Leitz Barnack's 1 Model A

[lmans]

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Well, I took the plunge....as I was walking in our local photo store yesterday; needing to 'relieve myself' from my hours of street photography....(and to get warm), I saw they had a Barnack's Model A, a Leitz 2 and a 111. It was cool to  find them all in one location and compare/contrast etc....  I can see where the latter 111 is larger, ...more akin to my early M's so I put that one aside pretty quickly. 

But the other two intrigued me and as I compared them I took a chance and purchased the Model A...  This will be a challenge as at the moment I do not have the accompanying FOKOS which will allow me to focus using a rangefinder attachment. W/O, I will focus by distance and if I shoot at F9 / F12 (it has odd stops), then focus depth should be sufficient to make up for my loss of 'distance knowledge'. I see they have FOKOS pretty readily on Ebay so will pick one up eventually. Anyone selling any here on site? 

So...a new year...a new challenge. I love the size of these two Barnacks. If I had the cash, I would have bought both of them but feel concentrating on perhaps the most 'challenging of the two' would be worth it. It isn't going to replace my MA, as I feel both camera's have a place in my shooting line-up but it is indeed a life keeper.  Not going to sell it, and will see how much I use it.....

Anyone else currently shooting these? jim

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[givebracku]

a treasure! of course, you shouldn't sell it
we are now looking forward to your creation, your photos
good luck!

[Pyrogallol]

Ready to join the next Barnack Challenge.

[TomB_tx]

Nice find! The camera store near college in 1965 had 2 model A that they had taken in trade at different times - in a small town in upper Michigan. I haven't seen another in person since. Well, not quite true: I bought one made in 1929 that had been upgraded to a Model II - and I didn't have a II either, So I got both in one camera... And I have a Standard that gives close to Model A experience.

[lmans]

I heard they upgraded some to model 2 but how could that be done with the upper deck being changed so much? 

[Pyrogallol]

They just added the rangefinder and it’s top cover plate on top of the original, together with installing the rangefinder links to the lens.

[lmans]

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I completed one roll of film and I can tell that something is wrong with the camera.... I will talk to the camera dealer but this is really a pretty good looking model with nice brass showing....clean, vulcanite perfect...the lens appears to be close to clean as I can tell.... 

So am debating to send this to Sherry Krauter and have it go thru a CLA and fixing...

When I developed a roll of film when shot from this camera....the roll was blank other than the numbers and Fomapan showing, so I know I developed the roll ok. I also know the film advance worked throughout my roll of 24 etc, as well as the aperture itself by visually viewing.

 

What I don't know is if the problem stems from the shutter knob or possible the leaf. The shutter knob turns but I can't get it to turn to ISO 100 or 200, so I have a feeling something is off in that mechanism more so than the leaf. I used ISO 500 but doubt if that was what I was using as everyone was underexposed and taken outside...supposedly F9-12 @500.  I do not notice a difference in Shutter Speed sound as I press the shutter. I have not taken off the lens to view anything inside.

 

jim

[UliWer]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb lmans:

the roll was blank other than the numbers and Fomapan showing,

 Are you sure you took off the lens cap?

When you write about ISO settings I think you mean shutter times: 1/100, 1/200 etc. 1/500 is the shortest shutter time and probably only a good setting if you use f/12 when it is very bright outside.  

Are you sure you can take off the lens? The model I A had a fixed lens originally and usually models with the "hockey stick" on the left of the lens seen from in front belong to this version. The interchangeable lenses were introduced with the Model I C. 

Even if the lens is fixed you have a chance to get an impression whether the shutter times work, if you press the camera's body to your ear. Start with the longest time 1/20 and the sound will be longer and softer. For the shortest time 1/500 the sound is much "quicker", i.e. shorter and sounds more metallic. If you don't hear any differences or perhaps no definite beginning and end of the sound, you can be sure that the shutter is not working. Even if your listening test gives you the impression that you hear the differences, this is no guarantee, that the shutter works - which would be astonishing for a model which is more than ninety years old. So a good CLA done by an experienced person will be necessary in any case. 

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Hallo,

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Hallo,

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[lmans]

If you look at the negative attached, ....you can see some areas that have dark smudges or an inkling of an image. Also....if I hold the negative up to the light, I can faintly see lines between an image or two but really, no images showing ....

The cap was off...yes.... We have all done that mistake and usually at most, a image or two but not an entire roll. Regardless, this is not an issue.

I figure that based upon the negative, that the shutter (not ISO....my fault with that wording to mislead all) was set at 500. But I feel the shutter button isn't working as I cannot set the shutter to 100 or 200. So based upon the negative and the setting difficulty, I think it is the shutter button not working.

I frequently shoot at F8 @500 and know that I can go to F9 and F12 easily given the day we had. So that is not an issue. 

Anyhow....when I do set the shutter to different settings, the sound is identical, length is Identical etc.... jim

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[UliWer]

vor 26 Minuten schrieb lmans:

But I feel the shutter button isn't working as I cannot set the shutter to 100 or 200.

Did you turn the film transport to the next stop and then lifted the small wheel to set the shutter times? The little lever in front of the release button was on "A" and not on "R"?

[lmans]

I think I figured it out.....it is all in sequencing..... You have to 'first' move forward the film number / transport dial and 'second'...set the Shutter speed.     If you don't do it in that order (as I did not) , then I am thinking the shutter speed is set for whatever it was last set for. So in my case, who knows...it might have been 20 shutter speed instead of what I thought was 500.

I feel this is the key, for now when I do the above in  that order, now when I press the shutter release button, I can clearly hear differences between speed of 20 and 500, as an example.... 

So perhaps ready for a new roll of film and give it a try....

No OWNERS MANUAL....it was lost 90 years ago 🙂

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Edited December 24, 2022 by lmans

[UliWer]

vor einer Stunde schrieb lmans:

No OWNERS MANUAL...

Perhaps you search for "The Leica Manual" by Morgan&Lester. The early editions apply to the screwmount Leicas. 

[lmans]

I will, thanks for the info...... I just didn't think there was a need to do so, but obviously here is a case of how important sequencing is. jim

[Anbaric]

Leica's own manuals for the IIIa and IIIf are easy to find online and are well worth reading if you've never used a Barnack camera before. Most of the stuff that isn't specifically about the rangefinder will apply to your model. As you've discovered, the shutter must be cocked before the speed is set. There is also a good description of the correct procedure for loading the film in the manual. The leader should be trimmed to the profile shown, or you risk misloads and potential damage if a piece of films breaks off and gets into the mechanism. You can use a trimming template and a sharp knife, but many of us just use scissors - cut cleanly between and not across sprocket holes and leave around 23 'unpaired' with a rounded off corner.

[TomB_tx]

It's not unusual for old shutters to fail to expose at the highest shutter speeds, where the slit (or gap) between the curtains is very small. It doesn't take much for there to be no opening at all. Try using slow film and shutter of 1/100 or so. It's possible (not likely) for the shutter to work better with some exercise - but more likely the lubrication is long dry and it needs a CLA.

Regarding the manual: I was given an early 1950s Morgan Leica Manual book that included a reprint of the original model A manual tucked inside the cover - so there are modern reprints around.

Edited December 24, 2022 by TomB_tx

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Hallo,

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[lmans]

High time for a Cla…. Hvnt run film thru it since I figured out I adjust shutter after advancing film… but probably needs it anyhow (cla) 

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[Pyrogallol]

Wind the shutter on, then slightly lift the speed dial so that you can turn it to a different shutter speed and feel/see it drop into a different setting. Turn it to B then you should be able to hear the shutter open as you press the shutter release, then hear it close as you take your finder off the release.Then test the other speeds and you should hear the shutter firing at different speeds.

It might just be that you used 500th for all the negatives and that resulted in the uneven underexposed negatives. As said the 500th setting can get out of adjustment resulting in uneven or no exposure.

You can unscrew the lens to look at the shutter curtains if you remove the long screw that stops the lens unscrewing all the way. Make a note of where it comes away when you unscrew it so that you can start screwing its back in from the same starting point so that it aligns with the infinity setting when screwed back in. If the focussing is tight you can clean the threads and apply a tiny smear of grease to make it screw smoother.

[Ambro5I]

Yes.   Have a CLA done, clean the optic, the right lube, and the 1A will be sweet beyond belief.   I think a proper shutter button should be sourced... is there any possibility That may be ‘binding?’

[lmans]

I like the shutter button… even has a cap that screws on to prevent accidental press if you leave it cocked.

I will try to take off lens but I think there is a small gasket and know a piece of it would break off. Think better fr Cla and really… it has been sitting in someone’s cabinet for years… 

[Pyrogallol]

Don’t take the whole lens off with the mount, that will upset the registration if you disturb the shims beneath the mount. I was just suggesting that you could unscrew the main lens by removing the long stop screw.

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