Rangefinder calibration

[davidproctor]

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I recently acquired a very nice condition used M8 as a second body and have used it over the last few days with a variety of lenses from 18mm to 50mm without any issue.

 

This weekend I bought a used 90mm Summarit lens which I tried out today on this M8 and had some issues at longer distances with slight back focussing. I thought initially it was the lens but it is fine on my first M8. I'm therefore guessing that the rangefinder on my later M8 is out but only slightly given it doesn't show up on the shorter focal length lenses where the greater depth of field helps.

 

I'm looking to get the RF calibrated and work in Milton Keynes so I can drop it off at the Leica HQ there but does anyone know what Leica charge and also whether it is a job that is relatively easy to do myself (I understand the RF is adjusted horizontally by an allen key)

 

Thanks

[don_panko]

I adjusted mine using the small Allen wrench using very small angles of change. It was time consuming to check focus using a yard stick and tripod after each change but you can find an optimal setting on your own. I would try the adjustment before sending it in for service as Leica can reset your setting anyway.

[marknorton]

There's a useful thread on the M9 Forum:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/122176-m9-coincidence-infinity.html#post1297210

[jaapv]

I adjusted mine using the small Allen wrench using very small angles of change. It was time consuming to check focus using a yard stick and tripod after each change but you can find an optimal setting on your own. I would try the adjustment before sending it in for service as Leica can reset your setting anyway.

And there is a very big possibility that you will destroy the near-focus setting by doing this tweaking.

[epand56]

David, the same happened to me with when I bought my brand new M8 two years ago. Anything was almost ok until I got the 90. Then no way to focus with it. It was my rangefinder vertically misalligned. It took a trip to Solms to fix it up. Since then, anything is Ok.

I suggest you to send the 90 along with the camera body. I was asked to do this at the time by the CS.