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Had a customer bring in a Leica M3 with a stuck shutter, said his grandpa shot D-Day with it

He was an older guy, maybe 70, and he told me he just wanted to hear the shutter click one more time. I got it working after cleaning the old, gummy lube from the slow speed escapement. The sound of that clean, crisp curtain slap when I tested it made him tear up a little. What's the most meaningful camera you've ever had to fix?
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3 Comments
phoenix845
phoenix8451mo ago
That D-Day Leica, did he ever show you any of the photos his grandpa took?
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coleman.derek
Man, I used to feel the same way about old gear. Then my buddy showed me the actual photos from his grandpa's Normandy camera. Seeing those soldiers' faces right before the landing, it's not just history. It's like holding a piece of someone's life. Changed how I see every "broken tool" now.
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davis.leo
davis.leo1mo ago
Sentimental value doesn't pay the bills. A broken camera is just a broken tool, and getting it working is a basic repair job. The emotional reaction seems overblown for a simple mechanical fix.
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