michali Posted December 28, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 28, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I am so pissed off with myself! Last night while photographing a lightning storm with the M9 on a tripod I somehow stupidly knocked the tripod over, M9 ended up on the deck. I can't blame dogs or anyone else I was on my own. The lens is fine, body work on the M9 is fine, however the rangefinder's completely out of alignment. I fired off a few shots estimating the focus distance & all seems to work fine, picture resolution is spot on, all OK except for the rangefinder. I took the camera to my local camera technician (who's done Leicas for over 50 years) here in Johannesburg, he advises that he can't adjust the rangefinder without the special cam tool and he doesn't want to compromise the warranty in any way. (Not that this is a warranty claim). I'm leaving on a 1 month safari in 2 days, the M8.2 is sitting with my dealer in France having just returned there from Solms after the sensor was replaced for a line problem. Thankfully I've got my original trusty M8 with me. I always wanted to have a back up for this trip. When the M8.2 developed the sensor line problem a day before I was leaving for Africa, I went past my dealer on the way to the airport, dropped off the M8.2 for him to send to Solms. I then bought my original M8 back from him which I had sold when the M9 arrived. In over 35 years of photography this is the first time I've knocked / dropped a camera, I'm f@#*%ng spitting mad at myself!! I'm thinking of shipping it to Germany tomorrow and see how fast they can turn it around. The next challenge will be to try and get it to wherever I'm going to be. More than likely I'll have to interrupt my safari for a day or 2 and fly back to Johannesburg to pick up the camera on its return from Germany. The other option is to put the M9 away and deal with this when I get back to Europe in March. This is probably the most sensible and financially prudent option. Over the years I've had a car stolen, I've had an old lady trash my new car when she jumped a red light, all of this pales into insignificance compared to the sick feeling I felt when the M9 hit the floor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 28, 2009 Posted December 28, 2009 Hi michali, Take a look here It was bound to happen at some point....... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted December 28, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 28, 2009 Commiserations. If you are in Europe - I am sure if you call Leica and drive over they might do an adjust sensor whilst you wait - Or Will van Manen in Holland. Maybe there is somebody in France.. If you are in SA - Fedex- two days Solms express service - Fedex back to near where you are. Contact CS by mail before you send to organize it. I know how you feel - I dropped an M6 in front of a Pretoria bus which ran over it the day before I was off to Londolozi, years - decades ago > I had to work the "normal" shots by scale focussing, the wildlife was by Visoflex of course. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted December 28, 2009 Jaap- Thank you! If I was in Europe I would have done that. Unfortunately I'm in Jo'burg at present, so am very frustrated. Anyway there are worse things that happen in life. All the best for New Year for you and your family. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 28, 2009 Share #4 Posted December 28, 2009 The same to you and your family. And have a great time in the bush despite your misfortune - your best camera is inside your head! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share #5 Posted December 28, 2009 Jaap- I will call Leica CS tomorrow and see what they can do. I did send an email but got an out of office reply from Andrea Frankl who I've dealt with before. The next issue is to line it up with SA customs for re-import, they are an absolute nightmare to deal with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted December 29, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 29, 2009 I find it odd that this tech doesn't have ALL the tools needed to fully adjust a Leica RF if he's been working on them for 50 years. The vertical alignment tool is the same for the M9 as the M7-M8 and maybe back as far as the M4-P/2. As for the tool to adjust (bend) the roller cam arm that may be the tool he's talking about. But that arm shouldn't need rebending unless a lens was improperly mounted and bent the arm in the first place. I don't see how dropping the camera, with a lens properly mounted, could cause this arm to be bend. At least not if the lens is still functioning correctly. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH1962 Posted December 29, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 29, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) may be a hint: fromo my time running around the world and giving lighting workshops to studio-photographers i remember a very skilled technician in Jo'burg: Gil Dechaves. You can find him here: Welcome to the Frontpage I don't know if he can be of any help, but he took nice care of my M2.... should you contact him, say hello from JP (ex-broncolor) Good luck JPH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkor AIS Posted December 29, 2009 Share #8 Posted December 29, 2009 Don't be to hard on your self Mike, even monkeys sometimes fall out of tree's;). Post some shots shots of the lightening storm, it wont fix your camera but it will make me feel better. Gregory Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
horosu Posted December 29, 2009 Share #9 Posted December 29, 2009 I suppose the only reason NOT to do it yourself would be warranty issues, right? Because otherwise, you can buy a chinese replica of the Leica tool for 65 USD on ebay, remove the red dot and align your rangefinder (vertically yourself). Horizontal alignment is even easier. Best, Horea Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpattinson Posted December 29, 2009 Share #10 Posted December 29, 2009 Micheli, Why don't you just take the M9 and use it with zone-focus where possible? You can put your wide on it and just leave it there. Use the M8 for longer lenses and lower light. If whatever it is is not moving around you can chimp focus the M9 too. David. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted December 29, 2009 Share #11 Posted December 29, 2009 I suppose the only reason NOT to do it yourself would be warranty issues, right? Because otherwise, you can buy a chinese replica of the Leica tool for 65 USD on ebay, remove the red dot and align your rangefinder (vertically yourself). Horizontal alignment is even easier. Best, Horea I agree with the vertical alignment part of your post, that is if the vertical alignment is just that (I had a M8 that could not be completely adjusted in the vertical direction. Made good at farther distances it was off at closer distances and made good at closer distances it was WAY off at far distances. Leica replaced that camera with one that could be adjusted correctly). But as far as the horizontal that is a completely different story and has a multitude of adjustments that have to be correct for the camera to focus correctly at all distances. This is something that is better left to a qualified tech, with the proper tools and setup to do these adjustment, or by Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted December 29, 2009 may be a hint: fromo my time running around the world and giving lighting workshops to studio-photographers i remember a very skilled technician in Jo'burg: Gil Dechaves. You can find him here:Welcome to the Frontpage I don't know if he can be of any help, but he took nice care of my M2.... should you contact him, say hello from JP (ex-broncolor) Good luck JPH JP- Thank you, I had forgotten about Gil, who has sorted some old equipment for me in the past. I called his workshop today he's on leave but his partner told me to come in with a 50mm lens tomorrow he reckons he can fix it. Thanks very much for the suggestion. All the best Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 29, 2009 Share #13 Posted December 29, 2009 And don't worry about guarantee. I cannot imagine Leica making trouble in a case like this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share #14 Posted December 29, 2009 Thanks guys for the suggestions, much appreciated. Micheli, Why don't you just take the M9 and use it with zone-focus where possible? You can put your wide on it and just leave it there. Use the M8 for longer lenses and lower light. If whatever it is is not moving around you can chimp focus the M9 too. David. David- I ran some more test shots this morning checking various focus distances with a measuring tape to ensure that there's nothing else wrong and thankfully there isn't. I'm seeing another camera technician tomorrow (as suggested by JP above) who says he can fix it......let's see. If he can't fix it, your suggestion is absolutely spot on which is what I will do. I'm also taking the VISOIII & 280mm Telyt which I can also use on the M9 as it focuses independently of the RF and then deal with the M9 repair when I'm back. I also spoke with Leica CS in Germany this morning who were very helpful and told me the will turn the camera around in 2 or 3 days,if I FEDEX to them. Let me see if I can come right here first. There is of course the warranty issue to worry about. I suppose if we're not opening up and taking the camera apart and only accessing the RF adjustment behind the red dot we might get away with it. Thanks to all for your suggestions. All the best for the New Year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share #15 Posted December 29, 2009 And don't worry about guarantee. I cannot imagine Leica making trouble in a case like this. Jaap - Thanks I hope so. I was thinking the same today as I managed to remove the red dot without scratching the body or breaking it the dot. I used a the back of a pencil with a hard rubber eraser, pressed it down on the dot and twisted it back and forth until it came loose. As someone else mentioned in another post the dot keeps rotating back in the opposite direction as you move it, eventually it came off. It's got a small blob of glue that keeps it in place. Let me also say that I'm not a Mark Norton wannabbee! I'll try the technician and his adjusting tool tomorrow. Will report back. All the best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH1962 Posted December 29, 2009 Share #16 Posted December 29, 2009 he's on leave but his partner told me to come in with a 50mm lens tomorrow he reckons he can fix it. Thanks very much for the suggestion. All the best Well, I hope they can help you - say hello to them, I wonder if the remember me - my last visit was some 13 years back.... :-) (nobeody gets younger!) A+ JP(H) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share #17 Posted December 29, 2009 JP-I certainly will give them your regards and will feedback tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barcoder Posted December 29, 2009 Share #18 Posted December 29, 2009 Have you tried Tudor Photographic? Perhaps they can offer a solution. Tudor Photographic Park on Long 66 Long Street 8001 Cape Town 021-423-4150 stephen@shap.co.za Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share #19 Posted January 7, 2010 Update 07 Jan 2010 Thanks all for the suggestions, much appreciated. As everyone's still on holiday in SAfrica until 11 January, I decided to send the camera to Solms; shipped it on 5th Jan via FEDEX, received an email from Leica CS this afternoon (7th Jan) confirming receipt and a promise of max. 5 days turn around for any M9 repairs. This seems to be their policy as I had another email from another CS rep. also confirming that there is a max. 5 day turn around on any M9 repairs. I've been promised an assessment and estimate by tomorrow morning.......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d2mini Posted January 7, 2010 Share #20 Posted January 7, 2010 Sorry to hear about your troubles and thanks for the update. I think a 5 day max turnaround is INCREDIBLE! Yay for Leica!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.