Need help with my Leicaflex repair attempt

[towolf]

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Salve,

 

I’ve broken open my Leicaflex SL2 and I’m stuck with a stuck meter needle. I’m wondering if the wonderfully knowledgeable people here have ideas how to proceed.

 

One day the meter suddenly stopped working. The needle was just out of view and wouldn’t come down for either the meter switch or the battery test. I confirmed with an ohm meter that the circuits seem to be working.

 

So I carefully took the top off and popped the prism out and it seems as if the needle is stuck, just out of view. It jiggles ever so slightly when I activate the meter.

 

How could this have happened, and what can I do? Taking the whole meter assembly out looks prohibitively complicated.

 

 

FYI, I commenced with the repair myself very hesitatingly, because I cannot afford a professional repairman. Last year I fixed my Summilux at home, which saved me about 250 euros right there.

 

 

EDIT: here are some photos of the disassembly phase.

Edited April 27, 2013 by towolf

[wildlightphoto]

Salve,

 

I’ve broken open my Leicaflex SL2 and I’m stuck with a stuck meter needle. I’m wondering if the wonderfully knowledgeable people here have ideas how to proceed.

 

One day the meter suddenly stopped working. The needle was just out of view and wouldn’t come down for either the meter switch or the battery test. I confirmed with an ohm meter that the circuits seem to be working.

 

So I carefully took the top off and popped the prism out and it seems as if the needle is stuck, just out of view. It jiggles ever so slightly when I activate the meter.

 

How could this have happened, and what can I do? Taking the whole meter assembly out looks prohibitively complicated.

 

 

FYI, I commenced with the repair myself very hesitatingly, because I cannot afford a professional repairman. Last year I fixed my Summilux at home, which saved me about 250 euros right there.

 

 

EDIT: here are some photos of the disassembly phase.

 

Have you been able to move the needle by hand? I'm wondering if the earlier Gummihammer repair jiggled it enough that it's mechanically hung up on something.

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[towolf]

Well, in between the jam when it was given to me and the needle issue now lay half a year of happy productive shooting. But you might be onto something.

 

What I haven’t mentioned yet is that in a crowded bus it might have gotten banged a bit (a slight knock), but nothing that would’ve stuck out in my memory.

 

There’s a clear resistance on the downward motion. When I blow on it it doesn’t move very much and poking it softly with a toothpick it has a resitance to moving.

 

But I’m very hesitant to force it. Should I try and dislodge it?

 

From my Gossen Lunasix I know that these needles are super delicate and certainly sway at the slightest disturbance, which this one doesn’t.

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello towolf,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

You might have a bent pivot. That would most likely require a replacement of the whole axle the pivot is part of. Sometimes the pivots on meter needle axles can be damaged by seemingly insignificant shocks.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

[towolf]

Thanks Michael. So I assume this whole shebang with its dozen springs, cams and levers, and that funny string would have to be taken apart? What is in that big brass pot anyway?

 

Meanwhile I made a little bit of progress. I pushed the needle carefully downwards and now it has clearance of about ten minutes (as on a clock second hand). And in the range it has to move it seems to be light sensitive.

 

and

 

But past that point there’s a big resistance and I fear pushing more would be detrimental.

 

And besides that, now that this thing is open, what would be the things to inspect and maybe lubricate?

Edited April 28, 2013 by towolf

[wildlightphoto]

Thanks Michael. So I assume this whole shebang with its dozen springs, cams and levers, and that funny string would have to be taken apart? What is in that big brass pot anyway?

 

and re-calibrated once you got everything back together

 

Meanwhile I made a little bit of progress. I pushed the needle carefully downwards and now it has clearance of about ten minutes (as on a clock second hand). And in the range it has to move it seems to be light sensitive.

 

and

 

But past that point there’s a big resistance and I fear pushing more would be detrimental.

 

Best not to force anything.

 

And besides that, now that this thing is open, what would be the things to inspect and maybe lubricate?

 

If it's been working well other than the meter, best to leave everything alone. Lubrication should be done very sparingly if at all. Clean is much more important. If nothing else you've allowed me to see the differences (very few) between the SL and SL2.

[towolf]

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Thanks Doug,

 

but in the meantime the spirit of the Gummihammermethode got the better of me again.

 

I’ve managed to dislodge the needle by jiggling it with a toothpick.

 

It’s still likes to get stuck to the bottom briefly, so I’m wary of putting the thing back together yet. I’d rather not have to open it up again tomorrow.

 

[towolf]

[my last post is being moderated? why?]

 

So, after I’ve freed the needle, I went to put it back together.

 

Big question now, how to set the ISO dial to its zero position? Is there a "default" position for the "paperclip"? (i.e., as an example, at which settings should the paperclip come to lie over the bottom dot?)

 

I could wing it with an external light meter, but there must be a method that is independent of the meter needle, yes?

 

Explanation: This black cam has to be fixated using the middle brass retainer nut to couple the paperclip offset to the correct ISO setting.

Edited April 28, 2013 by towolf

[wildlightphoto]

Explanation: This black cam has to be fixated using the middle brass retainer nut to couple the paperclip offset to the correct ISO setting.

 

Loop a length of dental floss around the black cam so that you can pull it away from the rewind shaft when you re-install the ISO cluster; feed the loose ends of the floss through the viewfinder eyepiece hole before you put the top cover back on. Once the top cover is on and you are ready to install the ISO cluster, pull on both ends of the floss to allow the bottom of the ISO cluster to clear the cam. Once the ISO cluster is firmly in place and its retaining ring installed you can pull on one end of the floss to remove it from the camera.

[towolf]

Yeah, thanks Doug. That surely would’ve been a solution.

 

But I already loosened the cam with that brass part and now while the ISO wheel with the cam inside is inserted all the way I have to turn the cam to the right alignment and tighten it. I got it more or less right, but I’d like a priori solution that doesn’t depend on me comparing meters.

 

I just have to find the right alignment.

 

Would you be so kind and tell me at which ISO, shutter time, and aperture combination the paperclip is aligned with the bottom and the top dots respectively in an SL2? With that I can fixate it.

 

It’s too late for the silk method I think.

[wildlightphoto]

Would you be so kind and tell me at which ISO, shutter time, and aperture combination the paperclip is aligned with the bottom and the top dots respectively in an SL2? With that I can fixate it.

 

Beyond my experience, sorry!

[towolf]

But that’s easy to find out!

 

The paperclip moves up and down and is coupled to three things, ISO, shutter, and aperture.

 

Since two of them are fixed, I just need any setting whatsoever that brings the paperclip to register over the bottom dot.

 

For example what I have now is:

 

f4, 1/2000, ISO 12

 

or

 

f22, 1/2000, ISO 400

 

Is that what you get too?

Edited April 29, 2013 by towolf

[wildlightphoto]

But that’s easy to find out!

 

The paperclip moves up and down and is coupled to three things, ISO, shutter, and aperture.

 

Since two of them are fixed, I just need any setting whatsoever that brings the paperclip to register over the bottom dot.

 

For example what I have now is:

 

f4, 1/2000, ISO 12

 

or

 

f22, 1/2000, ISO 400

 

Is that what you get too?

 

I no longer have an SL2.

[towolf]

To give closure to this thread as well ...

 

I had posted on the German section as well and now the expert repairman CW Reinhardt chimed in with some explanations.

 

Here’s what he said:

 

• The metering assembly has the pointer attached to a coil and magnet
  
• The magnet attracts any loose metal flakes which can lead to a jam
  
• Normally the whole assembly would have to be taken apart to remove all stray particles, but I was lucky I dislodged it somehow
  
• Mr Reinhard gives rules to align the paperclip indicator
  
  1. Mount a lens with aperture range f2.8-22
     
  2. At 1/1000s and f22 the paperclip should be aligned to the back dot
     
  3. At 1s and f2.8 the paperclip should be roughly aligned to the forward dot
     
  4. If misaligned, carefully loosen two screws attached to metering assembly at the back and turn the assembly until aligned
     

  [*]DIN/ASA dial: The tip of the cam disk has to point to the nearby pin exactly when dialled to DIN 15 / ASA 25

 

Mr. Reinhardt also give a procedure to calibrate using the five variable resistors that I need more clarification on.

 

original post

Edited May 3, 2013 by towolf

[kodaktrix]

Hello Towolf,

thanks a lot for the work and pains and the photographs of cover and prism dismantling

 

Kind Regards

 

Oliver

[kodaktrix]

Loop a length of dental floss around the black cam so that you can pull it away from the rewind shaft when you re-install the ISO cluster; feed the loose ends of the floss through the viewfinder eyepiece hole before you put the top cover back on. Once the top cover is on and you are ready to install the ISO cluster, pull on both ends of the floss to allow the bottom of the ISO cluster to clear the cam. Once the ISO cluster is firmly in place and its retaining ring installed you can pull on one end of the floss to remove it from the camera.

 

Hello Doug,

thanks for that hint, as it was essential for me, having exchanged the prism of my SL2 against a SL spare yesterday, I still had left from a defective body. After the reassembling the meter showed wheird stuff, I disassambled again and did the dental floss trick. Meter works normal again. SL2 finder is perfect again

 

Kind Regards

 

Oliver

 

PS.: I had several statements from the CS and a Leicaflex repair shop that the SL2 and SL prism are not identical and cannot be used as spare for each other.

Complete nonsense, side by side comparison shows that they are identical twins.

[biglou]

Very interesting, i would not dare open mine.

What about the screen, do you think it is possible to install the Leicaflex SL's one in SL2 ?

If yes, do you need to take of the top or does it come through the bayonet hole ?

Merci beaucoup

Joël

[wildlightphoto]

What about the screen, do you think it is possible to install the Leicaflex SL's one in SL2 ?

 

Yes its possible, with some modification. SL screens have a mask for the shutter speeds indication along the bottom of the screen, SL2 screens have a mask for shutter speeds and aperture. The SL and SL2 masks are interchangeable but delicate, and except for the mask the screens are 100% interchangeable. I had Don Goldberg put an SL2 mask on an SL screen for an SL2 I used to own.

 

If yes, do you need to take off the top?

 

Yes.

Edited May 25, 2013 by wildlightphoto

[biglou]

Thank's, valuable insight.

I see you did long ago what i am thinking of doing myself.

My eyes became a little tired but with the SL i do not miss, beautiful viewfinder.

Tried autofocus but i am too accustomed to decide myself to be pleased with the results.

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[Dukeviolin]

Interesting repairs, thanks for the photos. 
I have a few of these cameras and want to get them working but I can only find a photocopy of the repair manual for the Leicaflex 1, not SL or SL2. 
Are there other sources for the repair manuals ? 
Also, how do you know if a prism needs re-silvering ? 
Cheers.