Anybody knows what this may be? (Leica M5)

[Roger Vorbeck]

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Hello everybody,

I currently have a Leica M2 and now I've been looking into the M5. I stumbled upon one for sale in my country, but I noticed in its photos that this particular camera has a strange metal part/piece in the front of the camera, right bellow the shutter speed selector. 

I asked the seller about it but he said he bought it like that and has no clue about what it is, he said he thinks it may be a support of some sort.

I really don't know, but maybe it is something adapted there to prevent the user to change the shutter speed by accident? Just wondering about it.

Apart from that, the camera is said to be working completlely fine.

Has anyone ever seen something like this?  

Any guesses are welcome.

Thanks in advance!

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[andybarton]

Do you have any more photographs? Of the top plate perhaps?

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[Roger Vorbeck]

@andybarton 

Here is another photo showing the top plate! 

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[Paulus]

Never saw anything like it. I'm curious too..

 

[andybarton]

I wonder if it's some sort of homemade protection to stop accidentally rotating the speed dial.

[dsj]

It certainly looks like a bit of a DIY job. I sincerely doubt that it left the factory this way. A previous owner might have been worried that the wheel might get knocked out of shape. I think it should certainly affect the value, negatively. 

Thank you for sharing this, it is definitely interesting to see. 

 

[plaidshirts]

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The placement of the tab suggests the owner had a particular way of putting it in the bag perhaps. Otherwise, I'd think there should one on the inside of the dial as well.

When I used to own an M5, I didn't think the SS dial moved that freely. Maybe this one is on the loose side?

I would certainly ask a lot of questions before purchasing it.

Edited April 12, 2021 by plaidshirts

[pgk]

Top view certainly suggests that it is a 'guard' to stop the shutter dial rotating. One comment though; whoever had this modification carrid out spent some effort (and probably money) doing so. This would perhaps suggest an appreciated and well looked after camera to me.

[250swb]

I think it's a well thought out adaptation, possibly made on behalf of a professional photographer who didn't want to risk the dial turning accidentally. The rest of the camera looks used but not abused and I go along with pgk, it suggests a camera where the owner identified a problem and had it fixed because he/she liked using it.