Re: [Leica] finder flare

[Stephen Gandy <LeicaNikon@earthlink.net>]

interesting.

my source is Horst Braun, formerly head of repair at Solms.

perhaps we could get them to arm wrestle to settle it once and for all.

Stephen

John Collier wrote:

> Hi Stephen,
>
> The tech in question is Gerry Smith of Kindermann Canada. One of the
> best in the world; he knows his Ms and goes way way back. So now I will
> give you the long story.
>
> I bought a used M4-2 which was a late production one from the second to
> last batch produced. It had the usual sluggish slow speeds and the
> vertical alignment was out. Imagine my chagrin at discovering that late
> M4-2 cameras have the new style of finder mechanism which needs a
> special tool to adjust the vertical alignment! So off it goes to Gerry
> for a CLA. I am on the L-U by this time and I am getting pretty annoyed
> with all the whining about viewfinder flare. The camera comes back and
> everything is great.
>
> A year later I decide to take the plunge and get a new TTL. Right out of
> the box the viewfinder flares. I carefully check all of my cameras and
> the M2 and the late M4-2 are fine, no flare. Oh well, I guess the
> whiners were right! I sold the M4-2 to finance the TTL and learned to
> live with the flare.
>
> Two years later, I am getting cocky and thinking I need a third body. So
> I get another M4-2, right from the very first batch of production
> cameras. Out it comes from the box and it flares like my TTL! I check
> and the early style vertical alignment is there. What the h***! Anyhow
> the camera is soon out for a CLA and I ask Gerry about putting in a six
> frame mask set. He tells me maybe. It seems that to fit in the six frame
> mask set you have to remove a viewfinder element (the missing element!).
> Often when he removes the element to fit the mask, it affects the
> superimposed image. As you move your eye from side to side the image
> drifts back and forth making it difficult to focus large aperture long
> focus lenses. My camera was one of the unfortunate ones so no six frame
> mask set for me.
>
> While we were talking about the six frame mask set, I ask about flare,
> the missing element and if my camera has its original finder. I do have
> the original finder and he says that the missing element does not cause
> the flare problem. The later finders have a problem with stray light
> bouncing around. We did not talk much about it but it makes sense as you
> can get the flare to go by shielding the viewfinder illumination window.
>
> So ends a long story,
>
> John Collier
>
> On Wednesday, September 18, 2002, at 03:07 PM, Stephen Gandy wrote:
>
> > John,
> >
> > having confirmed the M4-2 flare problem and cause with the then head of
> > Leica
> > repair at Solms,  I am reasonably sure the info is accurate.
> >
> > did you have your cameras examined by a tech familiar with the M4-2
> > finder
> > variations to identify which type it was?    how do you know the camera
> > with
> > an earlier top plate number has the M4-2 earlier type finder,  or the
> > later
> > camera has the later M4-2 finder ?   If a finder or top plate is
> > interchanged
> > by a good tech, it looks original.
> >
> > Stephen
> >
> >
> > John Collier wrote:
> >
> >> Actually I first read about the missing element on Stephen Gandy's site
> >> (http://www.cameraquest.com/classics.htm). Since then I have had two
> >> M4-2 cameras, one early and one late. Both cameras were CLAed by one of
> >> the best and I ask about the provenance of the finders to make sure
> >> they
> >> were original (they were). The early camera (one of the first 900 made)
> >> flared the same as my M6TTL while the later one, with the fabled
> >> missing
> >> element was just as good as my M2.
> >>
> >> I do not know what is causing the flare problem BUT it is not the
> >> missing element.
> >>
> >> John Collier
> >>
> >> On Wednesday, September 18, 2002, at 08:00 AM, B. D. Colen wrote:
> >>
> >>> You're not wrong, Daniel. According to Erwin Puts the problem has
> >>> something
> >>> to do with the fact that Leica removed a particular condenser lens
> >>> from
> >>> the
> >>> rangefinder assembly. Some would suggest it was done to reduce costs,
> >>> but I
> >>> would never be so cynical as to suggest that. ;-)
> >>
> >> --
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> >
> >
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>
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