M7 Owners: Need Your Help

[hrahman9]

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Need help from my fellow M7 owners to check their own cameras and give me some feedback. I noticed this morning that the top cover to my M7 is very, very slightly loose.

 

Not enough to make any difference in the camera's handling, but it is still annoying considering it was not like this the last time I used the camera, which was last week. I don't recall any impact the camera has had that would have loosened the top cover.

 

Can you check your camera and see if the top cover moves slightly? I tried to figure out what screws hold the top cover in, and upon opening the bottom plate, I noticed small screws in the film chamber that appear to secure the top cover to the body. These screws were tight, so whatever came loose is not visible.

 

Any suggestions? Again, I am talking VERY slight movement, probably somewhere around 1/50th of an inch, but it is still noticeable.

 

Thanks again!

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[k_g_wolf ✝]

No idea, never had this.

 

A case for a serviceperson, I reckon. It would take only a few minutes to be done, but depending on the part of the world where you are, it could be a long way to reach somebody the start with these minutes ...

 

Best

 

GEORG

[doubice]

A 1/50th of an inch is about 0.5mm and that is a fair amount of movement for a top plate. However - it is important to know where this movement occurs. Is it up / down? if so - which side of the camera? I doubt that the top plate would move front to back or side to side.

 

There are five points that hold an M top plate to the body casting: ring under the rewind crank, collar around the shutter release, screws under the hot shoe, ring around the synch outlet and a screw on top of the lens mount. I doubt very much that all of these attachment points would work themselves loose at the same time.

 

As I mentioned, to give a qualified answer, one would need to know where the movement occurs and its direction.

 

Best,

 

Jan

[hrahman9]

Jan,

 

Thanks for your reply. OK - I measured it - and it is about 0.2mm total movement.

 

I am curious about what you said about the direction of the movement. The movement on my camera's top plate is indeed 'front to back", and more on the viewfinder's & rewind knob side and less on the advance lever side. There seems to be little or no movement "up and down".

 

I will check the attachment points again like you describe them when I get home and see if I can figure it out. I'll let you know what happens.

 

I sent an email to Sherry Krauter to see if she can comment on it.

 

Thanks & regards,

 

Shawn

[doubice]

Shawn,

 

Movement of 0.2mm is minute; I can't imagine how you measured it.... A front to back movement on the rewind side would indicate a loose ring under the rewind knob. But if there is no up and down movement, the degree of 'looseness' if any, is negligible. To tighten that ring is a 5-minute operation but, you need a special tool for it.

 

Where do you notice this 0.2mm movement? Is it where the top plate meets the body casting or at the top of the top plate? I have a hunch that what you are describing is not an issue at all. I should really check my own M7; maybe it 'suffers' from the same movement and I have never noticed it .

 

Best,

 

Jan

[hrahman9]

Jan,

 

You are right - it is very difficult to measure anything in millimeters here in America! Nevertheless, 2mm is about right. Just checked it again. Although it seems like a small amount of movement, it is pretty unsettling on a camera I spent so much money on. It should not be moving, and I don't want it to get worse.

 

I will try searching for the fix again like you said right now. If not, it is of to Ms. Krauter who will fix it for $75. That is worth my piece of mind.

 

Thanks - will let you know how I do.

 

Regards,

 

Shawn

[doubice]

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............ it is very difficult to measure anything in millimeters here in America! Nevertheless, 2mm is about right. Just checked it again...........

 

Regards,

 

Shawn

 

So.... is it 0.2mm or 2mm? There is is a big difference....

 

Jan

[andybarton]

It's a x10 difference, but either way, send it away to be fixed. Any movement is not right.

[holmes]

Fraid I can't be of any help as the covers on both my 7s are rock solid.

[hrahman9]

Thanks all for your insight. I am particularly grateful to the amazing Sherry Krauter, who spent almost 20 minutes on the phone with me talking about the problem, including why it happened, and what I can do to avoid it in the future.

 

She said that loose top plates on M7s are not uncommon for those who travel with their cameras on planes and trains regularly, which I do. She said that the best remedy for this is to wrap the camera tightly in foam before I place it in whatever bad I was using. It is the low-grade but constant vibration, Sherry said, that caused the top plate to come loose. She says she sees that often.

 

I must say to have someone like Sherry take the time to explain the causes of the problem was quite impressive. Her knowledge and passion for these cameras is simply remarkable. She even pointed out what frame numbers I would have problems advancing the film when the problem with the top plate gets too much for the camera to shoot with.

 

Anyways, she suggested I could use the camera a little while longer, and them off it goes to Sherry for a repair.

 

Thanks again to all.