Re: [Leica] M4 Reliability

["Roland Smith" <roland@dnai.com>]

The IIIg I purchased in 1957 has vulcanite that shows no sign of wear or
dryness and chipping.   I must admit that until recently, I thought it was
black leather and applied black Kiwi shoe polish to it every few months
buffing off the excess.   I wonder if the was served to preserve the
vulcanite?  Who knows?

Roland Smith
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2000 11:01 AM
Subject: [Leica] M4 Reliability


> I have never suggested that the M4 is a "bad" camera.  I am merely stating
> that a change in market realities has rendered the M6 a better camera in
> today's world.
>
>  In the 1950's and 1960's, Leitz strongly urged its customers to have
their
> cameras given a yearly CLA:  the camera stores liked this as Leitz
provided
> low-cost training for their repairmen, and as it brought the Leica owners
> into their stores at least once a year, even if they regularly bought
their
> film elsewhere.   As a result of these yearly CLA's, Leitz made cameras
> with a lot of adjustable parts, as they knew the cameras would be in-shop
> periodically to be restored to factory specification.  The M3 and M2 had
> quite a few adjustable parts, and the M4 even more.  All three functioned
> magnificently as long as they were given those annual services.  The M4's
> plethora of adjustable parts made great sense in that environment.
>
> By the 1970's, the number of camera stores employing repairmen fell
> catastrophically, and many Leica owners no longer had close access to a
> store which could provide a CLA.  Hence, when the redesign was made which
> resulted in the M4-2, a lot of these "adjustable" parts were made
> "go/no-go".  The M4-2 and later Leica rangefinders are, thus, far more
> rugged -- as parts are not constantly falling out of adjustment -- but
> repairs, when they do occur, are more expensive as, often, an entire
> component has to be replaced, rather than simply adjusted.  In other
words,
> the change was a change of industrial reality reflecting a change in
market
> conditions.
>
> Similiarly, the change from vulcanite to PVC was one which has caused many
> folks to lament the loss of the "vulcanite feel" -- but vulcanite is
> generally starting to dry out after 10 years and rarely lasts 30 years
> without chipping or breaking, where PVC will last a century, or so the
> hardware-store and building-inspector types swear.
>
> It all makes sense:  Leitz/Leica have stayed alive by adapting their
> product to the changing conditions of the modern market.
>
> Marc
>
> msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
> Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!
>
>