Leica technical intervention codes

[dubois pierre]

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Hello, does anyone know the meaning of the codes and digital numbers (1,2,3.....) in the "Type of repair" box in German "Art der reparaturen". I think they must correspond to a specific intervention on the camera for example 1 for dismantling etc.... But a reliable answer will be welcome.

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[willeica]

14 hours ago, dubois pierre said:

Hello, does anyone know the meaning of the codes and digital numbers (1,2,3.....) in the "Type of repair" box in German "Art der reparaturen". I think they must correspond to a specific intervention on the camera for example 1 for dismantling etc.... But a reliable answer will be welcome.

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Lars Netopil should know what these are. 

William 

[dubois pierre]

Ok William, thank you. I am also waiting for the response from Leitz archives.

[alan mcfall]

I have not seen anything definitive from the researchers that have access to leitz archives. Until such information becomes available, some of us that have cameras that have been factory upgraded, are trying to use the codes listed in the "repair" book, and brute force a match with known cameras, that will eventually identify a code by elimination or confirmation over multiple examples. This is somewhat complicated, as some upgrades may not be visible in a photograph of a upgraded camera, such as the shutter brake.  And, some changes are conditional on other changes. Also, some changes may have been at Leitz decision and not from a customer request. The taller advance knob and additional screws in the top plate, were likely considered to be an "inprovement" in the product, while changing the rear plate of the tublar viewfinder, would be not as important. Leitz made continuous changes for manufacturing, reliability and other reasons as the product evolved, these may not be in the repair records, but can be important.

Anyway, some early possibilities from just a few match attempts for some of my cameras, could be:

Code 15   advance knob, 16   Interchangeable lens flange,  4, 9 codes for adding the rangefinder or slow speeds.

Many more comparisons between actual cameras and repair records codes would be necessary before anything could be certain. If a lot of upgraded camera owners could submit the repair book codes for their camera, and the present features of the camera, we might be able to at least verify some of the codes. Until then, I hope Lars or someone comes up with the repair book code meanings.

 

[dubois pierre]

Thank you Alan, i received today the reply of Leitz. 

"Dear Pierre,

Thank you for your e-mail. Unfortunately, we do not know what these numbers mean".

Indeed Lars might be able to answer this question.

 

[Giuliobigazzi]

If you look at the numbers and try to correlate them to known early cameras, with known modifications, the do not make any sense. One camera may fit in with a number but then another won’t. 
The only thing I think they could mean is working bench number, or technician number. There are many examples that have thing like 16(2x) for example. Maybe it means 2 hours for table/technician 16? 
one of the many mysteries of Leica 

[dubois pierre]

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Here is Lars Netopil's answer on repair codes at Leitz workshops.

 

"The „Art der Reparaturen“ means what kind of service or job was done to the camera. The ciphers mean individual operations, such as „cleaning“, „new curtains“, „replacing viewfinder ocular“, etc., etc. - all jobs you can imagine. 

 

UNFORTUNATELY, they changed the numerical System in the beginning of the 1950s. In a way, that new ciphers were added to the list (as cameras had gotten more complex, like the coupled rangefinder for example) and the number of individual jobs became much larger. But, unfortunately they also gave entirely new meanings to the ciphers at that moment, including those ciphers which were used before the war. So for those, the same ciphers were used, but their meaning was something totally different. 

 

AND, there has NO index list for the meaning of the pre-war ciphers survived. Neither in the factory, nor that I know anybody who has ist. Strange, but true. So there is only such a list from the 1950s and which does not help at all.".

 

 

[FPangrazi]

In my archive there is an original document soon to be published, used before 1945. The document refers to lens repairs and each type of repair is codified by a numerical code starting from 1 and ending with n°18. Too bad we don't have the same coding that was used for cameras

[isunshine]

Does anyone know if the Repair book contains strictly about repair records only, or does it also include other information such as upgrades, CLAs, etc?

[jerzy]

there is all kind of info there, if we would understand what the codes mean.. But you may find as well info about converstions - camera 9758, possibly still IA when shiped to the factory left Leica as model III in January 1939. Another one is 9756 converted from I to II. An a remark written in the line 9752 says that it was "opened without authorisation". German "unbefugt geöffnet", I read it as non authorised person opened it. Another remark says "Filmreste". But majority of entries are codes only