WarriorJazz Posted July 4, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 4, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) O boy, I have had allot of problems with my Leica camera's and lenses. Send back my M8 twice because of several problems, CLA-d my new M6 because of misalignment and send back a 35mm and 90mm cron IV because of wobbly aperture rings... This all over a period of 1,5 years. I'm hoping this is one of my last setbacks or else I'll sell everything and I'll go back to my Lomo's. Never had any problems with those ;-) My newly CLA-d and mint M6 rolled out of my backpack, still in a small Lowe case, on the table (20cm drop) and was knocked out of alignment. My own mistake this time! Should be more careful and maybe a better bag/case for my camera. I just got back from WIll van Manen and Cathy and they confirmed that it was off. Re-alignment and checking the rangefinder for other defects from the fall cost me 75 euro's! Not a enormous amount of cash but I hope this will not happen too much... He explained to me why Leica's (and all rangefinders) get knocked out of alignment this easily. Sounds all logical and I fully trust them so they are working on it as we speak. Personally I thought these things were pretty rugged and photojournalists in war torn countries use these. Those camera's must have more abuse than my minty M6 and it's tiny "bumb". Do they align those camera's them selves? If it happens this easily it must be a problem for them... My question is if this happens allot and how do you protect your camera's? I'll be looking for some other kind of insert or mini bag so I can still carry my M6 a, 35mm or 50mm with me in my day to day bag. - Eelco Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 Hi WarriorJazz, Take a look here Knocked out of alignment!. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
archi4 Posted July 4, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 4, 2011 Eelco This bag is perfect for an M9 with a 35mm on the body and a second lens. Domke F-5XB Schoudertas Olijf | Foto Konijnenberg Please note that the code should be 5xA and not 5xB it is a mistake on their site! and make sure you specify that. I also have one in black, but they don't have that color and I had to order it on ebay regards maurice Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted July 4, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 4, 2011 Personally I thought these things were pretty rugged and photojournalists in war torn countries use these. Those camera's must have more abuse than my minty M6 and it's tiny "bumb". Do they align those camera's them selves? If it happens this easily it must be a problem for them... maybe but you need a special tool for post M4-2 (and some late M4-2) cameras, cause every one was doing it themselves and damaging adjusters... or that is the ugly rumor... My question is if this happens allot and how do you protect your camera's? I'll be looking for some other kind of insert or mini bag so I can still carry my M6 a, 35mm or 50mm with me in my day to day bag. - Eelco I've not had a problem over 40 years with several bodies, use Billingham bags or solid cases... Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorJazz Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted July 4, 2011 maybe but you need a special tool for post M4-2 (and some late M4-2) cameras, cause every one was doing it themselves and damaging adjusters... or that is the ugly rumor... I've not had a problem over 40 years with several bodies, use Billingham bags or solid cases... Noel Have you ever used those inserts by Billingham? I looked into those solid cases but they are way to large to cary around in my messenger bag. I might check out those insert in the shop. You really mean that after 40 years of using Leica's you have never had any problems? Not even with misaligned rangefinders? you must be lucky! If you look on the web there are allot of post about the same situation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted July 4, 2011 Share #5 Posted July 4, 2011 Have you ever used those inserts by Billingham? I looked into those solid cases but they are way to large to cary around in my messenger bag. I might check out those insert in the shop. You really mean that after 40 years of using Leica's you have never had any problems? Not even with misaligned rangefinders? you must be lucky! If you look on the web there are allot of post about the same situation. Hi Never had rangefinder problems except on cameras bought 2nd hand, cheap, upon arrival. The web allows a search for all the clumsy people. Most of my bodies have impressive dinks, from previous owners. Lots of lube turning to wax, shutter tapering, shutter ribbons snapping, (brass) wind on gear tootfs 'falling out'... If you use the cameras in rain and winter condensation, then it is hard on lube. Sea gulls and other too healthy birds can be a problem, for hoods and UV filters... Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen in Montreal Posted July 5, 2011 Share #6 Posted July 5, 2011 I second the Domke F5xb, great small bag. 1 M6, a 24,50. Some film, one light meter and a note pad. It is perfect. Domke has cut corners on the straps, they slip off your shoulder much more than they did, say, 10 yrs ago. A Billingham shoulder pad, SP10 or 15 is a great addition to solve Domke's short comings and just makes the bag over your shoulder a perfect fit. I have never found a better shoulder pad than the Billingham SP once it is broken in a touch. EelcoThis bag is perfect for an M9 with a 35mm on the body and a second lens. Domke F-5XB Schoudertas Olijf | Foto Konijnenberg Please note that the code should be 5xA and not 5xB it is a mistake on their site! and make sure you specify that. I also have one in black, but they don't have that color and I had to order it on ebay regards maurice Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bateleur Posted July 5, 2011 Share #7 Posted July 5, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) My M6 (and CL) have proved to be very rugged with a number of falls over the years (both of the camera and the operator with camera) In all instances the camera was not in a case and no lasting damage done, except to my ego where I have taken a tumble. Regards Charles Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert blu Posted July 12, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 12, 2011 I have a similar problem with my m7. I try to be so carefull as possible but almost once a year I need to have the rangefinder calibrated. I think last mistake I made was to put in the same padded bag my x1 over the m7 and vibration by car could have caused the problem, just one week after recalibration I'll try a different bag next time. robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorJazz Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share #9 Posted July 13, 2011 I have a similar problem with my m7. I try to be so carefull as possible but almost once a year I need to have the rangefinder calibrated. I think last mistake I made was to put in the same padded bag my x1 over the m7 and vibration by car could have caused the problem, just one week after recalibration I'll try a different bag next time. robert Horror! I'm going to look for some sort of superbag to protect my M6. It came back from Will van Manen and he told me that these things get knocked out of alignment easily. But the vibration of a car as the source of the misalignment?! These leica's seem to made out of porcelain... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert blu Posted July 13, 2011 Share #10 Posted July 13, 2011 Please, do not be too much and too quick horrified! I never had problem with the m7 traveling by car. What I tried to explain (being english not my mother language sometimes not easy) is that I had the rangefinder out of alignment just one week after calibration. So I tried to understand what could have happened and my only hypothesis is that when driving, not having a separate bag for the x1 (BTW I love more and more this combination m7+x1) I just put the x1 wrapped in a cloth on the top of the m7. Not sure if vibration or any accidental bump, but thinking (unfortunately later ) that the rangefinder mechanism of the m7 is on the top of the camera, where the x1 was this could have given the problem. Just my idea, next week I'll go to my technicien and ask him his opinion. Sorry if you have been horrified by my message, which could be wrong. Keep you informed ! robert PS I have friends with m6 or m7 and no special super bag to protect it (her?) and they have no problem! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert blu Posted July 13, 2011 Share #11 Posted July 13, 2011 One more thinking from my side: reading this thread, specially post 55 where it is said " for one calculate for at least one yearly RF checkup and setting, if needed for lightly used bodies. For daily used bodies, this should be looked after at least before every important outing. It lies in the nature of the RF design, to go off at your inconvenience ;-)" I think that what happens to my m7 is in the average routine maintenance and maybe related to the 0.58 viewfinder (more delicated than a standard ?) . I don't know, just reading and thinking. robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorJazz Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share #12 Posted July 13, 2011 One more thinking from my side: reading this thread, specially post 55 where it is said " for one calculate for at least one yearly RF checkup and setting, if needed for lightly used bodies.For daily used bodies, this should be looked after at least before every important outing. It lies in the nature of the RF design, to go off at your inconvenience ;-)" I think that what happens to my m7 is in the average routine maintenance and maybe related to the 0.58 viewfinder (more delicated than a standard ?) . I don't know, just reading and thinking. robert I guess it might be like they say in the thread. It sounds like the same story Will van Manen told me. But still, I haven't heard allot of stories about them being misaligned that much. I only hear and read about how rugged they are. Some guys on the forum said they needed to realign there camera... Can't they see the difference between a sharp image or a blurry one? Or do we have buggy camera's that get knocked out of alignment more easily than others... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorJazz Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share #13 Posted July 13, 2011 ...being english not my mother language sometimes not easy... Same here ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert blu Posted July 20, 2011 Share #14 Posted July 20, 2011 I went today to the technical lab for re-adjusting the viewfinder. According to the expert it should not have been because I put the x1 on top of the m7 in the same bag. He think more something "wrong" inside the camera. We will know it in a couple of week. He also said that there is no technical reason for which a 0,58 VF should be more delicate than a 0.72 or 0.85 because the only difference is in the optic. robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorJazz Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share #15 Posted July 20, 2011 I went today to the technical lab for re-adjusting the viewfinder. According to the expert it should not have been because I put the x1 on top of the m7 in the same bag. He think more something "wrong" inside the camera. We will know it in a couple of week. He also said that there is no technical reason for which a 0,58 VF should be more delicate than a 0.72 or 0.85 because the only difference is in the optic.robert Thanks for the update! Keep us posted! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert blu Posted August 5, 2011 Share #16 Posted August 5, 2011 I got my camera back and rangefinder is ok now. The technicien told me that the m7 rangefinder is more delicate than others m . Curious to know how it is about the m8 and m9 ! robert PS considering that it was adjusted a only couple of week before they did not charge me anything Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomasw_ Posted August 22, 2011 Share #17 Posted August 22, 2011 one great thing about m2/3/4s is that you can easily adjust the horizontal and vertical aspects of the RF with just a small screwdriver. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorJazz Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share #18 Posted August 22, 2011 one great thing about m2/3/4s is that you can easily adjust the horizontal and vertical aspects of the RF with just a small screwdriver. Thanks for the pictures! But to test it you have to have or make some sort of installation right? How to you do that? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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