New M2 - Question about adjustments

[mik-]

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Hi,

 

I'm shooting with an M9 for more than a year now and he was my travel buddy. Love it.

 

I get a M2 from my uncle. Like new. I couldn't believe how clean it is. I shot 2 rolls to test it and unfortunately, it has a problem. Being new to the film camera, I'm looking for advice. I search on internet, but I was not able to find what I was looking for.

 

This is my pictures :

https://www.flickr.com/gp/80205356@N02/E93B1i/

 

Some of them are OK, but some of them have black section. It's probably the curtain. When I choose 1 second shutter speed, I see the curtain staying halfway for most of the time, then go to the end and return in place.

 

I check in the manual and there are screw for adjustments, but I would appreciate some advices before screwing things up.

 

I want to fix this badly because I fell in love with that camera.

 

Regards,

 

Michaël

[madNbad]

Best advice is to spend the money and leave it to the professionals. Looks like the shutter travel needs adjustment and being the camera is about fifty tears old, that's not surprising. Check the forum and plan for some service. Once adjusted the M2 will be good for another fifty years. Welcome to the forum.

[mik-]

Best advice is to spend the money and leave it to the professionals. Looks like the shutter travel needs adjustment and being the camera is about fifty tears old, that's not surprising. Check the forum and plan for some service. Once adjusted the M2 will be good for another fifty years. Welcome to the forum.

 

Yeah, It was my plan, but I wanted to make sure it was not an easy fix I could do myself because from where I am, there is no such professional. Well, looks like I'll have to wait before enjoying this beauty.

 

Thanks

[madNbad]

Better to defer enjoyment than live with regret.

[Fotoklaus]

Spend some money and let a professional repairman do his work on the camera.

Afterwards you will enjoy it even more and it will run for the next 30 Years.

Yo wrote, it looks like new, so the money is well spent.

A "new" fully working M2 ...

[mik-]

Best advice is to spend the money and leave it to the professionals. Looks like the shutter travel needs adjustment and being the camera is about fifty tears old, that's not surprising. Check the forum and plan for some service. Once adjusted the M2 will be good for another fifty years. Welcome to the forum.

 

Yeah, having a new camera that is 56 years old is nice. The camera feels so smooth. Being not used all those years, I'm not surprised the springs or something have to be adjusted.

 

And yeah, spending a little money to have it tuned, knowing I'll use it for decades, feels right.

[pico]

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I highly encourage to continue using the M2 because you are already making good exposures with good focus, and having fun. As suggested earlier, save up for an adjustment.

 

Welcome, and please keep us informed of your progress.

.

[NikonJeff]

I looked at your profile and don't see where you are located. In the states (as I'm sure elsewhere) tree are plenty of very good technicians that can CLA your M2 for around $200. I myself just purchased a DS M3 and will be sending it in to Youxin Ye for a complete CLA.

 

Definitely worth spending the money n especially of the camera is as clean as you say and it was free,,,

 

Enjoy!

Jeff G

[TomB_tx]

I looked at your profile and don't see where you are located. In the states (as I'm sure elsewhere) tree are plenty of very good technicians that can CLA your M2 for around $200. I myself just purchased a DS M3 and will be sending it in to Youxin Ye

Jeff G

 

Youxin did a great job on a DS M3 I was given with a wonky curtain.

[bocaburger]

The problem with your M2 is not springs needing adjustments, it's age-old lubricants gummy and dried out in the slow-speed escapement (clockworks, gearset, whatever term you're familiar with). The slow speed assembly needs to be removed, cleaned, and re-lubricated, then re-adjusted to proper tolerances. Simply working it a lot (a trick that sometimes but not always works with leaf shutters) will not cure it in a Leica. The good news is, lubricants used today are mainly synthetic and will retain their properties much longer than the old ones.

[payasam]

I think bocaburger is right: the camera needs to be cleaned and re-lubricated. Mere adjustments will not do.

[mik-]

I highly encourage to continue using the M2 because you are already making good exposures with good focus, and having fun. As suggested earlier, save up for an adjustment.

 

Welcome, and please keep us informed of your progress.

.

 

Thanks, And yeah, I'm having a lot of fun. In fact I'm still waiting to be in a city where I'll be able to make is serviced. Hopefully next week.

 

Thank you guys for all the info.

 

Thanks bocaburger. I'll make sure they think about it, but I spoke with them over the phone and I felt good. I spoke with the technician and he is servicing Leica cameras for 40 years.

 

I'm from Quebec (canada) but I'm not living there, I'm kinna nomad right now.

[menos I M6]

Have the camera checked by one of the advised good technicians (I think there is a thread on LUF somewhere with a list of known good shops worldwide) and you will likely enjoy using this great camera for the next few decades.

Don't skimp on this, just have it done professionally.

 

And most importantly, … enjoy!