Leica MP focusing patch microplay

[nikrasov]

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I recently bought a new Leica MP and see that when focusing to infinity, the images in the rangefinder patch converges into one. But if you press the lens a little from bottom to top or from top to bottom, then the images in the rangefinder patch begin to move left and right, depending on the direction of pressing. The lens is used Summilux-M 50mm f1.4.
On the Leica M10-P, I do not observe such a manifestation.
Can someone check on their camera to find out if this microplay is normal or not?
Thank you!

[28framelines]

Sounds like microplay on the lens mount. If you press the lens up, hypothetically it’s slightly shifting the focus arm that couples to your lens, which would then move the rangefinder patch (which sounds like it’s working normally). If the lens is able to move around on the mount, I don’t know how much play is acceptable but there shouldn’t be much. If you really have to press it to make it happen, I think you’re overthinking and you should just take it out and take photos. If it’s like some other guy, where his new M-A has lens movement (recent post in this sun category), I’d say that’s worth getting looked at. To me though, it doesn’t sound like there’s an issue with the rangefinder mechanism; if anything, it’s the mount itself.

[nikrasov]

Thanks for the answer!

I am asking someone try same experiment on a film camera (mostly on MP or M-A) to know if it's normal or not.

Bug or a feature

[250swb]

I have numerous Leica M cameras, mostly but not exclusively film cameras, and including an MP, and there is not datum point for how tight the lens mounts onto the body flange, they are all different except to say my M10 mount is tighter than all the others. If it was me and I had a genuine doubt I'd take a screwdriver and check all the screws were tight on the lens flange and the body flange, otherwise if it doesn't affect the photos consider it either a feature if you can live with it, or send it back to Leica if it annoys you.

[TomB_tx]

2 hours ago, 250swb said:

I have numerous Leica M cameras, mostly but not exclusively film cameras, and including an MP, and there is not datum point for how tight the lens mounts onto the body flange, they are all different except to say my M10 mount is tighter than all the others. If it was me and I had a genuine doubt I'd take a screwdriver and check all the screws were tight on the lens flange and the body flange, otherwise if it doesn't affect the photos consider it either a feature if you can live with it, or send it back to Leica if it annoys you.

I agree - I have 6 Leica film cameras (M2 to M6), and there's a fair amount of variation on the tightness of the lens mounts - so tolerance may have fair variation from the factory. I don't see differences in photographic results, so it doesn't concern me...

[nikrasov]

Hello!

Looks like I figured it out.  It turned out that the problem only occurs with the Summilux-50 lens.  And both on the MP and on the M10-P.  Everything is fine with Summilux-35.
Probably due to the imperfect matching of the camera mount and lens, the lens is pressed down by springs that are squeezed out when I press the lens.

In general, everything is fine 😀