Shtter reliability of Leicaflex SL2

[Farid]

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Among almost all of the mechanically controlled shutters in 35mm SLR's, the SL2 shutters are capable to handle intermittent speeds between the marked speeds on shutter dial. This feature is unique and I haven't heard if any other mechanical SLR was equipped with such system.

 

Normally each company has its own design philosophy and if such company wants to cooperate with others to develop some parts of a common product it certainly would use its own experiences and knowledge to do so.

 

If we accept Minolta designed the shutter system of the SL2 (or probably SL) it would be reasonable to expect similar characteristics in Minolats's own SLR's of those years. Were Minolta SLR's of that time equipped with such feature? Has shutter inconsistency problem in Minolta's own SLR's of those years been ever reported?

 

 

Simon8202 wrote:

well I had a very nice SL which had exactly the fault you talk about even after a CLA. If you cocked the shutter and left the camera for more than a couple of hours the next picture would be horribly overexposed (ie the shutter opened but didn't close for many seconds) Like I say, this persisted after a CLA but I got used to working around it. I've always assumed that my SL must have had an SL2 shutter. That, or the problem can affect either model.

 

So far I have only heard about high shutter speeds unreliability of SL2's not SL's. You are the first person who has reported such issue with SL as well. Moreover, it is said that the problem in SL2 demonstrate itself with severely underexposed shots while you claim your SL develops overexposed shots with high shutter speeds. Don't you think your SL has other failure than this?

 

Robsteve wrote:

The later SL2 had this error fixed. Gerry Smith at Kindemann said it had something to do with a spring that was redesigned in later cameras. He also tested mine during the CLA and found it to have the problem.

 

I think it only involved 1/2000th of a second, but I may be wrong. It is just something you have to live with if your camera has the older shutter.

 

Robert, do you know from which serial number of SL2's and thereafter the flaw was fixed by leica?

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[gyoung]

well I had a very nice SL which had exactly the fault you talk about even after a CLA. If you cocked the shutter and left the camera for more than a couple of hours the next picture would be horribly overexposed (ie the shutter opened but didn't close for many seconds) Like I say, this persisted after a CLA but I got used to working around it. I've always assumed that my SL must have had an SL2 shutter. That, or the problem can affect either model.

 

I had a similar problem to a lesser degree with my M3, if left cocked for a while the first shot would be about 1 stop over exposed. If you listened carefully you could hear the shutter was running more slowly than usual.

The eventual diagnosis (by Malcolm Taylor after two other repairers had failed) was that one of the 30 year old shutter curtains had got sticky with age and was sticking to the drum when left for a while and retarding the travel of the shutter.

A new curtain solved the problem, but I now dont leave the shutters cocked when I put the M3 or M6ttl away, it gets through too many batteries on the M6 or slows things down (turning the shutter dial from off to 1/250 takes longer than winding on).

 

Gerry

[Shac]

Among almost all of the mechanically controlled shutters in 35mm SLR's, the SL2 shutters are capable to handle intermittent speeds between the marked speeds on shutter dial. This feature is unique and I haven't heard if any other mechanical SLR was equipped with such system.

 

Hi - actually the Nikon F2 allowed intermediate speeds to be set between 1/80 and 1/2000th.

Cheers

D

[robsteve]

Robert, do you know from which serial number of SL2's and thereafter the flaw was fixed by leica?

 

I had asked this when mine was in for service and was told that a lot of the earlier cameras were updated when the customer requsted it and the only way to be sure was to test the camera. I don't know the serial number when the change came into effect in the regular production.

[wildlightphoto]

Among almost all of the mechanically controlled shutters in 35mm SLR's, the SL2 shutters are capable to handle intermittent speeds between the marked speeds on shutter dial. This feature is unique and I haven't heard if any other mechanical SLR was equipped with such system.

 

The only other 35mm SLR cameras I know of aside from the three Leicaflexes (Standard, SL and SL2) that allow accurate intermediate mechanical shutter speeds are the Nikon F2 from 1/80 sec to 1/2000 sec, and any camera using the Copal Square shutter, from 1/125 sec to 1/1000 sec. One camera series using the Copal Square shutter is the mechanical Nikkormats.

 

If we accept Minolta designed the shutter system of the SL2 (or probably SL)

 

I do not accept that premise. The SL shutter was a close derivative of the Leicaflex Standard shutter, and I believe the SL2 shutter is of similar origin. Leica's cooperation with Minolta began part way through the SL's production.

[SteveYork]

Bringing up an old thread to offer what I heard about the shutter reliability on a Leicaflex SL2. DAG told me years ago it had to do with the oils used, and that the later serial numbers corrected the problem. He said (if I recall correctly) a complete flushing and re-lube fixes everything.

 

If you read the entire thread there's five of six different explanations, all supposedly from reputable repair people. So who knows what's true.

[tobey bilek]

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A CLA by someone who knows what he is doing like Don Goldberg will get it correct. Other repair people are less good or do not try or know how.

 

Over time the high speeds on the SL2 do seem to go off faster than other cameras. Usually the 1/2000 and sometime 1/1000.