M mount very tight, difficult to turn lens

[craigr]

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I have just acquired a very nice new-to-me M2. Although recently serviced, it exhibits one problem.  The lens mount is VERY tight, making mounting and removal of lenses extremely difficult. This applies to all the lenses I've tried, so it is definitely the camera that's the culprit. My other M bodies function smoothly, so it know how the operation's supposed to feel. Is there any way to adjust the tightness of the mount? 

 

Thanks,

Craig in DC

[lct]

Happened to me with an M3. Only solution i know of is to get it serviced by Leica which can be expensive as you know. I would return the camera if it is not too late. And do not believe people stating that this is normal. It is not at all. 

[TomB_tx]

I have a 1955 M3 that is so tight it causes slight focus binding on some lenses, and this is after a CLA. Must be tension on the locking lugs trying to "stretch" the mount. I improved it by loosening the mount screws and re-tightening, so part of it may be alignment of the mount & leaf spring behind it. I've meant to investigate further, but haven't had the time, and this is a "spare" M3 anyway. This camera was from an older friend along with a few ltm models, and he always used a 1939 Summarit on it with an M adapter. That also fit VERY tight before the CLA.

[105012]

One possible reason is that the mount is out of alignment, for example from the camera being dropped. This can be repaired, but if possible return and get one without this issue...

[craigr]

This evening I consulted one of our most trusted Leica technicians about this tight mount anomaly. He said in his experience some M3 and M2 examples exhibited this as a result of factory hand assembling and testing of parts "within tolerance".  Some time ago one of his local customers came to him with an identical complaint about his early M model. Our tech then fitted a number of different mounting flanges until one was found yielding the desired ease of lens changing. The customer subsequently returned with the report that his photos were not as sharp as they had been originally. Replacing the factory installed flange - tight as it might have been - changed the focal plane to lens distance just enough to cause a focusing problem.

He advised me to leave the camera alone.