Leica II Pre-CLA test shots
Leica II body ("LYKAN"), 1935
Elmar (I) 5cm 1:3.5, 1930
Ilford HP5 black and white negative film
Developed at the local lab and scanned by www.meinfilmlab.de
This, ladies and gentlemen, is frankly a terrible photograph. Grainy, blurred, underexposed, devoid of contrast. Utter rubbish. I didn't even bother to clean up scratches and blemishes, because the picture is so far gone it's not worth the effort.
So why am I posting this, you may wonder?
Precisely because the photos are so terrible. I got this pre-war Model D thread mount Leica and Elmar lens on Fleabay. Any old camera that has been sitting in some cupboard for decades will need a professional CLA (Cleaning, Lubrication, Adjustment). It's axiomatic. Otherwise the pictures will look like this rubbish.
There is nothing wrong with the camera, you see. It just needs maintenance. And it will get it. In fact, it is in the workshop as I write this. I will not post any more pictures from this film. The next photos that I will upload, in a few weeks, will have been made after the CLA. Trust me, there will be a fundamental improvement.
I am uploading these pictures for a reason. Some of you may have found, purchased or inherited a vintage camera. You may have seen that it still works, put in a film, shot some pictures, had them developed, recoiled in horror and never touched that camera again.
Big mistake!
Leicas are built to last. If the mechanics are still in good shape, chances are, they'll come back from the servicing like brand-new cameras. I should know. I own and use quite a number.
I want to encourage you to give those old dears a new lease on life. After a professional CLA with a mechanic who knows what he's doing, they'll probably outlast you. The keyword is "professional", mind you. Don't let some cut-rate butcher mess with a vintage camera.
Leica II Pre-CLA test shots
Leica II body ("LYKAN"), 1935
Elmar (I) 5cm 1:3.5, 1930
Ilford HP5 black and white negative film
Developed at the local lab and scanned by www.meinfilmlab.de
This, ladies and gentlemen, is frankly a terrible photograph. Grainy, blurred, underexposed, devoid of contrast. Utter rubbish. I didn't even bother to clean up scratches and blemishes, because the picture is so far gone it's not worth the effort.
So why am I posting this, you may wonder?
Precisely because the photos are so terrible. I got this pre-war Model D thread mount Leica and Elmar lens on Fleabay. Any old camera that has been sitting in some cupboard for decades will need a professional CLA (Cleaning, Lubrication, Adjustment). It's axiomatic. Otherwise the pictures will look like this rubbish.
There is nothing wrong with the camera, you see. It just needs maintenance. And it will get it. In fact, it is in the workshop as I write this. I will not post any more pictures from this film. The next photos that I will upload, in a few weeks, will have been made after the CLA. Trust me, there will be a fundamental improvement.
I am uploading these pictures for a reason. Some of you may have found, purchased or inherited a vintage camera. You may have seen that it still works, put in a film, shot some pictures, had them developed, recoiled in horror and never touched that camera again.
Big mistake!
Leicas are built to last. If the mechanics are still in good shape, chances are, they'll come back from the servicing like brand-new cameras. I should know. I own and use quite a number.
I want to encourage you to give those old dears a new lease on life. After a professional CLA with a mechanic who knows what he's doing, they'll probably outlast you. The keyword is "professional", mind you. Don't let some cut-rate butcher mess with a vintage camera.