M11 Bright-Line?

[Theron]

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Does anyone know why the Bright-line in the view finder does not light up on all the Leica lenses?  My 50 1.2 looks like some one turned on the headlights and the 90 2.5 looks grayed out?  Thanks for any response. Theron

[adan]

I do not know exactly why this happens - but it sometimes happens with my M10 as well, so it is not just an M11 effect.

The lines that you see in the viewfinder are simply holes or slits cut in a piece of black sheet metal (a mask or stencil). They do not glow of their own accord, but are backlit by a separate LED behind them.

In other words, they work like a jack o'lantern - holes lit up by a candle behind them.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-to-keep-your-jack-olantern-looking-dapper-longer-89924662/

The brightness of the LED (the candle, more or less) can be brighter or dimmer as adjusted automatically by the camera, to balance with the scene brightness it detects in front of the camera (little round sensor on the front up near the hot shoe). Less bright with a darker scene, brighter for a brighter scene.

It may be a case of the camera making a mistake in sensing the scene brightness (what you are pointing the camera at). I think this is the most likely reason.

Or it may have to do with the geometry of how the LED light shines through the slits for different fields of view. Just as the jack o'lantern's mouth is dimmer than its eyes.

Or possibly both.

Edited June 30, 2022 by adan

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[hmzimelka]

8 hours ago, Theron said:

Does anyone know why the Bright-line in the view finder does not light up on all the Leica lenses?  My 50 1.2 looks like some one turned on the headlights and the 90 2.5 looks grayed out?  Thanks for any response. Theron

It could be the frame line indicator doesn't properly engage and overly the viewfinder mask sufficiently. I've had this on my M10M and M11 in the beginning. It presented itself either as dim frame lines or dim lines of two sets of frame lines.

Moving the lens a bit back and forth on the mount, with the lens release button depressed. This helps exercise the frame lever a little.

I've done this and the problem hasn't come back. I suppose it can be done manually by depressing the little metal arm in the camera. It can be quite stiff, so be careful and use soft tools like a nylon spudger or something. 

Hope its as simple as that...

Edited June 30, 2022 by hmzimelka

[lct]

You may wish to clean the little window # 9 here, then switch camera off and on and see what happens.

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!

[mirekti]

On 6/30/2022 at 7:50 AM, lct said:

You may wish to clean the little window # 9 here, then switch camera off and on and see what happens.

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!

I would hope Leica will come out with a FW upgrade which would allow user to choose whether the frame lines are lit Auto (using sensor in 9) or Max (let is shine).

[Photoworks]

15 hours ago, mirekti said:

I would hope Leica will come out with a FW upgrade which would allow user to choose whether the frame lines are lit Auto (using sensor in 9) or Max (let is shine).

oh yeah it is coming , they just have not found a way to do that on a mechanical optical part. Just wait a few years.

[mirekti]

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47 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

oh yeah it is coming , they just have not found a way to do that on a mechanical optical part. Just wait a few years.

Not sure what you're trying to say.

[Photoworks]

3 hours ago, mirekti said:

Not sure what you're trying to say.

sorry just humor.

[Guest]

On 6/29/2022 at 6:51 PM, Theron said:

Does anyone know why the Bright-line in the view finder does not light up on all the Leica lenses?  My 50 1.2 looks like some one turned on the headlights and the 90 2.5 looks grayed out?  Thanks for any response. Theron

I had this same issue with my M11 (purchased in April); had it fixed in July as a warranty repair by paying the good folks in Wetzlar a visit (took them 5 hours, including lunch break)