My M4-2

[efinglada]

I just bought a M4-2 with Elmar 5/2.8 in e-bay and I am trying the shutter speeds; I notice that at low speeds (up to 1/30), after the curtain closes, for a while you hear a noise similar to that of a self timer (for a longer time at slower speeds).

Is this normal?

Thanks

Eduardo

[veraikon]

Is this normal?

yes from 1s -> 1/30s is it normal.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Mine makes the same noise, but I doubt whether that is normal....

here it is btw, sporting a silver chrome summicron

[luigi bertolotti]

Originally Posted by efinglada

I just bought a M4-2 with Elmar 5/2.8 in e-bay and I am trying the shutter speeds; I notice that at low speeds (up to 1/30), after the curtain closes, for a while you hear a noise similar to that of a self timer (for a longer time at slower speeds).

Is this normal?

Thanks

Eduardo

It MUST be so... from 1/30 to 1s the second curtain has to "wait" for moving after the first has opened : in mechanical shutters (Leica and not) this is achieved through a "clockwork" mechanism basically not different from a selftimer. The more is "clean" the noise, the better: anyway, it can easily been "retuned" by a good lab.
BTW, a problem that can arise on very used shutters is that, at certain "long" times, the FIRST curtain stops a little BEFORE reaching the frame's end: you observe a "black strip" (unexposed) at one end of the neg... happened to my M2 after about 40 years of use... (non intensive, ok...) : easy to repair, too.

[john_newell]

Originally Posted by Ron (Netherlands)

Mine makes the same noise, but I doubt whether that is normal....

here it is btw, sporting a silver chrome summicron

Completely normal, worry only if you do not hear these noises.

[maddoc2003jp]

Originally Posted by Ron (Netherlands)

Mine makes the same noise, but I doubt whether that is normal....

here it is btw, sporting a silver chrome summicron

That is a nice looking M4-2 !!

[efinglada]

Thank you all and forgive my ignorance

Eduardo

[budrichard]

It's usually called the 'slow gear train'. The noise should stop as soon as the shutter closes. Take off the bottom of the camera, raise the back flap and put your eye to the back of the camera. Go through each of the shutter speeds from 1/30 on down. At each speed, the shutter should open fully and you should be able to see a circle from the lens, as soon as the gear times out, the shutter should close and the gear wind stops.
BTW if you don't like the sound, purchase an M7, there is no gear train whine as the shutter is electronically timed!-Dick

[luigi bertolotti]

Originally Posted by efinglada

Thank you all and forgive my ignorance

Eduardo

.. and forgive my unprecise statement when wrote abou the possible problem with the first curtain... the "black strip" I quoted, of course, is black on the print, not on the neg...