Re: [Leica] M camera parts

[Walter S Delesandri <walt@jove.acs.unt.edu>]

Jimbo, Hello from Texas
You can get replacement covering (not "vulcanite" ) from Leica.
(Dave Ellwell-201-767-5728 for parts)
The back door piece looks nice and is easy to install.
The body covering is like that on an M6...it looks nice on an otherwise 
'beater' camera, but I wouldn't put it on a collectible.

As for parts count, it's ambiguous...for example, is the "top cover" 
a part?  what about the little glass windows and the clips that hold them 
in? are they parts?....is a double (stacked) gear that is swaged together 
one part or two if the FACTORY made it of two parts but now it is sold as 
ONE?....

Interesting questions, but it's more "salesman" talk than an accurate number.

Electronic cameras with the same features as an M6 would have FEWER parts...
BUT no company (Leica?) would build such a thing...
for example...no one asked 
for TTL flash on M cameras--which have added problems (flash compatibility and 
battery drain) that would have NEVER existed...WHEN there's an "electronic" M, 
you can bet that it WILL NOT just replace the speeds escapement in an M6...
it would be an "M" shaped body LOADED with other useless shit.

I tell Leica friends "be careful what you ask for"....when the M6 came out, 
the M4P was to be continued for "traditionalists"...that small percentage who 
DO NOT want TTL metering (we "incident" metering lunatics)...a year or two later, 
the M4P was dropped from the catalogue...it COULDN'T have cost them a dime more 
to build a few dozen a year...it IS an M6 minus some junk.

PC electronics CAN be built to NEARLY 100% reliability...US government 
contractors do it every day....I don't know how the camera folks compare, tho....
ANYTHING would have a longer MTBF than the Leica slow speed geartrain, on 
average...for example, every NIKON geartrain from 1950 till 1980!...(the 
escapement in Ms has serious, designed-in flaws)

Our Leicas are "pretty" reliable and VERY tough (different things).  I have hoped 
for REAL improvements for years, but they will not come...SOMETHING else will--
something we DIDN'T ask for.
(Where is our mechanical, manual M camera from Konica?-Where's our "volksleica" 
M from Cosina?...how 'bout FEWER different lenses from them at even lower prices?-why 
bodies in different MOUNTS?>>>JEEZUS (I know, so the "collectors" can use their 
junk 50s lenses on them)

Oh well, it's been interesting to watch.
Walt

 

On Wed, 17 Oct 2001 08:49:10 -0500 "Gumm, Jim" <Jim.Gumm@okdhs.org> 
wrote:
> Do any of luggers know how many parts are in an M series Leica? I have heard
> somewhere, years ago, that there were 835 (or something close) parts in an
> M-3. 
> How does this compare to the number of parts in a modern slr, say a F-100
> Nikon? Do the electronics that dominate the cameras feature sets lower the
> related number of parts? Is it more difficult to calculate mtbf numbers for
> a circuit board?
> On another note, do any of you have any M vulcanite, small or larger pieces
> for sale or rent?
> I could use a little for several of my cameras seem to be missing some here
> and there. My M-2 is missing a small piece that looks like a map of
> Oklahoma. My M-4 is missing some around the film reminder dial. Ad nauseum.
> Any amounts would be appreciated and paid for!
> Still waiting for my Noctilux to comne in, any day now. Since the wtc
> tragedy, I have quit worrying about things like, "When's my package gonna
> get here?". A least I am healthy enough to worry about it! So everyone have
> a GREAY DAY! and I will also.
> best regards,
> Jimbo
> --
> To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html


- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html