Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/01/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I'm new here, but in my research to soak up as much as I can about the DS M3 I won the lottery on, I seem to recall reading somewhere that DAG had bought up the US Navy M4 parts, for example. I'm a retired Navy Supply Corps officer and submariner, and we had a provisioning process for equipment that tried to stock replacement parts based upon life cycle repair/overhaul needs. There was also a disposal process where DRMO would auction off spares for systems no longer in service in the fleet. One could imagine that indies like Don and Sherry, et al, were able to stash away parts from many sources that the beancounters at Leica could not justify maintaining in stock as a manufacturer. Inventory costs money....and Leica is no stranger to money problems. There were also lots of Leica M pix in old training manuals such as 'Photographer's Mate 3 & 2' (c. 1970s). Back then, I once envied the Photographer's Mate rating, but the community was so small, that one probably had to kill someone to get a promotion. That kind of career practice was frowned upon. The boats I was a mechanic aboard then had no Leicas, but there were Nikon Fs with periscope eyepiece mounts, 250 exposure backs, and motor drives. I wondered in those days what would happen to the Nikon SLRs that rolling seas would send on a 5ft freefall to steel decks at periscope depth. When I was younger, there was an allure to the whirr and buzz of equipment and technology, when the objective should have been in the art of photography. As I have seen from the handful of PAWs in the last day or so, there is some great work being done out there with these cameras. Old dogs can learn new tricks. Charlie On Jan 7, 2007, at 11:46 AM, Leonard Taupier wrote: > Bruce, > > It's not too difficult to find new, genuine parts. I don't know if > leica has them though. > > Len > > > On Jan 7, 2007, at 11:31 AM, bruceslomovitz@comcast.net wrote: > >> I recently sent a chrome M3 to a well known repair person. I will >> not mention the person's name at this point as I do not wish to >> impune his reputation. The M3 was in reasonably good shapen when >> I sent it. It had new strap lugs, a new shutter curtain, new >> leatherette, etc. The only thing about it which detracted from >> it's appearance was that the top and bottom plates were scratched >> and dented. >> >> The repair person said it would be too expensive to remove the >> dents and re-chrome. He therefore offered to procure new top and >> bottom plates from Leica. The camera looks quite new now. >> However I subsequently learned from E. Puts that to his knowledge, >> Leica does not supply new top and bottom plates. I'm wondering if >> anyone has any insight into where these plates may have come >> from. They look genuine but I'm no expert. >> >> Does anyone have any techniques for determining the authenticity >> or origin of the plates? >> >> Appreciate your input. >> >> Bruce S. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >