Southern California options for RF/focus adjustment?

[_Michael]

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I am feeling like something has gone wrong with my RF/focus system on my M262. I hadn't been shooting much, but yesterday I was able to get off a few frames. Much of that was wider view, landscapes/seascapes. I noticed that I could not get a sharp viewfinder focus at infinity.  Mid distances  I could get it properly set but looking at the images they just don't have the sharpness and clarity I have had up until now. This is using a Summicron 35mm ASPH v1.  I have not dropped the camera, banged it or anything that I would expect to cause a problem. 

Once thing I consistently hear from Leica service is the very long time it takes to get anything done. Does anyone have any solid recommendations in Southern California to get this check and adjusted correctly, and do so in a reasonable amount of time? 

 

Thanks in advance 

[jaeger]

2 questions.

did you try adjusting the hex screw behind the red dot logo?

is the focus patch aligned at infinity?

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by jaeger

[_Michael]

1 hour ago, jaeger said:

2 questions.

did you try adjusting the hex screw behind the red dot logo?

is the focus patch aligned at infinity?

 

 

Hello. No, I have not tried adjusting myself. I was not aware it was something I could do. 

And no, patch does not align at infinity. 

[jdlaing]

You could try Samy’s.
if you google it you’ll come across instructions that are quite easy.

[jaapv]

I had that once. It turned out a piece of fluff had worked itself into the bearing of the roller. I pulled it out with tweezers and the camera was well-adjusted again.

[Davidthefat]

Try Steve's Camera in Culver City. 

[_Michael]

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1 hour ago, jaapv said:

I had that once. It turned out a piece of fluff had worked itself into the bearing of the roller. I pulled it out with tweezers and the camera was well-adjusted again.

Was that in the area under the red dot?  Does that easily come off? 

[jaapv]

No. The roller on the RF arm in the mount.

[dkmoore]

17 hours ago, _Michael said:

I am feeling like something has gone wrong with my RF/focus system on my M262. I hadn't been shooting much, but yesterday I was able to get off a few frames. Much of that was wider view, landscapes/seascapes. I noticed that I could not get a sharp viewfinder focus at infinity.  Mid distances  I could get it properly set but looking at the images they just don't have the sharpness and clarity I have had up until now. This is using a Summicron 35mm ASPH v1.  I have not dropped the camera, banged it or anything that I would expect to cause a problem. 

Once thing I consistently hear from Leica service is the very long time it takes to get anything done. Does anyone have any solid recommendations in Southern California to get this check and adjusted correctly, and do so in a reasonable amount of time? 

 

Thanks in advance 

If JAAPVs recommendation doesn’t fix your issue, DAG is very fast and very reliable. I think shipping to and fro would be quick from Southern California. I think you’d be without your camera no more than 5-7 business days if you call ahead and ship over night. 

[_Michael]

7 hours ago, jaapv said:

No. The roller on the RF arm in the mount.

Thank you.  I’ve been looking at that, and everywhere else I can. I’m going to do some further testing because last night it seemed things were working a bit better. 

[_Michael]

1 hour ago, dkmoore said:

If JAAPVs recommendation doesn’t fix your issue, DAG is very fast and very reliable. I think shipping to and fro would be quick from Southern California. I think you’d be without your camera no more than 5-7 business days if you call ahead and ship over night. 

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look at that option if it comes to that. I found some instructions for the adjustment but it might be more than I am comfortable with until I have a better grasp of what to do 

[dkmoore]

38 minutes ago, _Michael said:

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look at that option if it comes to that. I found some instructions for the adjustment but it might be more than I am comfortable with until I have a better grasp of what to do 

Good luck. I think many L-forum members successfully adjust their rangefinders but I’m too chicken. 

[Jean-Michel]

Hi,

See this thread: 

In the thread, see Julian Thompson' s instructions, it even includes a photograph and diagram to explain how to adjust the rangefinder. 

My M-P was slightly off at infinity, and all it required was a minuscule amount of twisting the roller with a 2 mm hex key. The important thing is to make sure that you use an easy to use target at a really far distance. I went to parking lot overlooking a major highway with very tall light standards a few kilometres away. 10 minutes and i was done. With the M-P I used the EVF2 to help confirm my adjustment.

I have that thread bookmarked, and printed for future use should the need arise again.

To check focus at short and mid-distances, you can either buy a commercial target, or download this do-it yourself target from http://squit.co.uk/photo/downloads.html

You need to be careful and accurate making the target and stand, but it works wonderfully. I happen to have a mounting press, so I  mounted the printed targets onto 4 ply mounting boards and foam core for the stand.

It all works!

Jean-Michel

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by Jean-Michel
Typo

[mikeamosau]

I just had my MP240 re-calibrated and had the Leica Store LA send it to the NJ service center. It was back in two weeks and they cleaned and added new leather to the body too which was very nice. Based on that service, I sent them my 75mm Summicron as it was back focusing a little via the LA store again. Fixed and back again in just over two weeks. 

I've had VERY long wait times before from Leica NJ, but seems like the system has been updated. Online tracking system showing the progress, emails and phone call updates throughout the entire repair. I'm very happy! 

[_Michael]

46 minutes ago, mikeamosau said:

I just had my MP240 re-calibrated and had the Leica Store LA send it to the NJ service center. It was back in two weeks and they cleaned and added new leather to the body too which was very nice. Based on that service, I sent them my 75mm Summicron as it was back focusing a little via the LA store again. Fixed and back again in just over two weeks. 

I've had VERY long wait times before from Leica NJ, but seems like the system has been updated. Online tracking system showing the progress, emails and phone call updates throughout the entire repair. I'm very happy! 

This is encouraging to hear, thank you for sharing your experience. 

[_Michael]

2 hours ago, Jean-Michel said:

Hi,

See this thread: 

In the thread, see Julian Thompson' s instructions, it even includes a photograph and diagram to explain how to adjust the rangefinder. 

My M-P was slightly off at infinity, and all it required was a minuscule amount of twisting the roller with a 2 mm hex key. The important thing is to make sure that you use an easy to use target at a really far distance. I went to parking lot overlooking a major highway with very tall light standards a few kilometres away. 10 minutes and i was done. With the M-P I used the EVF2 to help confirm my adjustment.

I have that thread bookmarked, and printed for future use should the need arise again.

To check focus at short and mid-distances, you can either buy a commercial target, or download this do-it yourself target from http://squit.co.uk/photo/downloads.html

You need to be careful and accurate making the target and stand, but it works wonderfully. I happen to have a mounting press, so I  mounted the printed targets onto 4 ply mounting boards and foam core for the stand.

It all works!

Jean-Michel

 

I really appreciate the extensive reply.  I will look into this as time allows.  I did a couple more test frames this morning and it appears to be back-focusing some, but this was in an uncontrolled test. 

[jaeger]

14 hours ago, jaapv said:

No. The roller on the RF arm in the mount.

The roller arm is adjusting focus but not infinity, please don't confuse him.

[jaeger]

1 hour ago, _Michael said:

I really appreciate the extensive reply.  I will look into this as time allows.  I did a couple more test frames this morning and it appears to be back-focusing some, but this was in an uncontrolled test. 

Fixing back focus starts from infinity first.

Use a hair dryer to heat up the logo and pick it out carefully.  Use a hex key to fine tune the infinity. 

If the infinity fix, check if there is back focus.  if back focus still exist, read thru Jean-Michael's link.  After the back focus is fixed, don't forget to check the infinity again.  Some time it may take few back and forth to complete the adjustment.  First time is hard, it will only get easier and easier.

#261 post in "M9-coincidence at infinity" was updated by me.  The reason it's a curve because anything goes infinity must be power curve instead of a straight line. It probably takes you weeks to understand but once you do you can troubleshoot many issues.

[_Michael]

34 minutes ago, jaeger said:

Fixing back focus starts from infinity first.

Use a hair dryer to heat up the logo and pick it out carefully.  Use a hex key to fine tune the infinity. 

If the infinity fix, check if there is back focus.  if back focus still exist, read thru Jean-Michael's link.  After the back focus is fixed, don't forget to check the infinity again.  Some time it may take few back and forth to complete the adjustment.  First time is hard, it will only get easier and easier.

#261 post in "M9-coincidence at infinity" was updated by me.  The reason it's a curve because anything goes infinity must be power curve instead of a straight line. It probably takes you weeks to understand but once you do you can troubleshoot many issues.

Thank you for the simple clarification and steps. Even the little think like how to take off the logo...I picked at it a bit and stopped because  it wasn't budging.  Does it simple re-stick when putting it back together?

One thing I am going to do first is check with another lens and try to validate it is the body and not the lens. This is issue is with the 35mm 'cron.  I also have a 50 and will check it. 

 

Cheers

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[Jean-Michel]

My understanding is that the adjustment screw behind the logo at the front, or the front screw on logo loess bodies, is to adjust the VERTICAL alignment of the rangefinder only – nothing to do with the focus range. Infinity and all are adjusted with the arm and roller. 

The adjustment of the roller that I did corrected the infinity only on my M-P and happily the close and medium distances accuracy remained untouched, maybe even improved.

This youtube video show how to do the vertical alignment on a film body. I've never had any issues with vertical alignment on any camera, so I have no direct experience of that job.