Leica R7 issues

[Nahanni]

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I am looking at buying a used R7. All electronic features perform flawlessly, but there are two issues I would appreciate feedback on.

1. To pull back the DOF preview lever requires an unreasonably large force (very much larger than that of my R3) to the point where one fears causing damage. However, when released the lever snaps back smartly. It seems that the DOF preview system relies on an unusually strong spring or else the lever has inadequate mechanical advantage to perform its function. A similarly large force is required when I remove the lens and manually try to move the DOF lug. Have you observed anything similar with any of the R4 onward R cameras? Is this problem inherent or can it be corrected?

 

2. The return of the mirror on the R7 is very noisy - as observed when making a 4 second or time exposure so the rise of the mirror is clearly differentiated from the return. So, rather than using the 'normal' black paint everywhere on the walls of the mirror chamber and under the mirror itself, it seems that it was decided to apply an almost 1 mm thick black foam rubber like material instead, presumably to provide sound absorption. Here is where the engineers may have miscalculated - the rubber coating has shrunk, and, being relatively thick, has had little elasticity and as a result a great number of cracks have formed in it much like on the surface of a dried out lake bed. The material has not curled and lies flat and seems to adhere well. The question is will the material remain in adhesion.

 

Any comments would be much appreciated.

[earleygallery]

I don't know about the DOF preview, although I'd say it shouldn't be hard to use, but the crazing of the mirror box is something I've heard of, and I wouldn't worry about it as long as its basically OK.

 

I have an R3 and the shutter is much much better in terms of sound/feel than any of the later cameras I've tried (although I've not tried and R8/9).

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[Nahanni]

Hello James,

Thank you for your response. The crazing is unfortunately accompanied by the fact that the coating is no longer black, but has turned towards gray and is probably not as light absorbing as it should be. I wonder if anyone has ever had the coating replaced, or re-blackened.

I also have an R3, and agree with you that the shutter has a very smooth release. The R3 is a fabulous camera, which in my mind is very underrated. I use it with the 180 mm f3.4 Apo-Telyt R at 1/60th of a second on a good carbon tripod and shoot Delta 100 B+W film which I develop myself. The negatives, when viewed under the enlarger are pin sharp, which speaks well for the well damped mirror of the R3.

Regards

Fred

[StephenT]

Has anyone found a solution to this issue?

 

Has anyone noticed an issue with the negatives produced by the bodies that exhibit this issue?

 

Should it be a concern when considering the purchase of an R7?  (I haven't really found it to be an issue with my Hasselblad 503CX - yet).  

 

I have used flexible fabric paint in black to repair pinholes in view camera bellows with great success.  Should that be considered with the Leica bodies??