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Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 41
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 24, 2008 - 09:50 am: | 
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I was recently given for free!  an old beaten-up Leica R3-MOT (1979) SLR body that I have managed to get working again after removing the top cover to find a broken wire on the shutter speed timer.
Although the shutter now fires silky smooth on all settings, when I look through the back of the camera I can see no light in the film frame with the shutter set to 500th/s and 1000th/s. This I think indicates that the shutter needs adjustment or lubrication. After a search I can find very little information on the shutter that I believe was made for Leica by Minolta, the R3 series were very similar in some areas to the Minolta XE-7 and XE-1.
Because this camera body is cosmetically in bad shape (ex press photographer) it has very little value, so I am reluctant to spend a small fortune on purchasing a Summicron-R 50mm f2 lens for it. Is there an adapter, that would enable me to fit a low cost lens such as a Russian M42 Helios 2/58 or any other?. Without a lens this camera is just a high class paperweight!
I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would ever own a camera with the Leica name on the front (even though its 75% Minolta) so I would love to put a film in it and take some pictures. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks and regards - Alf |
Dgillette4
Tinkerer
Username: Dgillette4
Post Number: 189
Registered: 04-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 09:17 pm: |
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Well Alf: You can use tamron lenses with the 3 cams to work fine on the R3. They are cheaper and are generally sharp. I have an R3 parts body and I gave up on it. If you look at the Minolta xg and r3 side by side internally you will be surprised by the similarity, One thing I found and that is the Minolta had less wires and neater wiring. Let me know if you need any parts or lenses. Don |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 42
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 06:58 pm: |
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Don - thanks for the tip about Tamron lenses the problem is finding one and at a resonable price. I agree the wiring on the R3 looks like a mess of spagetti, I had quite a job getting the top cover back on, over all those wires. Old electronic technology has one advantage over the modern stuff though in that fault finding is a lot easier.
I don't need any parts for the present as this camera body is complete and working well except for the higher speeds, I intend to have a go at fixing them after finding a lens and taking a few pictures, just to make sure that there is nothing else wrong. I'm a great Minolta fan I have the 9000 the 7000 and the Hi-Matic 7s also the tiny Minolta - 16 model P that takes a 16mm cassette.
Thanks and regards - Alf |
Dgillette4
Tinkerer
Username: Dgillette4
Post Number: 191
Registered: 04-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 27, 2008 - 05:19 pm: |
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Alf: e-mail me about lenses, Don |
