New Leica user here!... and started really bad.

[MatNR]

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Hello guys, my name is Mat, I'm from Argentina.
About a year ago I started shooting street photography with a Fuji X100T and for the last few weeks I've been really wanting to try and buy an M3, so I did it. 
I bought one, in a trusty camera shop here in Buenos Aires, and it seemed to work well, film advance, all shutter speeds and rangefinder worked well so I had no doubt about it and went for it.
After about 3 hours of leaving the store, I sat on a bench to load some film and try it, when I removed the bottom plate a big chunk of the vulcanite broke down and fell, didn't even mind about that because it's replaceable, so I started shooting, finished a roll and left it to be developed and scanned.
When I got back home later that day, I was fiddling with it and put the shutter speed dial in 1 sec, fired the shutter and heard it open but never close back, instantly I called the guys at the shop and told them this two problems, they told me to bring the camera to them the next day and that they'd take care of the service charges.
Today I left the camera on the shop and went to the lab for the scans and the negatives, when I got home I saw this:

And this:


Some photos had this "vignette"-like thing that looked like the photos were Extremely underexposed on one side/"correctly" exposed in the middle/overexposed on the other side, for example:


AND, the few photos that looked "fine" had this weird black line on one side like this:

 

This one has all of the problems at once:



And there's this one that looks fine without any problems besides the shitty quality of the scan:

 

I do not really know if the problem is part of this shutter curtains issue, or if it's the lens, by the way I'm using an Elmar 50mm 2.8, maybe I didn't extend it all the way it should be extended or it might be another problem, but please note that this is my first experience with an M camera and I still don't have the skills that the M call for. 
 

Thanks beforehand for any advice, they will be much appreciated! Sorry for the long post and for my bad english!

Cheers. Mat.

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[david strachan]

Bad luck Mat.  That's all it is, bad luck.

 

Buying old Leicas can be risky.  A good CLA will see the curtains recalibrated, along with the speeds.  It sounds as if that's what will happen via the shop.

 

Your lens is fine, and you are focusing well.

 

Be patient, not disheartened.

 

all best...

[105012]

Black line looks like a scanning issue, not from the camera. I agree with David, this M3 needs a CLA to correct the curtains/timing.

 

Some nice pictures Mat, find a good technician for the CLA and you will be set!

[oldwino]

And after the CLA, the camera will probably be good for another 60 years! (Or thereabouts)

[MatNR]

Thanks a lot guys! I hope I can get it serviced soon so I can test another roll, I forgot to mention that it still had the L seal on the top screw so I think it really must be in need for a CLA. Thanks again for your replies!

[MatNR]

Bad luck Mat.  That's all it is, bad luck.

 

Buying old Leicas can be risky.  A good CLA will see the curtains recalibrated, along with the speeds.  It sounds as if that's what will happen via the shop.

 

Your lens is fine, and you are focusing well.

 

Be patient, not disheartened.

 

all best...

 

 

Black line looks like a scanning issue, not from the camera. I agree with David, this M3 needs a CLA to correct the curtains/timing.

 

Some nice pictures Mat, find a good technician for the CLA and you will be set!

 

 

And after the CLA, the camera will probably be good for another 60 years! (Or thereabouts)

 

Thanks a lot guys! I hope I can get it serviced soon so I can test another roll, I forgot to mention that it still had the L seal on the top screw so I think it really must be in need for a CLA. Thanks again for your replies!

[Archiver]

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The colours of the scans look rather nice.  And if it were a less expensive camera, you'd call the light leaks 'character'.  I have an Olympus XA2 which creates large pink lightleaks at random intervals and I quite enjoy it.  But yes, recalibration of the shutter/timing will fix things, along with checking the seals.

[earleygallery]

It seems there are two issues here, the shutter problem and the light leaks.

 

The shutter will be fixed by a CLA but light leaks can be more difficult to track down. It COULD be leaks through the shutter if the curtains are slack. The only way to find out is a test roll when you get the camera back but I would pass these photos to the camera shop too.

 

Agree that the black line is a scanning problem as its too defined to be 'shutter capping'.

 

As for the vulcanite it does become brittle with age and is a common problem. If you've lost a small section glue it back. The best option otherwise is to remove it all and fit a self adhesive covering you can buy to fit the M3.

[kivis]

Had similar problem with an M3. Could have returned it but decided to send to Youxin Ye for the CLA and new shutter curtains and oh yes a new vulcanite body cover. That was 11 years ago and still going strong since then.

[NB23]

And after the CLA, the camera will probably be good for another 60 years! (Or thereabouts)

Give or take 50 years