Very good to hear of you successful repair and thank you for your interest in Fix Old Cameras.

Thank you for your interest in FOC and for your suggestions.

Thank you for your interest in FOC.

+Bryan Martinez Yes a IIIa top cover removal would be a good subject for a Fix Old Camera video. Thank you very much for your interest in Fix Old Cameras.

Study the gears carefully. Check to see if there is any thing that might be smashed into the valley of the gear teeth. Check the levers for easy movement. You might use the old school mechanics trick of placing a wooden dowel against your ear and the other end a various points of the workings of the mechanisms to try and locate the source of the sound. Of course you will have to modify the dowel making the camera end tapered.

Thanks very much for the reply! Carefully cleaning the gears underneath the top cover removed a bit of overall roughness from the film advance but that didn't solve the grinding at the end of the stroke. Using the dowel trick however I couldn't determine the source of the main problem anywhere on the top side, so I decided (after some hesitation) to dig deeper and remove the body shell and check out the lower gears. This proved _significantly_ more difficult than removing the top plate... but, after determining those gears were in fact the source of the resistance, cleaning the teeth and carefully applying a few drops of lighter fluid then a drop of light machine oil, the gears were running happily again and the film advance is almost perfectly smooth now. (Not exactly factory-new-smooth I think, but more than smooth enough) Since the top cover was off I also cleaned the viewfinder window and rangefinder patch. It feels great to have restored this old workhorse back to good working condition, hopefully for a few years to come. It really is a joy to use now, the only disadvantage is I'll probably burn through my little film stock even quicker now. Your advice put me on the right track. Thanks! As an aside, the cheap flexiclamp set I got off eBay for the repair contained a clamp which perfectly fits the notched retaining ring underneath the film advance lever (at 2:15), which made it a breeze to remove (especially compared to using a spanner wrench in those notches I think). Also the metal's so soft I doubt it's even possible to leave a scratch. Am rather impressed for cheap chinese-made tools. This was the set: www.ebay.com/itm/6pcs-Flash-Socket-Ring-Removal-Spanner-Tool-For-Leica-M-M2-M3-M4-M5-M6-M7-Camera/362001404902

Adrian Straub The workings of the shutter mechanism for the Nikkormat FT3 is on the same side and behind the self timer. The front plate and mirror box are removed as a unit to reveal the shutter. It is a fairly involved procedure to remove the front plate of this camera. There is a possibility of a small access plate underneath the leatherette on the self timer side of the camera.

Is not the donor unit rangefinder the same as the original? Once the prism retainer bracket is removed from the rangefinder the prism should slide out. If it does not maybe you could remove the entire rangefinder for better access.

The two rangefinder units are the same, but the prism doesn't just slide out of the donor for some reason. Perhaps there is some glue in there? Or, do the screws on the top of the rangefinder help hold the prism in place? The broken prism came out in pieces so it was difficult to see the mechanism by which it was held in other than the prism retainer bracket.

Perhaps there is glue or there could be a tiny set screw on the top of the rangefinder housing that might need to be backed out a couple of turns. It would be located approximately 5mm in and 10mm over from the front top left hand corner of the rangefinder housing. Also you could try seeping some alcohol around the prism to "float" it out.

+Jermaine Beckley Disassembling the rangefinder unit is a tricky proposition. Maybe first check the rangefinder lens cam follower inside the lens mount housing for proper position. Then check the pivot points of the lens and prism bracket to make sure they move freely. Check the parallelism mask post and spring to make sure it is not sticking. There is a knurled adjustment eccentric and an eccentric screw adjustment on the small round lens of the beam splitter that might correct the issue. Mark the starting position with a dot of red finger nail polish before making the listed adjustments. Avoid disassembly of the rangefinder if at all possible.

Not yet, but would make for a good FOC feature.

After disassembly of the camera and RF mechanism you can use acetone or heat (The Balsam breaks down at 300 degrees) to remove the Canadian Balsam holding the prism together. You will then re-cement the elements using a UV optical adhesive. Maybe make a simple jig to hold the elements in proper optical and mechanical alignment to hold proper position as the adhesive cures.

Leica eyepiece rings can be notoriously stubborn. Make certain you ultimately will be able to access the dust by removing the eyepiece. There is risk that you could mar the finish of the ring in your attempt to remove it.

The following rewind description procedure might not be correct as a model such as yours is not presently available to give a hands on confirmation. Going from memory (this procedure would most certainly work with the IIIF) here it is... First lift the knob to its highest point. This might then reveal a collar with a set screw. The set screw would key into a slot in the shaft beneath the rewind knob, preventing the knob assembly and shaft from being pulled free of the camera body. With the set screw removed the rewind knob and shaft assembly should pull straight up and out.The lower forked part of the shaft should then push our toward the bottom of the camera. Note the positions of any washers and a compression type spring. Hope this is close to the correct procedure.

It came from a moisture / impact damaged donor body.

Maybe someday... in the mean time thank you for your interest in FOC.

Most classic and vintage camera repair parts are salvaged from donor cameras.

It should not.

The issue of using an electronic flash on a flash bulb connector is that the flash bulb synchro fires before the shutter is open so as to give the bulb time for maximum output. The duration of flash is much longer than an electronic flash. Therefore the electronic flash will not properly sync.

@@FixOldCameras _"I understand ... If I fire an electronic flash, the light may turn off before the shutter releases ..."_ *Thanks for your reply!* ... so I need to think about an electronic delay between firing the synchro signal and firing the electronic flash ... I'll see if I find or calculate how long before opening the shutter the camera closes the circuit to "do some numbers" ... I think I remember some diagram of the response time of some bulbs ... _If I can fire the flash in time for the peak of the bulb ..., it could be ...._ I know... My english is too bad... Excuse me.

@@eduardolarrea4426 To sync the electronic flash to your camera you need to "tweak" the contacts so they close when the shutter has reached full open. When you have it right you will see the flash through the back of the shutter when firing off a shot.

@@FixOldCameras Yeah, of course ...! You're right! But I forgot to tell you that I also have an original flash. Sorry! This modification would cancel its use and on special occasions I would like to photograph with original bulbs. You know... a suit, a tie... shoes... it could be a hat... Elegant occasions. I think I could make a grip that contains a delay circuit to hold the electronic flash (or flashes) without overriding the original function, for when I'm feeling less fancy, vintage, and more pragmatic. _By the way: This channel is great._

Many of the tools that are seen in the Fix Old Cameras videos have been in constant service for nearly forty years, and unfortunately are no longer available. They are all gems and valued well beyond any monetary worth. Watch looks like "Penno" is actually "Pennc". The particular adjustable pliers/wrench you are referring to is a Penncraft (that's right JC Penny). Back in the day, so to speak, the Penncraft tool line was supposedly manufactured by the same tool company that made Craftsman for Sears. They carried a lifetime warranty. It would be interesting to know if the "lifetime warranty still applies. LOL... It might be that the pair shown is the last pair still around, but you might check with vintage tool dealers. There should be be suitable substitutes available from you local hardware store. As always, look for the best quality tools that fit you budget.

Many thanks. I look for, collect and use small tools like those adjustable pliers. Maybe I'll run across a pair in my travels.

Hi, I have found some really good quality micro tools from a CCTV camera instillation tech. I've also had some luck at flemarkets and hand watch ⌚️ repair shops

@@FixOldCameras I have a pair of pliers exactly like the ones shown in your video. They have been in my toolbox for 40+ years so are vintage. If someone is looking for a replacement set, search for "ignition pliers" and that should help.

Thank you for your comment and interest in FOC.

yeah ill second that. im attempting a re-leathering of my M3 once my new leather arrives, watching videos to boost my confidence...

I said this six months ago and a I think I would attempt it now.

On a mint condition camera that small dent would demand attention like a pimple on a prom queen's nose, and a possibility of an emotional reaction well beyond unhappy, if the customer was expecting a mint condition camera with pristine leatherette and no brass showing, so that he might admire it on a shelf or list it for a premium price on an auction site. And in such a circumstance perhaps the top cover should be left in place or only to have genuine Leica sanctioned tools employed for the removal. However in this case, the camera had sustained significant impact damage with smashed viewfinder prism being only one aspect of the damage. The customer was fully aware that the camera would not look new again and she was thrilled to have it back in her hands to be used as the picture taking tool it was intended. Well made, well used tools of any type can be a pleasure to use and wear that ensues can add to their mystique and charm. Their scars of use hinting at an untold history. Thank you much for your comment and interest in FOC.

Fix Old Cameras I’m lucky that found this channel, very interesting, I know electronics well but this mechanic things like another universe ))

Thank you. Good to have you along.

worsher?