M10 Rangefinder Improvements

[Cliff S]

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There is no doubt my focus accurate has greatly improved with the M10 over the M240 using OVF. In fact, I play back and forth with the focus ring less and I see clearly that I'm focussed. With the M240, i was never 100% visually sure I was tack. I felt I was but now I know I am. Of course, in poor light or poor contrast subjects it's not as good but for the most part, my confidence up to 135mm is way better. I don't use EVF for 90 or 135 anymore. My shots come out perfectly focussed.

 

I spent days comparing EVF shots to OVF shots and across the range from the WATE to the 135 I'm equally in focus.

[digitalfx]

As with anything, those who have never experienced the problem don't see it as an issue. While those who have experienced it once see it as a huge potential issue.

 

 

Never said it couldn't happen...just that its likelihood is highly irregular.

Quite frankly I would suggest that the many of the occurrences are mostly user error or just unfamiliarity with how to use a rangefinder.

There was a recent post on Facebook where someone stated he had a vertical misalignment on his new m10...he posted asking if anyone else had experienced the issue and even went as far as to suggest it was normal as the M10 RF was calibrated for 2 meters and anything beyond 2 meters would be out of alignment. The post literally grew to hundreds of comments of people chiming in saying their rangefinders were also misaligned, it was quite comically actually. Its amazing how your mind works...if you are told there is a problem, all of of sudden you see it when in fact it doesn't exist. I think there its a medical term for this

 

Again, I am not suggesting this is the case here, nor that RF's cant become misaligned...only that the instances are far less common than internet hype makes us believe. And honestly it doesn't take a rocket scientist to adjust your own camera. I think Leica should require all dealer to have a technician on staff, if the average jewelry store can have a watchmaker on staff why cant Leica do the same?

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[Dirk Mandeville]

Oh, I agree with you. Never had a problem myself with the rangefinder going out of alignment. Of course it can happen, but I too think it is a relatively rare occurrence.

[Steve Spencer]

There is no doubt my focus accurate has greatly improved with the M10 over the M240 using OVF. In fact, I play back and forth with the focus ring less and I see clearly that I'm focussed. With the M240, i was never 100% visually sure I was tack. I felt I was but now I know I am. Of course, in poor light or poor contrast subjects it's not as good but for the most part, my confidence up to 135mm is way better. I don't use EVF for 90 or 135 anymore. My shots come out perfectly focussed.

 

I spent days comparing EVF shots to OVF shots and across the range from the WATE to the 135 I'm equally in focus.

 

One thing I think I have noticed is that eye glasses wearer seem to have a great improvement  (just judging by people's pictures here on the forum) than non eyeglasses wearers, which makes sense given the increase in the eye point. As a fellow eye glasses wearer (who can't wear contact) I find that very promising.

[Cliff S]

Add a 0.5+ diopter and it gets even better

[jaapv]

Now that depends entirely on your eyes. The "naked" ocular is optimized for ideal vision.The strength of -0,5 enables you to see the framelines.RF patch @ a virtual distance of 2 meters.

[dempski]

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How well it keeps its adjustment compared to the M240 is anyone's guess for the next decade or so, I think, but to my eye the M10's viewfinder is simply much easier to use. 

 

I am very curious, however: I hear on this forum all the time about how someone's M rangefinder was out of adjustment. I've been shooting with M cameras since 1972 ... the only time I've had an M rangefinder show up as out of adjustment was on the 1978 M4-2 I bought as a "bargain" grade camera from KEH in 2011. When I had the viewfinder serviced, the technician estimated that the camera had been sitting unused in someone's sock drawer for about 25 years, based on the accumulation of lint, dried up grease, and other garbage jamming the action of the follower and clouding up the optics. He cleaned it all out, relubricated it properly, collimated, and calibrated it for $110. It has worked perfectly since, no matter how roughly I handle the camera or bag. None of my other Ms has ever been off.

 

It's just a question mark to me how so many people come up with their rangefinder out of adjustment, and multiple times, since it just doesn't match my experience at all. 

 

 

Years ago, I took my brand new M9 to the mountains for its first workout, and discovered the leaves were blurry on long shots.  Using a distant tower, I proved to myself couldn't get it to focus at infinity.  As I was going to travel to Europe with the new camera, and there was not sufficient time to send it to Leica for an adjustment, I took it to a local repair shop in Houston (Professional Camera Repair) along with a 35mm and 50mm lens, and had them recalibrate it.  A day later, it was tack sharp, and has remained so since.  

 

I read how to fix it myself, but was afraid I would do more harm than good.  If I remember correctly, the adjustment was around $35 (7 or 8 years ago), and well worth it.  Probably voided the warranty, but got the camera back when I needed it.

[jonoslack]

There was a recent post on Facebook where someone stated he had a vertical misalignment on his new m10...he posted asking if anyone else had experienced the issue and even went as far as to suggest it was normal as the M10 RF was calibrated for 2 meters and anything beyond 2 meters would be out of alignment. The post literally grew to hundreds of comments of people chiming in saying their rangefinders were also misaligned (even comments by some members of this forum with outrageous statements which only exaggerated the misinformation)...

Yes indeed

But the OP of that thread did, indeed have a vertically misaligned viewfinder, and removed his red dot and fixed it himself . . Agreed there was a lot of misinformation around, but Toby certainly had a problem, now fixed.

 

As I understand it the tolerance with the newer rangefinders (starting really with the M240) is much tighter, so that, if an M8 rangefinder could vary from -5 to +5, then the more modern rangefinders could only vary from (for example) -2 to +2. Of course, that means that if you have a lens that is slightly off in the other direction, then you would have an exaggerated problem with the older cameras.

[Likaleica]

Years ago, I took my brand new M9 to the mountains for its first workout, and discovered the leaves were blurry on long shots.  Using a distant tower, I proved to myself couldn't get it to focus at infinity.

 

That was my experience.  When I returned from my first trip with the M8 and discovered the problem I was sure the error was mine and not the camera's, until I tried to focus on a radio tower at infinity.  Sent the camera in and it got adjusted.  Works great now.  The situation with the M240 is not as bad and seems intermittent, so maybe that is more my issue than the camera's.  

 

Overall it sounds like the M10 is easier to focus, but I've never had much problem using the rangefinder, probably because my first one was a IIIc, which makes a modern rangefinder seem like autofocus.  I'm looking forward to a trip to the big city so I can play with an M10 first hand.

 

Thanks for everyone's comments.