Leica Fanatic Posted June 8, 2014 Share #1 Posted June 8, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi forum. My first post but been a member before and have said hello in the new member forum explaining all. Just returning to Leica ownership with an M2, having had three M8's, two CL's and an M6 in the past and have a couple of questions about using it. It has the original take up spool and was wondering that as I roll my own, do I need to cut a leader or can I just cut straight across with slight bevels on the corners, as I did for the others. Are there any quirks of the M2 spool that makes this a bad idea, or what do you prefer. It's missing the flash sync plastic caps. Does it need these as replacements are as rare as hens teeth it seems. I don't use flash. Is it ok to change shutter speeds with and without the shutter cocked and is it ok to keep it cocked for extended periods or not. Some cameras don't mind and some do. I'm unaware of the service history. Would it be worthwhile to email Leica and the popular independant repairers with the serial number to see if it has been through them at all. Has anyone else done this. What would you recommend is the best check list of things to look out for when checking over the camera for the first time, cocking & firing, testing speeds, mounting lens and putting in film etc. Thank you all for your time and the amount of questions. I have longed for an M2 for some time. M's are the purest experience in photography. Just the camera and the world around me which I didn't have with DSLR's and is why I've come back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 8, 2014 Posted June 8, 2014 Hi Leica Fanatic, Take a look here New (to me) M2 owner with a few questions.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
TomB_tx Posted June 8, 2014 Share #2 Posted June 8, 2014 No special trimming needed on the leader. Shutter speed can be set any time. If you don't expect to use flash, no need for sync caps to keep dirt out of the sockets - but they are available from DAG Camera parts. Regardless of service history, check shutter speeds and consistency across the frame (search for TV shutter speed test) and signs of correct curtain brake operation at closed end of travel. Run some fast film through outdoors and look for light leaks - the seals do go bad. Mainly just try it out and enjoy it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayewing Posted June 8, 2014 Share #3 Posted June 8, 2014 Welcome back to the forum. The M2 is a lovely camera. I bought one second hand in the 1970s and used it for thirty years before rashly selling it when I went digital. During the time I had it I had it serviced once by Malcolm Taylor who is still around if yours needs a bit of TLC. I still miss the lovely smooth film wind on lever and the suppressed click of the shutter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leica Fanatic Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted June 8, 2014 Thanks guys, it's good to be back and thanks for the advice. I will definately enjoy shooting a rangefinder again. I've got to wait at least another 2-3 days before the M2 arrives. It's exciting and at the same time excruciatingly worrying. What if there's something not quite right with it. I'd hate to have to send it back and start all over again or worse, wait for it to be repaired. It's taken months of deciding whether to get another film M and then the drawn out searching for 'the one'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted June 8, 2014 Share #5 Posted June 8, 2014 (search for TV shutter speed test) ...... Did anyone really used this method? I was trying it, but what I could see was disappointing. I can imagine that this method could work with old, analog, CRT TV receivers. HalfFrames were refreshed with frequency of 50Hz, and in addition if TV was not set to any particular sender the screen was almost white (white noise). With modern TVs refreshing is 200Hz or more, and with automatic sender search you can hardly get a white screen. Does anyone have better experience? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leica Fanatic Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted June 8, 2014 Did anyone really used this method? I was trying it, but what I could see was disappointing. I can imagine that this method could work with old, analog, CRT TV receivers. HalfFrames were refreshed with frequency of 50Hz, and in addition if TV was not set to any particular sender the screen was almost white (white noise). With modern TVs refreshing is 200Hz or more, and with automatic sender search you can hardly get a white screen. Does anyone have better experience? Hi. I had a look at this and it appeared to be a good idea until it said to use a CRT TV. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted June 8, 2014 Share #7 Posted June 8, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi. I had a look at this and it appeared to be a good idea until it said to use a CRT TV. That's right: it has to be an analog CRT TV or CRT PC monitor. US standard was to scan the alternating frame lines in 1/30 sec, so 1/30 should show a full image. I kept a Sony CRT TV in my office primarily for this reason, as a hobby is finding and fixing old cameras. I also have shutter speed testers that read out digitally, but the even width of the swath on the TV screen at high shutter speeds gives a great representation of how even the exposure is across the frame - which is a problem on many old cameras. So it needs an analog CRT TV and analog source - either a DVD player or analog converter. If you have one, it is a handy tool. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
koray Posted June 9, 2014 Share #8 Posted June 9, 2014 I keep those caps in a drawer, no need for them. I cut the film leader straight, no issues. Film loading is not a big deal, you get used to it. I used to have the M6, but I love M2 million times over it. Much better built body, no-clutter / no-flare viewfinder, and film rewind is much easier than the M6's slipping crank. Don't worry too much for the CLA, negative film tolerates small inaccuracies. I don't think all service centres will be able to answer your question. Malcolm Taylor in UK still uses small paper notebooks to record his service, he doesn't use computers at all as far as I know. My Leica M2 has a B seal on it, probably from eighties, Brittania it stands for. Enjoy! You will love it. K. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted June 9, 2014 Share #9 Posted June 9, 2014 I hope you are going to enjoy your new camera, but I can't imagine Leica service centres and repairers would be overly happy about spending their time going through old records to see if your camera has been in the shop. And for what, it either works or it doesn't. There is no point in worrying, run a film through it, trying to use all the shutter speeds, and see if anything looks amiss in exposure, focusing, or leaks. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leica Fanatic Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted June 9, 2014 Thanks Steve, good advice. I don't think I'd want to waste my time either. Be like hunting for a needle in a stack. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leica Fanatic Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share #11 Posted June 10, 2014 The M2 arrived and after the mad checking that we all do when receiving an old camera and an initial worrying moment, I have put a roll of FP4 through her and now waiting for the chemicals to warm up. The worrying moment that lasted about an hour was that the left vertical line of each frameline was barely visible. No matter how much I moved my eye about, or how dark or sunny it was, it just wouldn't show up. So I thought 'finder seperation or desilvering'. Despite buying from a very reputable and long standing Leica dealer, it needed a small adjustment to the RF patch, the one through the small screw hole on the front. After about an hour I checked the framelines again and they were all now bright and clear. Not sure but is it possible that as each frameline was affected, it was an illumination problem caused by condensation from taking it out of the box? It was quite warm and humid this morning. Has anyone heard of this before? The price of £399 was very keen as cosmetically it looks like someone had used it as a mobile notepad. On the back of the top plate they have scribed "FLASH SHUTTER SPEED POOR LIGHT (something) f/11" and "BRIGHT DAY SPEED 125 APPERTURE (something)" Also on the top of the top plate "FLASH (something)" The base plate looks like it's been sandpapered as it is half chrome and half brass. Very pleased though as I wanted an old beater and at the price I couldn't complain. All the slower shutter speeds sound about right and strong and everythings working well. Just waiting for the negatives as the final check. Does anyone know this camera, serial 1069071 cos I would love to know the history? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
payasam Posted June 10, 2014 Share #12 Posted June 10, 2014 Good to hear a happy story. Cosmetic phenomena have no effect on performance. If the slow speeds sound right, the fast ones are probably good. One thing you must check is range-finder alignment: and you should not do that with the Jupiter lens. Of course, if you aim to use only the Jupiter with the camera, you could set the R/F for accurate close focus with that lens. Depth of field will take care of greater distances. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leica Fanatic Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share #13 Posted June 10, 2014 Good to hear a happy story. Cosmetic phenomena have no effect on performance. If the slow speeds sound right, the fast ones are probably good. One thing you must check is range-finder alignment: and you should not do that with the Jupiter lens. Of course, if you aim to use only the Jupiter with the camera, you could set the R/F for accurate close focus with that lens. Depth of field will take care of greater distances. Thanks for the tips Payasam. I wanted an M2 that was a bit rough round the edges for no better reason than it makes me feel good. Feeling good helps me to make better pictures. I will be using only the Jupiter as I've had it for years and used it on all my past M's. It's like a trusty old friend. Only the vertical alignment needed adjusting, so should be the same regardless of which lens is fitted? Roll on the weekend so I can get some shooting in. Let's hope the British heatwave that the Met Office has been promising turns up by then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
payasam Posted June 11, 2014 Share #14 Posted June 11, 2014 If the R/F vertical alignment is off, it will be off with all lenses -- and with no lens mounted. On Leica bodies, lenses made in the USSR do not focus correctly at near distances. These lenses are made to Zeiss rather than Leitz standards. The matter has been discussed several times on http://www.RangeFinderForum.com (RFF). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leica Fanatic Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share #15 Posted June 12, 2014 If the R/F vertical alignment is off, it will be off with all lenses -- and with no lens mounted. On Leica bodies, lenses made in the USSR do not focus correctly at near distances. These lenses are made to Zeiss rather than Leitz standards. The matter has been discussed several times on http://www.RangeFinderForum.com (RFF). Of course Payasam you are quite correct and thank you. It's some time since I was active on RFF and now that I'm back with Leica, maybe I should pop over and see what's happening. Cheers, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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