[Leica] Re: Leica windfall

[gregj_lorenzo at hotmail.com (Greg Lorenzo)]

This also applies to lenses which may have not been used in several months 
to a few years. If you have a warm spot near a window, in full sun, it is a 
good idea to allow the lens or the camera (but not the camera with a lens 
without the front cap installed) to sit basking in the sun for a couple of 
hours before exercising it.

 

Rule number 2: exercise things slowly and carefully before shooting film.

 

Greg Lorenzo

Calgary, Canada


 
> Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:58:42 -0500
> From: lrzeitlin@optonline.net
> To: lug@leica-users.org
> CC: lrzeitlin@optonline.net
> Subject: [Leica] Re: Leica windfall
> 
> Just like a human runner, if you plan to exercise that old Leica, 
> warm it up a bit. Sitting in a drawer for 20 years lets the 
> lubricants dry up and parts tend to stick together. If something is 
> still and you force it, you may do damage.
> 
> The best suggestion is to wrap the Leica in a heating pad for an hour 
> or so. The camera should be warm to the touch, not hot. This will 
> lower the viscosity of the lubricants. Then try clicking the shutter 
> at the moderate speeds, 1/30 to 1/100 sec. for a few dozen times. 
> Slow speeds are most affected by long periods of inactivity. The slow 
> speed escapement has tiny moving parts that bind easily. After you 
> are satisfied that the moderate speeds work well, try setting the 
> shutter at 1/15 sec. Click for a few times, then try a slower speed. 
> You can tell by ear approximately how long the shutter is open. When 
> the speed is set at 1 second, if you can get the shutter to close in 
> less than 1 1/2 seconds, congratulations. You have almost freed up 
> the mechanism.
> 
> Adjusting the higher speeds for accuracy is a bit tricky. The 
> individual shutter curtain springs tend to relax over the years and 
> may need to be readjusted. Timing of the Leica shutter is a 
> balancing act of mechanical forces. The Leica shutter is a simple 
> design but requires great precision in design and adjustment. This is 
> probably why it was so difficult for imitators to copy. The spring 
> tension controls not only the rate that the shutter opening and 
> closing curtains move but also their relative spacing. You may have 
> to adjust the springs individually to achieve approximately the right 
> speeds and uniformity of exposure across the field. You can do it 
> yourself but it is a fiddly task similar to adjusting the carburetors 
> of an old Jaguar engine. Instructions for doing this are in the 
> archives. If you don't want to bother, get the camera a CLA by a good 
> shop. If the viewfinder is clear, the rangefinder works, and the 
> cosmetics are adequate, then a $200 CLA is a fair price to restore a 
> LTM to functionality.
> 
> Remember, get that camera warm before exercising it.
> 
> Larry Z
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information

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