Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Barry, Thanks for the info! I also learnt that there is indeed possible to order this type of batteries from Fargo, which should be much better compared to rebuild the circuits from 1.35 to 1.5V. These batteries are 3 times as expensive, though. I have 3 MR-meters to feed, so I will soon place an order for some. About the 3-lug conversion: I had a 2-lug M5 some years ago, and I asked the Swedish agent to do the conversion for me. He answered that he could not do it, the only thing he could do was to get the part for me. So, I ordered it, and it is still somewhere in my house. The M5 is long gone, though... I have found an excellent private repair shop in Stockholm, "Kamera Service Center", He just CLA:d my black M3, and it came back like new! The shutter sounds just wonderful, you know the 1/30 sound with the bounce, he repaired the leatherette, and he made some new bushings for the mechanism, he changed some springs to a stronger type because of the Rapidwinder conversion, etc. I must say, that this repainted black M3 with Rapidwinder really makes my heart beat a lot faster than a M6 TTL millennium. I guess this guy would convert an M5 too, if I asked him to. This is the only Leica repair man in Scandinavia, that I really trust 100%! Hans > Although the Leica M5 and the Leicaflex SL are two of my favorite > cameras, both unfortunately require PX-625 batteries to operate > their meters. Although this battery has become scarcer, they still > can be found in camera shops in some major Canadian cities such as > Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and (probably) Montreal. I purchased a > small quantity last year in Ottawa for about $6 CAN each. I also > discovered that the alkaline "equivalent" is no such thing; my > exposures were consistently off when using that replacement in an > SL. Ultimately, I may need to have these cameras modified to > accept a 1.5 V silver-oxide cell.