Thinking about buying the vertical alignment rangefinder tool for my MP; am I crazy?

[28framelines]

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I’m just getting tired of having to worry about the rangefinder going out of alignment. I know my vertical alignment is off, but I got this camera new 2 years ago, the horizontal alignment was off when it was new, got it serviced immediately, and now the vertical alignment is off. This camera sits in my Billingham bag when not in use, so I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong to take care of it. At this point, I’d rather just learn how to adjust this stuff myself, because I can’t throw $200 CAD at the problem every time it goes off. Before I do this though, am I crazy? It doesn’t look to be too difficult if I’m careful. I know that you don’t want to bend the focusing arm when doing the horizontal alignment, but with this, can anything go “really wrong”?

[JoshuaR]

I'm curious about this, too. My MP rangefinder also needs vertical adjustment—and so I just ordered the knock-off tool from Mr Zhou, on eBay, in hopes of doing it myself. I've previously done the vertical adjustment on an M10 and found it to be totally painless. I'm hoping that the same is true for the MP.

[28framelines]

5 minutes ago, JoshuaRothman said:

I'm curious about this, too. My MP rangefinder also needs vertical adjustment—and so I just ordered the knock-off tool from Mr Zhou, on eBay, in hopes of doing it myself. I've previously done the vertical adjustment on an M10 and found it to be totally painless. I'm hoping that the same is true for the MP.

That’s the tool I was going to purchase! Let me know how it goes; if so, can you give maybe a “screenshot” walk through afterwards (feel free to add full disclosures like “this is what I did, if you break your camera don’t blame me” if that helps). I mostly want to learn how to do basic maintenance on my cameras, and this would be a good starting point

[JoshuaR]

Will do it as soon as the tool arrives!

[Huss]

I also bought that tool, in the advent that I will need it.

One way to lessen RF drift is to mount and dismount your lenses with them set to min focus distance.

[28framelines]

38 minutes ago, Huss said:

I also bought that tool, in the advent that I will need it.

One way to lessen RF drift is to mount and dismount your lenses with them set to min focus distance.

Wait, how does this work?

[Huss]

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5 hours ago, 28framelines said:

Wait, how does this work?

When you set your lens to min focus distance, the rf ramp on it is at it's most recessed position in the lens.  So when you attach it to your camera, the contact with the rf feeler thingy (the technical term) is at a minimum.  The idea here is if you change lenses a lot, this reduces the chances for the rf to drift because the rf feeler is not repeatedly boinked around (again the technical term).

Does it work?  I don't know yet but there is no harm in trying this especially since one of my favorite cameras (M7) does seem to be plagued by rf drift.  Time will tell if this works or is just BS.

[Mikep996]

I've had/used 7 different Leica Ms over the years and the only one that had an RF alignment issue was my first digital Leica, an M10 I bought on Ebay a few years ago when I decided to 'check out' Leica digital after abandoning Leica for (digital) Nikon in the early '00s  But I performed the RF alignment with no 'special' tools per instructions - I think on this site but don't remember -  and it's been accurate ever since.    I'm not saying anything against having whatever specific tools are recommended - that's always better.  But it's not a difficult procedure.

It seems odd to me that this is a fairly often-discussed issue.  In the film days we knocked all over the world with M's...from the poles to the jungles and I don't recall any problems with Leica durability/functionality...quite the opposite, actually.  Not sure what has changed. 🧐

 

 

Edited June 16, 2023 by Mikep996

[TomB_tx]

Vertical alignment design changed a few times on M models. Originally only a small screwdriver was needed to turn an eccentric screw head. (DAG’s site shows examples of how people damaged these screw heads trying DIY alignment.) By the M6 the design changed to a special tool to move a sliding plate to adjust. This design seemed more likely to drift. The M10 changed again so no special tool is needed. I think it may now use an Allen wrench - so more like the original design, but without the slotted head to get damaged by careless efforts.

I agree that drift was rare in the past. I’ve used Ms since 1968 and among M2,3,4,5,6 never needed adjustment (except after a poorly done CLA on my M4). However my M9 once needed both horizontal and vertical. This was after trying to mount a dual-range that likely knocked the roller arm. I agree mounting lenses a minimum focus isn’t a bad idea.

Edited June 16, 2023 by TomB_tx

[JoshuaR]

Okay, bumping this thread. I've bought the little metal tool from eBay. I've got the tiny screw off the front of my MP. What I can't seem to do is make the tool actually do anything inside the camera.

The tool is like a screwdriver with a slightly offset bit. When I put the tool into the hole, I make contact with a metal piece. If I push the tool in, I can see the rangefinder patch move upwards, vertically. But the bit of the tool doesn't seem to be engaging with anything in particular.

Is there a hole that the bit is supposed to go into? Where is it, relative to the hole on the outside of the camera? Am I supposed to turn the tool, and in which direction? And should I be pushing the tool inward? Any advice would be appreciated!

[TomB_tx]

Don't push on it, but a small amount wont hurt. The tool is an eccentric adjuster. with the post in the hole rotating it should move the outer plate up and down a bit to adjust. Easier to see with the top cover off, but not needed for adjustment. Here's someone trying to adjust - but sometimes the plate are "glued" together and it may take a small drop of naphtha to loosen the bond. Adjust, and when the naphtha evaporates it should bond the plate in place. Looks like he needs some naphtha in this video. I think the cameras that go out of vertical could use a drop of lacquer to hold the plate in place.

 

[Surge]

How do you check if the alignment is off in the first place, just look through the viewfinder and check that the focus patch is aligned?

[Topsy]

11 hours ago, Surge said:

How do you check if the alignment is off in the first place, just look through the viewfinder and check that the focus patch is aligned?

I had VA issuse after I dropped my tripod onto one of my M9s and it dented the top plate (I know the mechanism access is different on the MP, I have one also).

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It was easy to see the VA was out of allignment, I just focussed on a horizontal telephone wire with the camera in portrait orientation then turned the camera to landscape orientation and saw 2 telephone lines.

BTW I looked at the tools and videos for fixing the issue then made one from an old screwdriver and reset the VA. It is a bit trial and error but not at all difficuld, that said the access hole on the M9 is bigger than that on the MP, more like the one in the video posted by @TomB_tx

P.S. The M9 is fine now.