rmueller
Well-known member
Hi,
if you get a 203FE that was sitting on a shelve for years or otherwise not used it is very important you get it checked before you start using it. There is a plastic foil inside glued to some other part (I believe the rear shutter curtain if I remember correctly). Over the years this glue will dissolve and the foil fall off. If you are lucky, the foil will fall off and lay flat at the bottom of the camera body. If you are unlucky, the foil will get between the shutter curtain when you release the shutter and then it is R.I.P. 203FE
I was lucky when I got mine 5 years ago, shot a few rolls but then ultimately send it to a HB technician in Ahrensburg (former HQ of HB in Germany). Mr. Kuehn confirmed the foil came off and he removed it. If you like DM me and I'll send the contact. Mr. Kuehn was once employed by HB Germany for camera support and repair and last time I talked to him he's running his own repair shop now.
All done and set, I won't give away my 203FE, it is working properly ever since I got it serviced and the foil got removed. I use it with the FE 50 and FE 110 lenses, the latter having the best bokeh of all the lenses I own. The series here was shot with the 203FE.
US Road Trip
Regards,
Ralf
if you get a 203FE that was sitting on a shelve for years or otherwise not used it is very important you get it checked before you start using it. There is a plastic foil inside glued to some other part (I believe the rear shutter curtain if I remember correctly). Over the years this glue will dissolve and the foil fall off. If you are lucky, the foil will fall off and lay flat at the bottom of the camera body. If you are unlucky, the foil will get between the shutter curtain when you release the shutter and then it is R.I.P. 203FE
I was lucky when I got mine 5 years ago, shot a few rolls but then ultimately send it to a HB technician in Ahrensburg (former HQ of HB in Germany). Mr. Kuehn confirmed the foil came off and he removed it. If you like DM me and I'll send the contact. Mr. Kuehn was once employed by HB Germany for camera support and repair and last time I talked to him he's running his own repair shop now.
All done and set, I won't give away my 203FE, it is working properly ever since I got it serviced and the foil got removed. I use it with the FE 50 and FE 110 lenses, the latter having the best bokeh of all the lenses I own. The series here was shot with the 203FE.
US Road Trip
Regards,
Ralf
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