Re: [Leica] Rangefinder patch flare

[John Collier <jbcollier@home.com>]

I will be posting a series of messages from the archives that address this
issue. 

John Collier
- --------------------------------------

Date: 17-Dec-1996 17:38:56
From:  
Subject: M6 finder problem

Message forwarded by Hans Pahlen, hoping for help from the LUG-members:
(I have never experienced this problem myself, anyone here?)
[If you answer: -Please make a Cc to Mr Scheele, who (not yet) is a
LUG-member]

> From: 
>   I have been having a problem with my M6.  I have enjoyed visiting your
> website, and thought that perhaps you or someone you know might have had
> an experience similar to mine.  Below are copies of my correspondence
with a
> person at Leica which describe the situation in some detail.  I hope you
won't
> mind reading through them and giving me your opinion.
> Thank You. 
> 
> Sincerely,
> Evan M. Scheele
> 
> 
> 
> >>I recently purchased a new Leica M6 to replace my M4.
> While the M6 is in many respects superior to the older
> camera, there is a serious problem with the M6 which
> didn't exist in the M4 - the rangefinder patch is extremely
> prone to flare, so much so that in certain conditions it
> turns completely white with glare, and focusing becomes immposible.
> I tried covering the rangefinder window with my finger
> to see if light was somehow being reflected off the
> rangefinder prism, but the problem remained. I then
> discovered that the flare went away when I covered up
> the brightline frame illumination window, so I've had
> to cover it with transparent tape to solve the problem.
> As I said, I never had this problem with my 1969-era M4,
> which I used for many years.  Is the material used for
> the frosted grid of the illumination window somehow
> different now than it was in the past?  I use the camera
> primarily for photographing inside at night - the exact
> conditions which seem to make the problem most severe.
> I find it absurd that I have to resort to putting
> adhesive tape on the body of a $2700 camera, just to be
> able to focus it accurately.  Can't this obvious design
> flaw be (re)solved, as it was in the past?  I had
> thought that the legendary design of the Leica
> rangefinder was being continually refined over the
> years,but I see now that certain aspects have also
> gotten worse in the process.  Also, I have noticed that
> the superimosed image in the rangefinder patch is not
> aligned vertically.  While this has no affect on focusing
> per se, it does cause one to question the calibration
> and accuracy of the camera's other components.  I was
> under the impression that the M6 was the most carefully
> designed and meticulously crafted camera in the world.
> I now see that this is simply not so.
> Sincerely, 
> Evan M. Scheele
> 
> 
> From: "PM M-System, Soenke Peters" <>
> To: <>
> Subject: viewfinder of the m6
> Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 13:24:25 +0100
> 
> 
> Dear Mr. Scheele,
> I am very sorry for your problems with the M6-Viewfinder.
> This problem occurs sometimes unter backlight conditions and we are not
> able to change this in a short term.
> To build in the LEDs for the meter 12 years ago the viewfinder had to be
> redesigned. 
> I can assure you that we are working on a solution for this problem - but
> it will take us some time.
> Nevertheless I hope that you enjoy your M6 and the in-built light meter
> 
> If you have any questions be free to email me.
> 
> Best regards, merry Chrismas and a happy new year
> 
> Leica Camera AG
> Product Management M-System
> 
- ----------------------------
Date: 19-Dec-1996 10:49:17
From:  
Subject: M6 Flare problem

Members of the LUG,
   Thank you so much for all your help.  It's reassuring to see that some
of the
members of the Leica users group have noticed the same problem.  I though=
t
you
might be interested in reading the latest response from Sonke Peters at
Leica -
just to get a glimpse of what they're working on right now.  Thanks again
for
your assistance.

Sincerely,

Evan M. Scheele
=20

> Mr. Peters,
>    Thank you for your prompt and courteous response.  I have several mo=
re
> questions for you; I hope you won't mind answering them. =20
> 1) Why can't the brightline frame illumination window on the M6 simply =
be
made
> of a more opaque plastic?  Covering it with a translucent layer of tape
takes
> away the flare without significantly diminishing the brightness of the
finder
> frames or the LEDs.  The probem seems so simple to solve - is it someho=
w
more
> complicated than it appears?
> 2) Could you please specifically explain the redesign of the viewfinder
to
> accomodate the LEDs and how this causes the flare problem?  Is the
problem also
> related to the redesign of the viewfinder to accomodate the addition of
the 75mm
> and 28mm brightline frames?  I was curious because I noticed exactly th=
e
same
> problem several years ago in an M4-P, which as you know also has the 28=
mm
> viewfinder, but no LEDs.
> 3) Do you know of any other temporary solutions which customers have
found
> besides the use of tape, or is that what others have done as well?
> 4) Will the eventual solution which you are working on be retrofitable =
to
older
> M6 bodies or will I have to trade in my current M6 for a new one in ord=
er
to
> correct the problem?
> I thank you in advance for any detailed information which you can give
me.
> sincerely,
> Evan M. Scheele


On Thu, 19 Dec 1996 13:29:46 +0100  (PM M-Syste=
m,
Soenke Peters) wrote:

>ad 1) Our R&D-Department tried a lot of different materials to solve thi=
s
>problem. I can not tell you precise details because I am not an engineer=
,
>but I can assure you that I am going to discuss your suggestion with our
>specialists
>ad 2) The M3 viewfinder had a totally different design. Your suspicion
that
>the problem is related with the lower magnification of the viewfinder is
>correct. As the M4-p and the M6 have nearly the same viewfinder they bot=
h
>have the same problem.
>ad 3) I do not know other solutions. I sometimes cover the "frame window=
"
>in the middle with my finger if the problem occures. Not a good solution=
,
>but it works.
>ad 4) It will not be retrofitable to older M6 bodies. But I can assure y=
ou
>that nothing will be introduced before photokina 98. So please do not se=
ll
>anything and don=B4t panic
>
>Sincerely
>
>S=F6nke Peters
>