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I burnt through my shutter cloth :(


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Not sure if yours yours is mild sun damage or not but hope it's not too problematic for you. As you can see, mine is considerably worse! 

 

If you are prepared to drive about an hour from Antibes to Tourtour, I could lend you another film Leica, say an M4 or CL. 

 

Wilson

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In the UK, Alan Starkie of Cameraworks-uk.com has done an excellent job on the last four cameras, including two Leicas plus a Reid & Sigrist Leica clone I have sent to him. He did a curtain replacement, CLA and repaint on my Model III. His prices are very reasonable. Now he has finished the mammoth task of a total rebuild of my 70mm film Combat Graflex, including the fabrication and 3D printing of new parts, he may be a tad less busy. 

 

Wilson

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Wilson, how is the Graflex now you have it back? I hope you will post some images from (and of) it somewhere!

 

(And your generosity to the OP is very kind)

 

 

It is finished but it will be sitting at Alan's until I get back to the UK in October. Apparently all is now working smoothly (well as smoothly as I believe they ever did) and firing off nine frames per winding up. It is no silent Leica LTM and firing off nine frames is about as subtle and quiet as firing a "Ma Deuce" 50 calibre machine gun. I am not surprised they were not popular with military photographers in the Vietnam war. You might as well have waived a Stars and Stripes while shouting: "Here I am." Apparently all three lenses (2½", 4" and 8") have all cleaned up and freed off well. Now all I really need is a Watson or Hasselblad daylight loader for 70mm film. Loading 70mm cassettes from a 100 foot roll inside a changing bag is no fun. 

 

Wilson

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If you are prepared to drive about an hour from Antibes to Tourtour, I could lend you another film Leica, say an M4 or CL. 

 

Wilson

Super kind of you to offer - thank you. I'll be fine as only a few days left over here. Many thanks for the offer. Maybe next year :)

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Those holes are too big to fix with a liquid "goop" - but a good tech could apply a patch of shutter curtain fabric. (However, if it were me I'd have the curtain replaced with a new one.)

Agreed, I'll be getting it replaced.

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In the UK, Alan Starkie of Cameraworks-uk.com has done an excellent job on the last four cameras, including two Leicas plus a Reid & Sigrist Leica clone I have sent to him. He did a curtain replacement, CLA and repaint on my Model III. His prices are very reasonable. Now he has finished the mammoth task of a total rebuild of my 70mm film Combat Graflex, including the fabrication and 3D printing of new parts, he may be a tad less busy. 

 

Wilson

That's helpful. Thanks Wilson. I'll probably try Leica in London first as it's close to my office but good to know of an alternative.

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In the UK, Alan Starkie of Cameraworks-uk.com has done an excellent job on the last four cameras, including two Leicas plus a Reid & Sigrist Leica clone I have sent to him. He did a curtain replacement, CLA and repaint on my Model III. His prices are very reasonable. Now he has finished the mammoth task of a total rebuild of my 70mm film Combat Graflex, including the fabrication and 3D printing of new parts, he may be a tad less busy. 

 

Wilson

I've just checked out Alan Starkie's site. Interestingly, he's in Bury - where I grew up!

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Not sure if yours yours is mild sun damage or not but hope it's not too problematic for you. As you can see, mine is considerably worse! 

 

 

So sorry to see this happened to your M-A! I wonder if those two small vertically aligned marks in the center of the curtain are also sun damage that didn't burn through; they look similar to what I'm seeing. When you're looking from the back of the curtain, are those slightly indented?

 

Here's hoping for a quick and painless repair. Truly do appreciate you taking the time to share these photos. Enjoy the rest of your travels!

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So sorry to see this happened to your M-A! I wonder if those two small vertically aligned marks in the center of the curtain are also sun damage that didn't burn through; they look similar to what I'm seeing. When you're looking from the back of the curtain, are those slightly indented?

@avatar230 - yes the damage on those two smaller marks is detectable on both sides of the cloth.

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Leica store Mayfair tell me my M7 repair will be 2-3 Months and ~€600 as they seem to only do a complete overhaul. For a shutter curtain you might try Aperture, London as they do that for £300. A lens cap is very useful for blocking the sun but it does slow you down and you have to remember to remove it. Also move the focus to minimum 0.7m when not in use. As mainly landscapes are taken I often forget to move it off infinity myself.

Lincoln

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Leica store Mayfair tell me my M7 repair will be 2-3 Months and ~€600 as they seem to only do a complete overhaul.

 

That is overkill. Crazy. And I did not know the M7 shutter could be burned. Can it. Really?

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That is overkill. Crazy. And I did not know the M7 shutter could be burned. Can it. Really?

 

I suspect that price may include the update for the DX system from mechanical/electrical contacts. These often have a minor problem, when you need to give the M7 a gentle tap against your hand while holding it base plate up, to seat the cassette against the contacts. This is either to get the correct speed reading if you have the film speed set to DX or no flashing of the LED's in the VF, if you are using a DX cassette but have the speed set manually to the matching ISO. Leica replace the mechanical/electrical contacts with an optical reader. This also makes removing an exposed cassette easier. I must remember to clean the DX contacts on my M7 with switch cleaning fluid when I change the film next. 

 

Wilson

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My M-A went into Leica Mayfair today. I'll report back here in a week or so when I get the quote from Germany. I did consider Aperture but I'd rather deal with Leica with whom I would expect to have more leverage in case of problems, especially as I'm told that replacing the shutter cloth requires complete disassembly of the camera. (I should add that I've not had any problems with Aperture - I've never used them for repairs).

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I suspect the problem with the original DX contacts is that they get paint on them from the DX coding on the cassettes, when they are being inserted and removed. I have a fibreglass brush I use for cleaning the contacts on Mac Magsafe power connectors. I will dip it in IPA and will give the points a wipe. 

 

Wilson

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My M7 repair is for blocked shutter release, blank misfired exposures and what looks like creases in the curtain runners. No holes in the shutter. Half of the film had blank (no light) exposures. You'd never know if the shutter would fire properly or get blocked and need a very forceful wind on. It did that even with no film in so was in a very bad way. Yes they said the optical dx reader should be done for free. I will also get a years warantee so it will effectively be a new camera.

 

Let us know how the M-A shutter replacement goes. You are about a week behind me but your repair may be quicker.

Lincoln

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