), Sherry Krauter and Youxin Ye. All are expert. Of these, I have only used Youxin. I’ve been very pleased with his work.

Ditto! Perhaps also try Zack’s. Also, all are ethical.

choiliefan · Apr 21, 2024

Youxin will definitely make it right.

chuckroast · Apr 21, 2024

WilliamKT50 said:
Hello everyone,

Everyone was very helpful with my focusing to infinity question earlier, and I appreciate that.

The camera was working fine about a week ago when I first got it. I worked it through all of the shutter speeds, including the slow ones, when I first got it home. Watching through the lens opening at that time, everything looked like it was working and moving properly. I loaded it with a test roll of film and followed the instructions for cutting the film leader and had taken around 15 pics without incident.

I took it out to do the infinity adjustment and decided to take more test pics. Problem was, after winding the film, I would press the shutter button, and nothing would happen. I tapped it a couple of times, and then tapped the shutter speed dial, and then the shutter triggered. I went home and kept trying to get it to work properly, but it wouldn't. I attached a couple of pics, and what I think I'm seeing is an issue with the rear curtain.

Now, I looked online, got brave, and took the outer casing off of the camera to have a look inside. I work on watches and clocks as a hobby, so this was only a little daunting. But I didn't see anything obviously amiss. But that's as far as I felt comfortable going today. I almost feel like I could fix this myself, but I don't want to be the cause of further problems. So, I put it back together and set it aside. No extra parts when I was done.

Is there someone, preferably in the US, who's doing CLA work on these cameras? I'll send it overseas if needed, but that adds time away from home.

Thank you,
-Bill

I had YYE overhaul my IIIf. As I recall, I paid a 30% premium to get same week service (cuz if you don't, you wait months) and with shipping, this worked out to around $300. He also cleaned up a collapsible LTM Summicron, and that was around $175 ish as I recall, all in.

The camera and lens came back working perfectly and very nicely cleaned up. So ... Ye, in my experience does excellent work.

I've had DAG do an overhaul on my M5 and 50mm Summicron. (DAG is one of the only people working on M5s). He's more noticeably more expensive than Ye. If memory serves, with shipping, the body was $600-ish and the lens was $400-ish. Turnaround time was about 5 weeks for the body and 2 weeks for the lens.

Again, the quality of work was excellent. The M5 came back with a meter properly calibrated for modern 1.5V batteries and it's dead on. The lens came back minus the slight haze, aperture blade grunge, and slight mount looseness it had when I shipped it out.

For Barnack bodies, I'd use Ye. It's what he started on and has done the most of from what I can tell. (Just be sure to follow Ye's instructions about expedited service to the letter, if that's what you want, or you'll end up waiting and wondering. You have to send it to him and CALL him when the package shows up as delivered so that he picks it out of the pile for immediate service.)

WilliamKT50 · Apr 21, 2024

Don_ih said:
I think, if you work on watches and successfully got that camera apart and back together, you can probably fix it. It's probably mostly a matter of cleaning the parts (particularly those under the speed dial and the gears attaching to the winder and the gears on the bottom). A watch is far more complicated than a Leica IIIC.

The shutter looks messed up but that may rectify itself once everything is cleaned.

Well, I appreciate the vote of confidence, but keep in mind that all I did was pull the camera's guts out of its case. That's nine screws and no risk of any springs or other things launching themselves up and out of the camera, never to be seen again. That's also removing the base plate, which is three or four screws and only one part that will try to sneak out and away. I ruined a FED 4 a few years ago. I knew less back then, but still feel cautious. The stakes here would be far higher.

Don_ih · Apr 21, 2024

Then I throw in my vote for YYE - he replaced the shutter on my IIIB years ago and did a great job.

WilliamKT50 · Apr 23, 2024

Don_ih said:
I think, if you work on watches and successfully got that camera apart and back together, you can probably fix it. It's probably mostly a matter of cleaning the parts (particularly those under the speed dial and the gears attaching to the winder and the gears on the bottom). A watch is far more complicated than a Leica IIIC.

The shutter looks messed up but that may rectify itself once everything is cleaned.

I figured out what's up. One of the shutter tape strips has come unglued from the drum. Looks like a piece of film got caught in the works, which has me questioning whether or not I followed the film loading and cutting instructions as well as I thought. Anyway, I'm not going to tear it down any further, so I'll re-assemble it and maybe send it off to YYe.

Don_ih · Apr 24, 2024

The piece of film could have been in there for years. It won't hurt to have the rest of the camera cleaned out and verified working properly.

Axelwik · Jun 19, 2024

I know that most people like the "designer" camera repair places, but I've had good luck sending a Leica M2 with a bad shutter, and Rolleiflex with a winding problem to KEH for repair. They both came back CLA'd in perfect order and didn't charge for additional parts or labor despite both cameras not working properly.

That M2 has accompanied me all over the world without an issue and the Rolleiflex has gone with me all over the US with no issues.

Two23 · Jun 19, 2024

I have had YYE (Youxin Ye) work on mine and was very happy. This year I sent a IIIc & IIIf to DAG and was impressed with the work. You need to let him know if you just want a specific repair or a complete overhaul.

Kent in SD

Marcelo Paniagua · Jun 19, 2024

+1 for YYE for Leica LTM. DAG is also great but I prefer YYE for the LTM.

henryvk · Jun 20, 2024

WilliamKT50 said:
I figured out what's up. One of the shutter tape strips has come unglued from the drum. Looks like a piece of film got caught in the works, which has me questioning whether or not I followed the film loading and cutting instructions as well as I thought. Anyway, I'm not going to tear it down any further, so I'll re-assemble it and maybe send it off to YYe.

In my experience, Leica-II-type cameras are always full of film chips because the advance is not gentle. It needn'd have been from the film you loaded. Might have just been the shock of the shutter being worked after the camera had been sleeping in a drawer for 40 years that got the curtain tape loose.

choiliefan · Jun 20, 2024

YYE did my IIIC and Summar several years ago but I've bought several items from DAG at very good prices.

armadsen · Jun 20, 2024

YYe did my Leica IIIg and 2.8 Elmer and did a wonderful job. I’ve also had a great experience with Sherry Krauter. You won’t go wrong with either of them.

Arthurwg · Jun 20, 2024

Yes, YYe. Great job on my 111F and the price is right.

Service for a Leica IIIc, preferably in the US

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