M10 Rangefinder calibration

[stump4545]

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With the m10, m10 r, monochrom, do these newer models ever need to be sent back to Leica for Rangfinder calibration with your lens kit?

I know in the m8/m9 days,  people would send there rangefinder with their lenses to have everything calibrated together.

In 2020, does one need to do this at all or only if there is a noticed issue like front focusing or back focusing?

Should this be done every couple of years to make sure your m body and m lenses are in sync?

'thank you

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[jdlaing]

30 minutes ago, stump4545 said:

With the m10, m10 r, monochrom, do these newer models ever need to be sent back to Leica for Rangfinder calibration with your lens kit?

I know in the m8/m9 days,  people would send there rangefinder with their lenses to have everything calibrated together.

In 2020, does one need to do this at all or only if there is a noticed issue like front focusing or back focusing?

Should this be done every couple of years to make sure your m body and m lenses are in sync?

'thank you

It doesn’t quite work that way. Lenses and bodies are calibrated by Leica to a standard but separately. In other words the lens is calibrated and the body is calibrated but not to each other.

[Jeff S]

No need to send anything in if no problems are apparent. Live view provides the opportunity to compare what the sensor is actually ‘seeing’ to RF focus, ideally using multiple lenses and varying distances, to isolate any RF vs lens calibration issues.  Of course one needs to use proper tripod and target setup. 
 

Leica Service often recommends sending gear together, but only to eliminate customer guesswork and to avoid the need for multiple back and forth dealings. As noted, bodies and lenses are calibrated independently as the standard practice.  

Jeff

Edited December 28, 2020 by Jeff S

[TomB_tx]

The above answers are correct, especially now that Leica has implemented new methods that are more precise and repeatable.

Any adjustment has some tolerance, and it's quite possible that with their old methods a body RF calibration could be towards one end of tolerance, and a lens calibration at the opposite end of tolerance. Thus while both met "factory specs" the combination - especially with a digital sensor and a lens like the 0.95 Noctilux with almost no DOF - might not be optimal. So sending both would let a technician see if the "match" required finer adjustment.

I understand Leica developed expensive new equipment and methods to make both calibrations more accurate (and likely less dependent on the individual technician's skill), so checking both together is not now recommended. However, there's still a chance that if only one is re-calibrated the other might not meet the new, tighter adjustment spec either.

That said, in my 50+ years of owning & using Leica M cameras and lenses I've only had one body (M9) drift out of RF calibration (once). I have had a an issue with RF mis-calibration when a camera had a full service (CLA) by a (non factory) Leica tech - but that was obvious when I received the camera back, as both vertical and horizontal RF alignment was off a bit. On a retry it came back the same with the tech insisting it met factory specs - so I instead sent it to DAG who got it perfect. However, I should admit I've avoided fast exotic glass with no DOF, so my use may not be as critical as some.

I had one lens lose calibration when dropped and an element shifted (also causing other optical effects), and a few lenses that were mal-adjusted from the factory, but otherwise no lenses drift out of RF cal.

Overall I've had more issues with SLR camera focus issues (mirror & screen changes) that with Leica RF cameras.

Live View - direct image from sensor - has much less opportunity for focus errors, if the EVF gives good evaluation of sharpness - but I still find electronic "in-focus" signals to be less precise than needed.

[pedaes]

17 hours ago, stump4545 said:

With the m10,

Agree with all above, and would add that when Leica revised the rangefinder mechanism for the M10 one of the stated benefits was it was more robust and would stay in adjustment better than previous versions.

In any event in the past the  rangefinder would only go out of adjustment if the camera took a significant knock.

Edited December 28, 2020 by pedaes

[dkmoore]

My M10R has already needed to be adjusted. My M10M has been perfect for almost a year now.  Knock on wood.

I had an M10P that had an issue with the roller cam assembly and was actually replaced altogether by Leica. 
 

I do think the M10 variants are much improved but still not close to perfect, which is THE only thing I hate about Leica M. 
 

I would only send in if you notice an issue with out of focus images and you’ve taken steps to ensure it isn’t user error.  (Like many others have said). 

[jaapv]

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22 hours ago, stump4545 said:

With the m10, m10 r, monochrom, do these newer models ever need to be sent back to Leica for Rangfinder calibration with your lens kit?

I know in the m8/m9 days,  people would send there rangefinder with their lenses to have everything calibrated together.

In 2020, does one need to do this at all or only if there is a noticed issue like front focusing or back focusing?

Should this be done every couple of years to make sure your m body and m lenses are in sync?

'thank you

Only if you notice an issue.