Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/09

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Subject: [Leica] Taking Soviet Leica copy apart
From: Mike Dembinski <mdembin@it.com.pl>
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 1998 11:12:46 +0100

Bought a FED-S (sometimes incorrectly known as FED-C) a few weeks back at the
Gielda Fotograficzna in Warsaw. Paid 250 zloties, which is around $70. Had the
1/1000th shutter speed and an f2 FED lens, looked genuine enough. Usual FEDs,
being Leica II copies had top speed of 1/500th and Industar f3.5 5cm lens (Elmar
copy). Upon cloer examination, I found the second shutter curtain did not close.
I put it down to another example of inadequate pre-purchase checking. Last night
I took the jeweller's screwdrivers to it, and fixed it with surprising ease.
Someone had obviously been into its guts many times, the screws came out easily.

What surprised me was the large number (8 or so) of thin gaskets between the lens
flange and the body. This was obviously to ensure correct focal point-to-film
plane distance. Was this normal practice on Leica LTM bodies too (I've never had
the guts - nor indeed the need - to open up a Leica)?

Mike