Re: M4-P shutter problem / advice needed

[fred@csgi.com (Fred N. Ward)]

This is about the sticky slow shutter speed problem:

I have owned Leicas for more than 4 decades. There is one incredible
oversight with Leica that I have noticed in all M bodies (and, strangely,
never in the golden-oldie 1930s models).  Leicas seem to come with truly
lousy lubricants. Mine have never been serviced by anyone but Leitz in
Germany and Leica USA.  I have Rolleis and very old Nikons and Canons that
work at all shutter speeds even if they are not used for a year or more at a
time. 

But shutter speeds on my Leicas become sticky at slow shutter speeds unless
they are fired regularly at slow speeds. I was told this once I noticed the
problem in the 1960s and also told how to partially resolve it. I had and
have several Leicas, some of which I use occasionally, and some never. If
left to rest on shelves, they all develop this unique problem. Other cameras
do not. The "fix" is relatively easy. All you do is once a month take each
camera down and fire it about a dozen times at speeds slower than 1/30th, and
the problem disappears. 
 
The stickiness gets much worse in:  cold weather; in dirty environments; when
the lubricant is more than 6 or years old; if the camera rests and is never
used. 

Fred Ward


/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\    ________________________________
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/   |                                                         
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\   |             Visit Gem Book Publishers          	
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/   |                     for details on the                
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\   |              Fred Ward Gem Book Series           	
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/   |        http://www.digitalnation.com/ward/	
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\   |                                                         
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/   |______Email:   fred@csgi.com__________


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
     Sent via digitalNATION Online Services    http://www.dn.net
     Provider of Internet Access & Highspeed Web Server Services
       Specializing in WWW Solutions for Commerce & Enterprise
      ph:(703) 642-2800   fax: (703) 642-0516 email:info@dn.net
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-