Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/08

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Subject: RE: [Leica] How often CLA
From: tedgrant@islandnet.com (Ted Grant)
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 07:53:09 -0800

Bud wrote:

>Ted, I would normally defer to your superior experience and wisdom.
>But...While IIABWFI is a good basic principle, isn't there a certain period
>of time - let's say 10 years - beyond which the odds favor a disaster if the
>camera hasn't been CLAed?...Isn't it called preventative maintenance?>>>>>

Hi Bud,
Your right, but in the case of my M6 cameras they haven't been touched
since purchased new in 1985, other than the quick check at a Leica clinic.
Shutter speeds and rf, each time they have been right on the mark. Actually
the technicians are quite surprised at how accurate they are after 13 years
use by a working photographer..

They have been used in the hottest of tropics and the highest of the arctic at
50 below zero and always functioned without miss. I realize there could
come a day when one or the other crash due to not being cleaned or
whatever. But I have an aversion to breaking them open when they are
working fine just because it is percieved they should be cleaned.

Therefore, "why fix them, if they're not broke?"

And yes I may rue the day they haven't been CLA'd, but I always "listen" to
my cameras whichever ones they are when I'm shooting, and almost by
instinct, know when it doesn't sound right. So far they've been working OK.

So the great Leica Keeper in the sky may have a kind hearted gaurdian hand
over me and my Leicas and I wont loose a bunch of images due to lack of
CLA! :)
ted

Ted Grant
This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant