Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/06/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]- ----- Original Message ----- From: Alan Ball <AlanBall@csi.com> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Monday, June 14, 1999 2:37 AM Subject: [Leica] May I dare a Leica (LTM) question ? > > 1) Is there a trick to load this thing reliably ? Yes- using scissors, cut the tongue of the film longer, about 4", and it loads MUCH more easily! > 2) Is the rangefinder precise enough for 50mm f2 shooting ? Mine sure works for me! The Leica Rangefinder is incredibly accurate- I am sure that even as early as the IIIc that quite a bit of work went into making sure it was accurate. > 3) Is it normal that the rangefinder is so dark and very hard to use (ghost > image barely visible) The IIIc was known to have three common shortcomings- one, being made right after the war, there was a shortage of chrome, and as a result, some early IIIcs were prone to pitting or flaking of the chrome. two- the shutter curtains tened to be less durable. many IIIc have dry cracking shutters curtains, but they are easily replaced, so a competent tech would be able to fix that problem, should it arise. and third- the beamsplitter will often lose it's half-silver coating, making the rangefinder image very dim, but when I had mine, I found that it's possible to still get NEW ones from some repair places, or to have them re-silvered. All the LTMs I have had, even my nearly mint IIIf were suffering from neglrect and long storage in a drawer or closet. A good CLA will go a long way to bring these jewels back to specs- and if you keep using it, and not let it sit idle for years, it'll be good for another 20-30 years, easily! > 4) Is it normal that the aperture ring of the Summitar is very hard to turn > ? > > This IIIC is very nice looking and very decorative. It was also the first > time that I've been approached on the street by someone saying: "wow, is > that a Leica ? " . Never did anyone react that way for my black taped black > M6 ;-) > > But I really wonder if it makes any sense trying to use that object..... Do > the LUG LTMers have special caveats and advices to give to turn this setup > into something really efficient ? You didn't say what lens you were using, but the older Summicron is really nice, quite able to hold its own against a lot of modern glass. A large number of us favor the Elmar 50/3,5, even though it is not as sharp. It is, however, one of the most compact lenses you'll find when it is retracted, and makes the IIIc, or any LTM for that matter, easily slipped into a pocket. Learn the 'Sunny 16' rule, and you can get about 85-90% of the shots you make to be printable, even without a meter! Fantastic little cameras once you get the hang of them! > > Thanks beforehand, > > Alan Welcome to the wonderful world of LTMs, Alan! Just think, when you get that Heliar 15/4,5, it'll fit right on that LTM without any adapter necessary! Dan