Broken Glass In-between M3 Viewfinder Glass and Metal Ring...

[Brancbūth]

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...which has been there since I bought the camera (about a year ago, I guess). I've wondered why it was there. The camera has been off for service twice-- once for a CLA, and once again a few months later for a deteriorating shutter curtain. I'd forgotten to mention the glass both times, but it was never addressed by the repairperson, so I assume it's not an issue. I thought I'd ask here.

Any ideas? I stumbled upon a diagram of the rangefinder/viewfinder assembly (which probably isn't comprehensive), and didn't see any clues, so I looked at the service manual and only see a single "eye lens," so I'm a bit lost.

Any help is appreciated.

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[250swb]

Chips in the edges of the viewfinder glass?

I don't know if the M3 eyepiece is sealed for life or if you can get the glass out, but if you can get the glass out paint around the edge in black.

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[105012]

Before 854 001, this was made up of 4 separate part numbers, from that serial number a single part number was used. In the earlier ones, it was referred to as an eye lens “spun in”. So if yours is an earlier one you may be able to have just that replaced, otherwise I guess it would be a case of having just the eye lens made or the whole part replaced.

[Brancbūth]

6 hours ago, 250swb said:

Chips in the edges of the viewfinder glass?

I don't know if the M3 eyepiece is sealed for life or if you can get the glass out, but if you can get the glass out paint around the edge in black.

That was my initial thought, but this looks to be a totally separate later of glass, like there is a metal lip separating two different glass "sheets." I though about picking the glass out, but I don't trust myself with steadiness. With my luck, I'd end up slipping and scratching the intact glass.

3 hours ago, 105012 said:

Before 854 001, this was made up of 4 separate part numbers, from that serial number a single part number was used. In the earlier ones, it was referred to as an eye lens “spun in”. So if yours is an earlier one you may be able to have just that replaced, otherwise I guess it would be a case of having just the eye lens made or the whole part replaced.

This is a post-1,xxx,xxx M3, unfortunately (beneficial in most ways, but obviously there are some exceptions). I'll probably end up reaching out to another repairperson to inquire as to whether this can be easily remedied. I initially thought that the broken glass was the remnant of some diopter or something, but it seems not. I'm am growing increasingly frustrated that this (along with the severely worn shutter curtain) was not noticed or mentioned by the original repairperson. I understand that neither of these issues would have been covered as part of a CLA, but its concerning that they were apparently altogether missed.

Edited November 8, 2021 by Brancbūth

[250swb]

I'm sure one would turn up on eBay sooner or later, then all you need is the wrench (also from eBay) to remove the old and fit the new. Or email DAG to see if they have one to sell you.

[Herr Barnack]

I would expect that someone like Don Goldberg or Sherry Krauter could replace that for you, provided they can lay hands on replacement parts.

 

[Brancbūth]

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23 hours ago, Herr Barnack said:

I would expect that someone like Don Goldberg or Sherry Krauter could replace that for you, provided they can lay hands on replacement parts.

 

I actually reached out to a repair person a few months back and forgot to update here. According to them, all parts are there. I don't know why a remnant would have remained there, but the repair person said that the viewfinder glass is "good and intact," and that "someone may have put a piece of glass in the threaded ring in the past, and the glass was broken." 

Apparently there is nothing to fix.

[jerzy]

vor 17 Stunden schrieb Brancbūth:

Apparently there is nothing to fix

very unusual.... as 105012 mentioned above consutruction of eyepiece/viewfinder change with 854000. Below there was a lens screwed on directly on viewfinder assy (and eypiece was just a black, empty ring), later the lens became part of eyepiece. And this is not plain glas, it is a lens. Without it you will nor see sharp. Your M3 is above 1Mio, so the lens shall be in eyepiece and not viewfinder. Because the lens is missing in your camera and you see everything sharp it means that possibly the viewfinder in your camera was replaced with the older one (lens mounted on viewfinder directly). But whatever, the main point is that camera works fine for you. Btw - do you see the notches on top and bottom of the rangefinder patch? This came as well with modified rangefinder from 854000 (however some of older rangefinders have been added this fetaure)

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Edited February 23, 2022 by jerzy

[Brancbūth]

11 hours ago, jerzy said:

very unusual.... as 105012 mentioned above consutruction of eyepiece/viewfinder change with 854000. Below there was a lens screwed on directly on viewfinder assy (and eypiece was just a black, empty ring), later the lens became part of eyepiece. And this is not plain glas, it is a lens. Without it you will nor see sharp. Your M3 is above 1Mio, so the lens shall be in eyepiece and not viewfinder. Because the lens is missing in your camera and you see everything sharp it means that possibly the viewfinder in your camera was replaced with the older one (lens mounted on viewfinder directly). But whatever, the main point is that camera works fine for you. Btw - do you see the notches on top and bottom of the rangefinder patch? This came as well with modified rangefinder from 854000 (however some of older rangefinders have been added this fetaure)

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Thanks for this information. I wonder why someone would have retrograded the viewfinder. I suppose it was just a matter of which parts were available at that particular time. I will take a look at my rangefinder patch when I get home.

[Brancbūth]

13 hours ago, jerzy said:

. Btw - do you see the notches on top and bottom of the rangefinder patch? This came as well with modified rangefinder from 854000 (however some of older rangefinders have been added this fetaure)

Yeah, it appears that my rangefinder patch does have the notches, for what that’s worth.

 

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