Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/06/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Alan Ball wrote: > It seems that most of us, at one stage or another, decide to indulge in > purchasing a LTM model even though they are happily equipped with a M line > up. I fell for a IIIc + Summitar last friday. And, of course, proceeded in > using it. In the view of the very large percentage of failed pictures > (mainly focus failures and parallax management problems) during this retro > weekend, I have of course a few basic questions: > Congratulations on your purchase. The 3c and Summitar are a good combination. Unless you do some very close photographing, you should not have any noticeable parallax problems. You may have to have your view finder checked. Just make sure, you look trough the correct window. Looking from the back, the view finder (for 50mm lenses only) is the one on the right. The one on the left is the range finder. You can adjust the rang finder for your eyes by adjusting the lever underneath the rewind knob. > 1) Is there a trick to load this thing reliably ? Make sure to cut the film leader to a length of about 10cm (4 inches) > 2) Is the rangefinder precise enough for 50mm f2 shooting ? It is > 3) Is it normal that the rangefinder is so dark and very hard to use (ghost > image barely visible) No this is not normal. It may need a clean. Try putting a transparent orange colored foil over the range finder window (the most left window when looking from the front). This enhances the contrast between the moving and the stationary image. > 4) Is it normal that the aperture ring of the Summitar is very hard to turn > ? No its not, The grease inside the lens has gone old and hard. It needs pulling to bits and re lubricated. By a professional. > 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 ? > > Thanks beforehand, > > Alan Have fun with it, Horst Schmidt