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Sticky focus/viewfinder: Have you experienced this?


BjarniM

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This morning my M246 was acting strange when i was focusing. Maybe not so easy to explain, but i can try.

 

When i was turning the focus ring on the lens from ∞ towards 0.7 m the viewfinder pattern/focus mechanism on the camera acted like it was 'sticky' - it locked in a certain distance and didn't respond.

 

The first time it happened, the focus was locked on around 2 meters, and the pattern to focus with, didn't respond when i tried to focus on 1 meter where my object was. I turned the focus ring back and forth 3-4 times, and suddenly it was released from the distance where it was locked. I could hear it clearly with a 'click' as well, when it de-snapped and was released again.

 

I switched the camera on-off a few times, and the strange thing is that i could provoke it to happen 7-8 times, even when the camera was switched off.

 

I looked in the viewfinder, and the pattern/focus mechanism was acting 'sticky' at different distances between 3 - 0.8 meters, and would not release (or anti stick) before i turned the focus ring on the lens in the opposite direction, towards infinity again.

 

What's happening? Have you experienced something like this?

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So what does it feel like if you just push the focus arm, can you feel any undue resistance?

 

 

Steve

Yes, there is some unwanted resistance.

 

I took a closer look just now, and i'm somewhat concerned at the moment.

 

Everything i see in the viewfinder, is moving. If the attached lens is set on infinety, and i move the focus to 0.7 meter, both the framing lines and the focus rectangle/pattern is moving around 5-10% towards right-bottom direction.

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Everything i see in the viewfinder, is moving. If the attached lens is set on infinety, and i move the focus to 0.7 meter, both the framing lines and the focus rectangle/pattern is moving around 5-10% towards right-bottom direction.

 

Yes, that is the parallax correction. Every Leica M camera I've ever had does this.

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Is the focus lever in the mount bent out of true? In that case it will not engage properly with the focus cam on the lens.

I'm not sure, since i've never inspected all the different parts in my cameras so close.

 

I could take a look, but i'm not sure how to see if that's the case. Is it obvious to see if its bent? I don't know that could have happened, since only one lens has been mounted on the camera and i take good care of things.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It can happen that the focus mechanism in the camera body will seize up and hence will only move with much more force on the lens' focussing tab/ ring.

It is time for a trip to Leica (the camera body).

 

So far it happened only to one body from many M bodies I used - a Leica M9 which was last in service about a year ago.

It is flagged and I will bring it in next trip around.

It can be clearly felt with certain lenses, when comparing the same lens on the effected camera body and other bodies.

 

 

Have a Leica specialist in a shop check it out for you.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I've had this causes by lenses - the older Nikkor telephotos for Leica (like the 105 and 135) have a rangefinder linkage that is a tab riding a spiral groove inside the lens barrel. It is spring-loaded to stay as forward as possible, and when the sliding tab's track grits up, the RF linkage will decouple as you focus to the near range. But a tiny drop of oil resolves that.

 

D

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