Re: [Leica] M3 dilema -- also ? about rangefinder adjustment

["Bryan Caldwell" <bcaldwell@softcom.net>]

Bob,

The very first thing you should do is call the dealer, speak directly to the
owner or manager, and express your concerns directly to them. There's not
much they can do about a problem until they know about it. I've never dealt
with Le Camera, but they've been around for quite a while and they might
surprise you with what they'll do to make it right. They certainly deserve
that chance.

Bryan


- ----- Original Message -----
From: <Ruralmopics@aol.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 1999 6:16 AM
Subject: [Leica] M3 dilema -- also ? about rangefinder adjustment


> Here's the deal: I ordered a used single stroke M3 from a dealer in
> Shutterbug (we don't have any dealers near me that carry this sort of
thing).
> It seemed like a decent price: $795 for a camera described as Excellent.
>
> I received the camera yesterday and everything is fine EXCEPT:
>
> * It is very difficult to mount lenses. The spring inside the mount looks
new
> and it takes an unusual amount of effort to turn a lens (I have four I
tried
> them all) in place.
> * The rangefinder images are not aligned vertical. A little off I can
accept
> as I understand this will very some with focusing distance but this seems
> excessive. They don't even line up -- again vertically -- at infinity.
> * The camera does not have a viewfinder preview. Its 872xxx serial number
led
> me to assume it would.
>
> The camera comes with a 14-day return privledge and a 90 day warranty. As
I
> see it, here are my options:
>
> 1.) Accept it the way is. (this does not seem like a reasonable option to
me.)
> 2.) Return it for a refund and either
>     a. buy another camera from the same dealer, or
>     b. shop somewhere else
> 3.) Return it for repair under warranty -- the store (Le Camera) claims to
> have their own repair facility.
>
> I'm not too concerned about the viewfinder preview since the 50mm is
always
> visable and the only telephoto I own is a 90 and I can pretty well judge
when
> I'm going to need a 90. But the other issues (the mount and the viewfinder
> have me going a bit). So here's my questions for you:
>
> Will the mount loosen up on it's own? Is this something that can be
adjusted
> easily so if I send back for repair I can expect it to be right? Can I
assume
> that they will get the rangefinder adjustment corrected or is vertical
> misalignment some kind of fatal flaw in a M3?
>
> Also, is the vertical alignment on an M3 something a person can do
themselves
> without disassembling the camera.?
>
> What do y'all think?
>
> Bob
>