ToddSch Posted July 26, 2020 Share #1 Posted July 26, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello, I just received an M2 that was purchased off of ebay and I now have some concerns. It was not necessarily an overly amazing deal, unless upon receipt it had been as the seller described which was "VF is crystal clear, accept for a few dust spots that can be blown away".The body is in great shape (near mint), focus is on point and mechanically the camera is beautiful, but the viewfinder has "spots" inside the RF window. Is this fungus and should I be concerned? I do not notice any haze, and focus is not impacted. Infact, while focusing I do not notice the spots, only when shooting with the sun low and to the side did I notice any degradation. The attachment contains four images. One through the VF where you can see some larger black spots, two through the VF where the image looks pretty clear, then the last image is from the front. The light is overall soft on this image which enhances the "spot" effect. Any advise or thoughts would be appreciated. thanks Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/311784-is-this-fungus-should-i-be-concerned-that-this-will-get-worse/?do=findComment&comment=4016296'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 26, 2020 Posted July 26, 2020 Hi ToddSch, Take a look here Is this fungus? Should I be concerned that this will get worse?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Aryel Posted July 28, 2020 Share #2 Posted July 28, 2020 Hello, I think you will get more replies if you post this to the Leica M film section of the forum... Sorry, I cannot help more than this. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yaakov Posted July 28, 2020 Share #3 Posted July 28, 2020 6 hours ago, Aryel said: Hello, I think you will get more replies if you post this to the Leica M film section of the forum... Sorry, I cannot help more than this. This is the Leica M film section Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrogallol Posted July 28, 2020 Share #4 Posted July 28, 2020 It looks as if the view/rangefinder does need cleaning. But if everything else is working ok it can probably wait until the camera needs a general service, which might be years, if you don’t find it distracting when using it. That’s something you have to put up with when buying off e bay, something that is not quite as good as you hoped, but not bad enough to send it back. I recently bought a lens that was described as having a “tiny” bit of fungus, it was a lot more than that. I managed to clean off the worst of it and will put up with what’s left as it was cheaper than other copies of the same lens, a Voigtlander not a Leica, not to say that I haven’t got some older Leica lenses with fungus and haze. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yaakov Posted July 28, 2020 Share #5 Posted July 28, 2020 To my eye the marks in the front part of the finder look more like scratches made by sand or something like that, it does not look like haze or fungus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddSch Posted July 28, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted July 28, 2020 Thanks everyone for your replies, much appreciated. I will repost to the the M Film section. @Pyrogallol that is the boat I am in. It does not really bother me as I look through the viewfinder, but was concerned if it was a fungus and having it spread throughout the camera. @Yaakov it does look like that, but the scratches are indie the VF, so not sure what it is. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddSch Posted July 28, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted July 28, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello, I just received an M2 that was purchased off of ebay and I now have some concerns. It was not necessarily an overly amazing deal, unless upon receipt it had been as the seller described which was "VF is crystal clear, accept for a few dust spots that can be blown away".The body is in great shape (near mint), focus is on point and mechanically the camera is beautiful, but the viewfinder has "spots" inside the RF window. Is this fungus and should I be concerned? I do not notice any haze, and focus is not impacted. Infact, while focusing I do not notice the spots, only when shooting with the sun low and to the side did I notice any degradation (minimal). The attachment contains four images. One through the VF where you can see some larger black spots, two through the VF where the image looks pretty clear, then the last image is from the front. The light is overall soft on this image which enhances the "spot" effect. Any advise or thoughts would be appreciated. thanks Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/311784-is-this-fungus-should-i-be-concerned-that-this-will-get-worse/?do=findComment&comment=4017210'>More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted July 28, 2020 Share #8 Posted July 28, 2020 Doesn’t look like fungus, and fungus isn’t much of a worry anyway, unless it has been long in place and has etched the glass. I’ve never seen it come back once cleaned, and I don’t hesitate to buy a lens I want even if fungus is noted - it reduces the price, and I’d have a CLA done anyway. These cameras and lenses were designed to be serviceable. Most old cameras and lenses benefit from a proper CLA, which has always eliminated such problems I’ve had. If it were mine I’d send it to Youxin Ye for cleaning. He recently went through an M3 I’ve used for years with a dim and dirty VF, and it’s like new now. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reini Posted July 28, 2020 Share #9 Posted July 28, 2020 It looks like dust and haze. Do you have a better close-up of the viewfinder? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizard Posted July 28, 2020 Share #10 Posted July 28, 2020 Doesn't look like fungus to me either. Fungus in cameras and on lenses is usually not black. I think it is dust and whatever other particles that have deposited in the viewfinder over the years. Once cleaned it should be perfect again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted July 28, 2020 Share #11 Posted July 28, 2020 I agree with all the above. But I'd always budget in for a CLA when buying an old M camera. Have it CLA'd and it should give you decades of service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddSch Posted July 29, 2020 Author Share #12 Posted July 29, 2020 Much appreciated! thank you all for your input. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommonego@gmail.com Posted July 29, 2020 Share #13 Posted July 29, 2020 (edited) Yes looks like dust in the viewfinder, not fungus, if it wasn't a great deal send it back, or if you want to get a CLA it is going to be $200 and up depending if they find any problems. Ask for an estimate. I received a 105 f2.8 micro Nikkor that was a great deal, BUT it had fungus. Had it CLA'd it is now a fantastic lens on my CL. The total cost was more than what another used one would cost. I am confident with the results. Edited July 29, 2020 by tommonego@gmail.com Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M9reno Posted July 30, 2020 Share #14 Posted July 30, 2020 There looks to be considerable haze or moisture ingress in the viewfinder. viewed from the eyepiece. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erato Posted July 30, 2020 Share #15 Posted July 30, 2020 Get a 5x loupe then you'll get a good understanding of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted July 30, 2020 Share #16 Posted July 30, 2020 (edited) If the 'stuff' is merely on the surface(s) of the eyepiece and front glass then - if you are handy with a few basic tools - you could simply remove the top-plate and clean them out yourself. Even if you take your time and are very methodical you sould find it to be only around a 30 min job start to finish. I can't find the clip I used as my basis but this one shows how it's done. I didn't have the circular clamp tools (don't know the right term!) but found careful use of a pair of needle-nosed pliers was perfectly fine for the task in hand; just be sure to protect the surfaces of the camera. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=leica+m2+top-plate+removal#kpvalbx=_Co0iX-2iI6uBjLsPko-X8Ac23 Philip. Edited July 30, 2020 by pippy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erato Posted July 30, 2020 Share #17 Posted July 30, 2020 I'd suggest that the best way to deal with it would be professional camera repair shop services. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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