Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 98-04-15 16:47:32 EDT, Harold Gess wrote: << snip << I took the back doors off my various Leica M's and mounted them on a tripod, & took the plain ground glass --------- >> =============================================== Those of you that are seriously into fine tuning guns will know immediately what I am talking about but for the rest of you Leicaphiles, bare with me. All early Leica cameras had problems in matching a lens to its body, since the actual focal lengths varied ie (+ or - 1/10mm) and the bottom shells, not being die cast also varied. The solution to this, in the late '20s & early '30s was to have a PEEP HOLE built into the back of the camera where a loupe was attached ( quite similar to what Harold has just done) but since they were focusing on the aerial image rather than a ground glass, it was more accurate. After adjustments by adding shims ( .001/mm ) to the lens flange the peep hole was plugged and the pressure plate revolved to make it light tight. My exact figures might be off a tad but believe me - they were thin. When I worked professionally with Leicas back in the "50s to '70s, serious 35mm still photographers sent their Leica to Mel Pierce to have the lenses matched to the bodies. Although this really wasnt necessary after the die- cast bodies were made to closer tolerances, the lenses still had a variance in focal lengths. You can still see the # 0-9 stamped on many lenses - but that is another story already fully covered on the LUG last year. Even today, you will read about recommendations to have your high -speed lenses ( particularily the Noctilux) matched to your individual camera. I think it was either Browning or Winchester that got the idea of speeding up production by making closer tolerance parts that could then be interchanged. In my days of racing Porsches, an overhaul after each race was not unusual and the pistons & cylinders were graded in groups by 1/10,000" differences; the pluses balancing the minuses. Marvin (the infamous D.Gonzalez reference) Moss