M10 Rangefinder Calibration?

[budjames]

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I purchased my first Leica, the M10, in Nov. 2017. 

I was wondering if anyone with an M10 has had to have service to recalibrate the rangefinder system? I'm not having any issues, but I'm just curious about how long the rangefinder works without having to recalibrate..

Regards,
Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

Edited May 13, 2019 by budjames

[Gelatino]

Puchased mine second hand in sept 2017. Had a slight back focus  but I sent it only in Feb 18 to Wetzlar time to decide it was necessary to fix it after a trip with too much OOF.

Back home after 3 weeks; everything  fine since

I some times check RF comparing with live view focussing tripod- mounted.

Regards

[adan]

How long can the RF work without adjustment? Decades. Assuming it came from the factory correctly adjusted.

The RF is susceptible to jolts and long-term vibrations, however. A 3-foot drop onto carpet (or even cement) may or may not knock it out of alignment (just depends on the direction of travel, which corner of the camera hits first, and so on). Bouncing around on a hard floor in a moving vehicle (planes, trains, automobiles) may, over time, cause it to drift. Flying off a car seat during an emergency stop can do it - or not. Padding (as in half- or full- body cases, or in a padded gear bag) can help cushion shocks.

The RF/VF was slightly re-engineered for the M10's larger finder, and is supposedly a bit more robust or "drift-proof" as well.

It is also susceptible to ham-fisted user attempts at "DIY" adjusting. Not so much an inability to use the tools, but a lack of understanding of how the RF works in detail, and exactly what each adjustment-point does, and what goal one is trying to sneak up on.

Let's put it this way - the M RF has stayed in calibration while being carried by war photographers dodging HE shells and diving into fox-holes.

https://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/web/ddd/gallery/war/331.html

https://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/web/ddd/gallery/war/326.html

Edited May 13, 2019 by adan

[Jeff S]

The M240 RF, while borrowed from the M9, was also improved for accuracy, according to an interview with Stefan Daniel by Thorsten O.

Jeff

[dkmoore]

6 hours ago, adan said:

How long can the RF work without adjustment? Decades. Assuming it came from the factory correctly adjusted.

The RF is susceptible to jolts and long-term vibrations, however. A 3-foot drop onto carpet (or even cement) may or may not knock it out of alignment (just depends on the direction of travel, which corner of the camera hits first, and so on). Bouncing around on a hard floor in a moving vehicle (planes, trains, automobiles) may, over time, cause it to drift. Flying off a car seat during an emergency stop can do it - or not. Padding (as in half- or full- body cases, or in a padded gear bag) can help cushion shocks.

The RF/VF was slightly re-engineered for the M10's larger finder, and is supposedly a bit more robust or "drift-proof" as well.

It is also susceptible to ham-fisted user attempts at "DIY" adjusting. Not so much an inability to use the tools, but a lack of understanding of how the RF works in detail, and exactly what each adjustment-point does, and what goal one is trying to sneak up on.

Let's put it this way - the M RF has stayed in calibration while being carried by war photographers dodging HE shells and diving into fox-holes.

https://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/web/ddd/gallery/war/331.html

https://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/web/ddd/gallery/war/326.html

How much does film thickness from a technical stand point give room for calibration being slightly off?

I've often wondered if war correspondent's cameras were actually in adjustment or if any combination of the following impacted: small apertures, film thickness, and motion blurred hid rangefinder adjustment.

Or, is the rangefinder really that robust? I knocked mine out (only slightly) on a fairly tough Colorado hike up a snowy 14k. And, I had a brand new M10P with a defective rangefinder that Wetzler replaced. Other than those I've had 10+ Leica cameras with no rangefinder issues.

To comment on the OPs topic, I have Leica NJ inspect my cameras once a year or semi-annual if I have more aggressive usage/trips.

[budjames]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Regards,
Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.