M4-P flash out of sync

[Gareth]

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Hello everyone, new member.  I purchased a M4-P in January of this year and I have been very happy with it.  I have however, run into a problem and wanted to know if anyone else has had a similar experience or if I am just doing something foolish.  

The camera does not seem to be synced with the hot shoe.  I use a flash trigger and off body flash for shots in the house when taking pictures of kids and family activity.  When I received the negatives it would seem the flash is out of sync with the rear curtain, as most of the negatives have 1/2 to 1/3 of the frame is under exposed.  I shot at the flash sync speed of 1/45.

Presumably I can have it fixed, but before I send it in, I just thought I’d ask to see if anyone has had this issue in the past.

Thanks,

Gareth

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[adan]

Could be one of several things.

This thread, on another site, seems to match your symptoms: https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-62927.html

One theory there is that the hot-shoe has been mistakenly cross-wired into the flash-bulb (M) circuit instead of the electronic flash (X) circuit during some past servicing. (My own suspicion is that that would result in no exposure at all, though).

However, wireless triggers (transmitter on the camera, receiver on the flash) are known for sometimes having enough lag (in the circuits and relays - the radio signal is, of course, speed of light) to cause them to mis-sync a bit.

I know that my wireless trigger (a fairly cheap model) will cut off a bit of the picture with my M10 at the nominal sync speed of 1/180th - I have to drop down to 1/125 to get the full frame, due to such a lag in the flash-trigger hardware. By the time the flash fires, the shutter at 1/180th is already starting to close.

And, of course, it could just be a problem with the M4-P's overall shutter timing clockwork, or the X-sync contact in the shutter has shifted position, or some such.

An acid test, as mentioned in that first link, is to look through the camera (no film) while firing the shutter with flash. Ideally with gear to use all the possible camera connections (wireless trigger; flash directly in the hot shoe; M plug (cord); X Plug (cord)). You should be able to see the whole shutter opening illuminated by flash at 1/50th. Or cut-off, as in your pictures. And whether that changes depending on the connection used, or if a longer shutter speed (e.g. 1/30th, 1/15th) is used.

BTW - you can acquire an M4-P manual .pdf here - the flash setup is covered on pages 18-19.

https://www.cameramanuals.org/leica_pdf/leica_m4-p.pdf

Edited December 16, 2019 by adan

[AndreasG]

I got a similar issue many years ago with my M4-P - the flash  (in the hot shoe) fired already pushing the trigger half way down - before the shutter got released. To be honest, I did not care to get it fixed, it is rare I need a flash, and in such case I could rely on my two M6 bodies.

[Gareth]

Thanks.  I tried out the looking through lens while tripping the shutter, but could not discern if the flash synced.  I ran tests today with a roll of film to see if using the sync port helps with the situation.  Oddly enough, the flash would fire when I advanced to the next frame.  

Sounds like a good excuse to get another body!  This forum is not going to help prevent that.