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M4 base plate - missing 'basket'?

zookeeper

By zookeeper
in Leica M-A / M7 / MP and Film M

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zookeeper

zookeeper

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Hello all...

 

Rather dull subject, but one I know little about and hoping someone might be able to shed some light on!

 

I've worked my way through my rangefinder story to end up with an 1958 Chrome M4. Started with a FED 2 as a teenager, then a Zorki 4, Minolta Hi matic II, Olympus XA, Voigtlander VF101 and a Barnack IIIg which I recently traded in at The Classic Camera in London for the M4. Finally having a bright viewfinder patch has been a revelation!

 

Now for the most part i'm happy, but after a couple of missloads and getting used to making sure the film is actually taken up properly i've had a couple of instances where the negative has seemed to slip slightly across the frame, then correct itself for the first handful of frames. It didn't occur to me when purchasing it (and I took it that this is how it's meant to look - attached) that perhaps actually part of the 'quick load system' is missing.

It was only after looking up what it should look like, and seeing this: http://nedbunnell.blogspot.com/2013/04/my-leica-m4.html raised my suspesitions that perhaps i've been sold one with a part of the base plate missing

Does anyone know if the basket was introduced in late years, or if even that is how the 'tulip' looks with the basket missing?

 

Many thanks!

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Edited by zookeeper
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plaidshirts

plaidshirts

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Congrats on your new Leica. I think I know what the problem is. 

The base plate in your picture is for an M2 or M3 and not an M4. This isn’t just an issue of a part missing. You should bring it to the attention of the seller ASAP. I’m sure they can get the right plate for you. 

Edited by plaidshirts
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zookeeper

zookeeper

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Excellent, thank you for clarifying. And yes I did mean a 1968 one! The IIg was 1958...

I also wonder if i've been sold a turkey as the RF window has started to condense/separate, and appears to be rust on the inside? Didn't notice this when buying either... and since, there has been little bits of rust appear on the window (attached)

Guess it's time to go back to the shop and have some frank words. 

 

 



 

 

 

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Edited by zookeeper
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plaidshirts

plaidshirts

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12 minutes ago, zookeeper said:

Guess it's time to go back to the shop and have some frank words. 

 

At least you have a physical store to return to and although I'm not familiar with that shop, I'm sure they'll make it right. 

Keep us posted of the outcome.

 

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earleygallery

earleygallery

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55 minutes ago, zookeeper said:

I also wonder if i've been sold a turkey as the RF window has started to condense/separate, and appears to be rust on the inside? Didn't notice this when buying either... and since, there has been little bits of rust appear on the window (attached)

Guess it's time to go back to the shop and have some frank words. 

 

 



 

 

 

 

I don't see what you mean by 'condense/separate' and I wouldn't be worried about the slight corrosion of the rangefinder part shown - it's an old camera after all - as long as it's fully functional in all other respects.

It's unacceptable however for a 'Leica specialist' to sell you a camera with the wrong baseplate. Hopefully it's just a mistake and the put the wrong baseplate on when showing someone the M4 and an M2 or whatever.

The Classic Camera have had some poor reviews on here in the past (you can use the search function) but I think they've since had their official Leica dealer status reinstated so hopefully they've upped their game in terms of their service.

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zookeeper

zookeeper

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15 minutes ago, earleygallery said:

I don't see what you mean by 'condense/separate' and I wouldn't be worried about the slight corrosion of the rangefinder part shown - it's an old camera after all - as long as it's fully functional in all other respects.

It's unacceptable however for a 'Leica specialist' to sell you a camera with the wrong baseplate. Hopefully it's just a mistake and the put the wrong baseplate on when showing someone the M4 and an M2 or whatever.

The Classic Camera have had some poor reviews on here in the past (you can use the search function) but I think they've since had their official Leica dealer status reinstated so hopefully they've upped their game in terms of their service.

It looks like condensation, or haze in the top left hand corner, but doesn't dissipate - wondering if this is the balsam separation, or something else? Here's a pic through the finder
 

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earleygallery

earleygallery

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On 1/20/2019 at 4:01 PM, zookeeper said:

Excellent, thank you for clarifying. And yes I did mean a 1968 one! The IIg was 1958...

I also wonder if i've been sold a turkey as the RF window has started to condense/separate, and appears to be rust on the inside? Didn't notice this when buying either... and since, there has been little bits of rust appear on the window (attached)

Guess it's time to go back to the shop and have some frank words. 

 

 



 

 

 

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How this this pan out? Did you resolve it with the dealer?

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zookeeper

zookeeper

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Hey all! Update and good news!

 

I took the M4 back to The Classic Camera, and they were quite straightforward about it - agreed it had the wrong baseplate, will source a replacement one and they are sending it off to get the moisture penetration sorted. Should be about a month (how i'll cope in the meantime I don't know) - will update when it's back in my hands! Cheers for all the help on here, cracking forum.

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Keith (M)

Keith (M)

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2 hours ago, zookeeper said:

Hey all! Update and good news!

 

I took the M4 back to The Classic Camera, and they were quite straightforward about it - agreed it had the wrong baseplate, will source a replacement one and they are sending it off to get the moisture penetration sorted. Should be about a month (how i'll cope in the meantime I don't know) - will update when it's back in my hands! Cheers for all the help on here, cracking forum.

Good to read that the issues will be resolved.  Does beg the question however, why was it sold like that in the first place!

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  • 2 weeks later...
zookeeper

zookeeper

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So I got the M4 back today from the classic camera...

 

The finder has been cleaned and is nice and clear! No more moisture. However, as predicted by plaidshirts they gave me the base plate they had listed for sale separately as Excellent +, which with the massive ding on it clearly isn't. I understand it's hard to obtain them these days, but I asked if they'd give me some money back in compensation - nope.

Asked if they'd give me at least a roll of film as compensation - nope. The younger tanned guy in there had a seriously poor attitude and said you can have the original back instead if you want!

Considering I traded in a mint IIIg with 2.8 collapsible elmar, for £400 which they then sold for £1250 (!) you'd hope for better service. I then reiterated that they'd sold it to me with the wrong base plate, that it wasn't functioning correctly without it and they agreed to give me a single roll of ilford delta as compensation.

And funnily enough... Getting the camera back and inspecting it, I noticed the dent aligns with a slight dent on the body in the same place. So this was either A. dropped whilst in their care or B. actually the original that was meant to be with it, that they tried to sell separately??

It's got a bit of play side to side that the other plate didn't, so we'll see if that affects things once i've put a roll through it.

 

Either way, when the camera is out of it's 6 month guarantee there is little to no chance i'll be taking it there should it ever need repairing, and I think i'll be buying my future glass from Red Dot and Aperture! 

 

 

 

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plaidshirts

plaidshirts

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4 hours ago, zookeeper said:

...they gave me the base plate they had listed for sale separately as Excellent +, which with the massive ding on it clearly isn't.

 
1

Looking at the baseplate sales photo, the dent appears to be preexisting and probably the reason they swapped it with another - all to fetch a higher price for the camera.

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They were just too stupid to know that it was the wrong part. I'm so sorry you've had to deal with these charlatans. Edited by plaidshirts
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