Range finder contrast.

[Juan B]

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I have two Leica IIIf, one is RD and the other is BD. When I bought the cameras, the BD was very worn, and I sent it for repair and do a CLA, to Mrs. Sherry Krauter, with some lenses (an Elmar 50/3.5, a Summitar, a Summicron 50/2 and a Summaron 35), for do a very good CLA.

 

She told me, that the camera had the curtains in ver bad condition and it was necessary to change them and she did it. Then, I said her that the viewfinder image was very dim and she said me that she had news mirrors for the IIIf and she changed it too. Well, a very good CLA (and expensive ) that I wanted.

 

When I received the package I could see, that the focusing rings of the lenses were not soft enough that I expected and they are still some cloudy, but I thought that it was right thinking that they are very old. But I was very sad, when I could see, that the yellow image of the rangafinder was more dim that my RD and both, much dimer that a FED (Leica copy) that I have too.

 

I don't want to send the camera another time to Mrs. Sherry, because I want to think that she did that she did her best work and it's no possible do anything more.

 

I don't know if a orange filter for the rangefinder, it's a good solution or not.

[Xmas]

Hi Juan

 

There was a filter OKARO as you suggest to improve the contrast of the rangefinder image, it was orange I think.

 

I believe the prism in the range finder can be resilvered to improve the contrast but this would not be cheap.

 

CRR Luton do this for M leicas, there may not be any demand for pre M leicas, if you e-mail them they are sometimes slow.

 

M2/3/4 Rangefinder Restoration

 

Noel

[Juan B]

Hi Juan

 

There was a filter OKARO as you suggest to improve the contrast of the rangefinder image, it was orange I think.

 

I believe the prism in the range finder can be resilvered to improve the contrast but this would not be cheap.

 

CRR Luton do this for M leicas, there may not be any demand for pre M leicas, if you e-mail them they are sometimes slow.

 

M2/3/4 Rangefinder Restoration

 

Noel

Thanks!

 

I'll send them an e-mail and I'll wait.

 

I'm angry thinking that the viewfinder of the Zorki is much more contrasted than the Leica and that the Sherry's repair of the rangefinder, was not cheap.

[Xmas]

Hi Juan

 

I use Fed I and Zorki I as well, as two IIIc, but the half silver mirror in any of the rangefinders can degrade with exposure to the atmosphere of industrial cities, my IIIc and Fed and Zorki are all ok.

 

I can understand that you may be upset about the repair, but it would probably have been even more expensive had the prism been recoated. You will have only lost out on postage and dismantling.

 

Do you need the contrast to be perfect?

 

Noel

[Juan B]

Hi Noel.

 

Really, I only notice the low contrast of the rangefinder at indoors with low light or when there are not contrast areas or lines.

 

Juan

[earleygallery]

I have a lllf RD and BD. The BD was bought as non working - it needs a shutter repair and also has a very dim rangefinder, it's there but just very dim.

 

Remember that your Zorki is likely to be much younger than your lllf BD too.

 

I understand that there is a small mirror in the rangefinder assembly which is the likely problem - it was probably cleaned rather than repaired or replaced.

[wizard]

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I own a red dial IIIf, inherited from my late father, which I had CLAed a couple of years ago. No parts were changed, so I assume everything is still original. I find the rangefinder contrast to be quite good, as good or even a tad better than that of my IIIg. That said, rangefinder contrast of my M7 is noticeably better.

 

So the question is whether your IIIf really has a lower than normal rangefinder contrast or whether you simply expected rangefinder contrast to be much better than it actually ever was with this model. Without a physical inspection of your camera, this question can not be answered.

 

Andy

[jhild]

There is no prism in a IIIf that could be resilvered, if the rangefinder is dim it needs a new two way mirror.

I have tried several ways, number one was a Zorki two way mirror going into a Leica IIIa and the better

way I have used several times now was fitting a two way mirror from a Voigtlaender rangefinder into some

Barnacks. There are probably still original Leica replacement mirrors available but they will be very old

by now as well and the reflecting part of it is not as good/hard as it is on Zorkis or Voigtlaender view-

finders. Workshops tend to use original parts only and if they run out they just stop repairing it, so in

this case DIY is a way to go...

Another reason for a dim viewfinder could be the adjustable viewfinder optics, not easy to clean because it´s

so small.Don´t use any fluids for cleaning, micro fibre cloth will do the job.

 

Jo

[Juan B]

Great answer Jo.

 

Thank you very much.

 

I've seen a online shop, that they sell the two way mirror. Not for the rangefinder cameras, but I think that it would be a possible solution.

 

Juan.