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Leica IIIf user in need of basic mechanical & technical advice


Junkyard Angel

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I have a leica IIIf with a 50mm summicron lense and 21mm color skopar lense on the way from ebay currently, and would like to know any basic information about what i'm getting myself into. this is my first camera, film or digital, but i feel i want to get introduced into film and learn the basics through trial and error. i'm curious what type of film to use, first of all? i'm thinking about getting fuji velvia 50 because it's highly recommended. but will this suit both lenses i'll be working with in a IIIf? and will their be a problem if i interchange the lenses on the same roll? will the same roll yeild both b&w 50mm shots and color 21mm shots without a hitch? from what i understand, up close shots will generally turn out better in 21mm, whereas medium shots are better suited for 50mm. i realize about everything i shoot will look like crap for awhile until i learn what i'm doing, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Welcome, it sounds like you have bought a classic basic system. Well done.

When my kids were in their teens I took them to various places so that they could start learning the rudiments of driving. We began with an automatic after which they moved to a stick shift.

You are starting with a stick shift.

I suggest that you get a basic book from the library or Amazon, visit your local photo club or find someone locally that has the basic understanding. This will help you into a step by step approach.

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I suggest you read the instruction manual for the IIIf while you are waiting for it to arrive.

You can download a copy at this site:

 

Leica camera instruction manuals, leicaflex camera instruction manual

 

Scroll down the page to "Leica IF - IIF - IIIF" and click on that.

 

You will find yourself at this page on that site (of course you could go straight there if you want to, and are familiar with navigating around sites on the net):

 

Leica IF, IIF, IIIFinstruction manual, user manual, free PDF camera manuals

 

The instruction manual for the IIIf is in three parts. For now just download the first section and the second section. They are a great read, and will answer most questions.

 

all the best - I am also about to find out in a couple of days what it is like to use a IIIf - and of course I am not a bit worried about mastering the techniquoe of loading the film ...:eek:

 

Dan

P.S. if it is truly your first camera then to many people this will seem a huge leap - but it's all in the mind - once upon a time, in a land far, far away little boys and girls had these things as their first cameras

Edited by Dan Ryan
had another vagrant thought
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HI,

 

you can use any film with any lens that fits to your camera, the difference is the film speed. Velvia 50 is a

good film but quite slow, for learning I would recommend 100ASA film, that is faster. Next, you will need

a separate viewfinder for your 21mm lens as the viewfinder of the IIIF shows 50mm only. And then you´ll

need a lightmeter, the IIIF is just a filmholder with no extras apart from a mechanical shutter.

But first of all your IIIF will probably need a CLA, it´s at least 50+ years old. It´s a nice looking camera,

for today´s people used to electronic "cigarette boxes" it´s really looking strange, and if you have bought

it just for the difference from the "main stream" with no basic knowledge about shutterspeed, apertures,

film speeds and how all this works together it might give you a very hard time for a while.

Even with a lightmeter you are not on the safe side if you don´t know how to use it and point it the

wrong way.

If possible get yourself some boooks about the basics first, read that and then take some shots.Take

notes about the exposure you used, that helps. If there is a photoclub where you live you could

possibly go there and ask older members some questions, they have grown up with mechanical

cameras and know how to use them...

 

Good luck

 

Jo

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Well you are getting a great camera, and two great lenses.

 

Does the 21mm come with a finder? As said the built in finder is for 50mm or 5cm lenses, like the Summicron. Wider or longer lenses need a finder which you fit onto the flash shoe (or accessory shoe as they should be called!).

 

Yes you can change lenses just like with an SLR, it's advisable to keep the camera in the shade when doing so (or use your body to shade it if in direct sunlight).

 

I would suggest using a colour neg or C41 black and white film to start with. Velvia is a slide film and exposure has to be spot on. It would be good for checking the shutter speeds by running a film through at correct exposure on the different speeds to see if any come out under/over exposed however.

 

C41 film has much more latitude, good for beginners (if that's what you are). Practice cutting/loading an old film if you can - follow the instructions for cutting the leader to fit the camera correctly (see the manual linked above).

 

As for a CLA (Clean Lube Adjust) if the camera has been used regularly and is working fine then just use it. I bought my lllf over 20 yrs ago and haven't serviced it since.

 

Remember to keep the slow speed dial set to the fastest speed when using the top dial (again see instructions) otherwise the shutter may not fire correctly.

 

Get the camera, stick a film in and go shooting, then come back and ask any more questions you need answers to!

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As for a CLA (Clean Lube Adjust) if the camera has been used regularly and is working fine then just use it. I bought my lllf over 20 yrs ago and haven't serviced it since.

 

Hi James

 

I got my IIIc in '76, it has not seen any maintenance yet...

 

Before around about '70 all the comercial cassettes came with a long leader, cut explicitly for the early Leicas this made the film easy to load.

Today you only get a short leader which is more difficult to load, it is best to carry small pair of scissors or swiss army knofe and cut the correct leader shape, on each commercial cassette.

Loads of idiots will now tell you how they do it better, with credit cards or by removing the lens, they wont help you with the money for a new shutter...

 

Noel

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Welcome to the family. Don't be intimidated by the camera, Step one, read. One of the best books to start with is The Leica Rangefinder Way, by Andrew Matheson. Most of the answers discussed on this forum can be found between the covers of this invaluable reference. Have fun. I too started with a IIIF, and evolved through both the rangefinder and SLR systems. Now I'm back to the Leicas of the 1930's. For me, they are the most fun.

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  • 6 years later...
  • 2 weeks later...

My iiif suddenly developed a problem, I can't close the base plate. Not dropped or bashed so what can be the problem? The base plate key will not rotate to close.

Any advice would be most welcome. Thank you

 Will the key move to the closed position when the base is off the camera?  If it does, then you need to examine the camera.  Will the key close when there's no film cassette loaded? If it closes with the base off the camera, and doesn't when the base is mounted without a cassette loaded, then there's something jammed into the locking slot in the camera.  If it won't close only when you have a cassette loaded, then I'd make sure you have it loaded/seated properly. It also could be the cassette. Try a different one.   That's all my feeble brain can come up with tonight.  

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Junkyard Angel -  earlygallery's post is excellent.  I'd say, if your camera is working properly, the biggest and most annoying problem you'll have is loading it.  Definitely trim your film leader - and do it ahead of time on extra rolls,  instead of in the field.  The card trick works for me sometimes, but I wouldn't count on it.  YouTube has instruction videos on how to load the camera.  Be patient and don't force anything. If the sprockets start chewing the film, pieces can jam in the shutter mechanism.  I would also suggest using ISO 400 film  - black and white or color.  When you're starting, I'd also suggest ONLY using one speed of film.  This will make it a lot easier to learn Sunny 16 exposure --  and I would definitely try to use this system.  A meter can become a crutch (and one of the great pleasures of these old Barnaks is how compact they are - why fool around with a meter?)   Modern films have pretty good latitude - you can miss by a couple of stops and be okay (if you're iffy about a stop, ere on the side of overexposure).  You'll find, after awhile, that Sunny 16 exposures will become automatic.  At that point, try ISO 200 (one stop slower) and ISO 800 (one stop faster) film.  I love HP5 black & white (400) and almost always push it a stop to 800.  Still looks great.

 

You have a fine camera, and those are two nice lenses.  I also have an Elmar 35, which is a tiny and great companion to the 50, and a range of Skopars.  I particularly like using my IIF on the street with the Elmars, as they attract zero attention -- people think the camera's so old and funky looking that it can't be taking real photos.  The only disadvantage is that the Elmars' apertures are on the front of the lens, and the tiny dial's hard to move - kind of a pain to do a quick change. But if you set it at f/8, you can handle most street exposures by simply changing the shutter speed.

 

Have a great time shooting.

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