Strange structure in M3 Viewfinder - Fungus?

[analog_photo_pag]

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Hello all,

Today I discovered something Strange in the Viewfinder of my M3, it looks like a net or lightning bolts, beginning from a small Black point. I do not know if it has been there for long or how long, as it is only visible against very bright light... But I am quite worried, as it does resemble what I know as lens fungus. Is it possible to have something like this in the Finder? What else could it be? How Bad is it, and what could I do?

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[jaapv]

The inside is coated glass so fungus is not unheard of. This might well be the case here. The good news is that it looks quite possible to clean it out. Take the camera to a reputable repair shop. 

[wizard]

This does not look like it's on the inside of the viewfinder glass. Rather, I suspect it may be some sort of Canada balsam separation in one of the finder's parts. I had a similar looking problem, and Leica exchanged an inner part of the viewfinder, whereupon the finder was like new.

[analog_photo_pag]

vor 2 Minuten schrieb wizard:

This does not look like it's on the inside of the viewfinder glass. Rather, I suspect it may be some sort of Canada balsam separation in one of the finder's parts. I had a similar looking problem, and Leica exchanged an inner part of the viewfinder, whereupon the finder was like new.

Thanks for your reply! So did you take it to the official Leica Service? May I ask when this was? I have heard somewhere that Leica exchanges the M3 VF for MP VFs, and that it's quite expensive... Was it a repair in Wetzlar, or somewhere else?

[M9reno]

Any tech competent in opening up the viewfinder will be able to clean this.  Wetzlar / Leica Service is overkill and would probably yield less good results than other options easily found by looking in the tech contacts sticky thread in this forum.

[wizard]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb analog_photo_pag:

So did you take it to the official Leica Service? May I ask when this was? I have heard somewhere that Leica exchanges the M3 VF for MP VFs, and that it's quite expensive... Was it a repair in Wetzlar, or somewhere else?

Yes, I did. That was 8 - 10 years ago, so you are correct in that Leica may no longer have those parts. But Leica also remanufacture certain parts for older models, so it is worth a try. My repair was done at Leica in Solms/Germany (the Wetzlar site did not yet exist back then).

vor 48 Minuten schrieb M9reno:

Any tech competent in opening up the viewfinder will be able to clean this.

If the issue can be fixed by cleaning, then you are correct. I doubt, however, that this issue may be resolved by a simple cleaning job.

[Huss]

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Fungus.  Just get it cleaned.

[250swb]

My guess the start of delamination. OK the tendrils are here but the fuzziness around them isn't there.

[Huss]

I've had delamination - it looks like tear drops.  This is exactly what fungus looks like.