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Leica R3 repair tips?
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 07, 2020 4:55 pm    Post subject: Leica R3 repair tips? Reply with quote

Hi,

long time lurker posting every once in a while...

I recently made a bit of a wager by putting in a bid for a set of Leica gear at a local pawn shop auction. Got a nice set of lenses together with a "bonus" item, a Leica R3 body with a very fair price. It was a good purchase just for the two Summicrons that were included (although they do need some attention to fix minor issues).

I was mostly after the lenses but still hoping that the R3 would be in workable condition. Unfortunately that's not the case, and I haven't been able to find too many good repair resources yet.

After removing old batteries and cleaning the corrosion they had left behind the camera does come to life of sorts with a pair of new SR44s. The battery checker lamp lights up, and the meter needle reacts to light (haven't checked yet if it's off by much) but the shutter doesn't fire.

Film advance lever moves freely (not engaging the transport mechanism) until a hard stop; and the shutter can be depressed, but nothing happens. It feels that the shutter has been cocked but doesn't fire. Self-timer also does not fire the shutter -- it runs through its course and a click is heard at the end, but no shutter action.

Cosmetically the camera is fine, I can't see any marks of abuse, but it's been unused for who knows how long. Could it be just a matter to seized lubricant, or is it something more serious like electronics failing? I don't think I could do a major repair (too ham-fisted) but in case there's something simple to try it might be worth a shot.

Any tips (and links to R3 repair info) are appreciated!