Re: [Leica] Problem or Normal?

[Walter S Delesandri <walt@jove.acs.unt.edu>]

It's not "normal", but it's very common, and probably a non-issue....
as you turn the knob from high to low speeds, the low speed cam follower 
moves the geartrain into engagement (speeds below 1/125, if I recall--it's 
been a few years since I've had one that far apart)....sometimes, on 
most of the M-bodies I've owned, the gear train hesitates a tiny bit before 
"falling" into engagement....hence the "tap" you hear after turning to 
a lower speed.

Ironically, if the geartrain DOESN"T fall into place, it seems to always 
make it into the right position with the release of the shutter!!!...I've 
never had one that failed to engage WHEN ACTUALLY making the exposure...
usually, I hear the little "tap" immediately after going to slower speeds, 
as you describe....

It's a Leica quirk....they're wierd cameras...but not anything to get 
upset about....there are lots of things I'd change about the cameras (for 
example, the pallet wheel doesn't dis-engage at the end of long exposures...
why not?....the screwmounts did, as did all the Nikon clones (the "traditional" 
Nikon shutter, up to the F2, was almost exactly the same as a Leica SM, and 
was evolved to a very high degree indeed--as were the Canon RFs, but not 
the SLRS)

If you ever DON'T get the slow speeds when set, then have it serviced...but 
I doubt it'll ever happen....

Good luck with your new camera, 
Walt


On Mon, 23 Oct 2000 22:07:02 -0400 Gilbert Plantinga 
<gilplant@earthlink.net> wrote:As
> on 10/23/00 8:22 PM, Terry Sham at tsham@netvigator.com wrote:
> 
> > Dear friends,
> > 
> > I need your help again. I have just bought a silver M6 TTL 0.72 yesterday. I
> > have found a strange thing that my previous cameras havrn't got. After I
> > have taken a photo every time at 1/500 or 1/1000, there will be a little
> > '"click" sound when I turn the shutter speed dial slower than 8s~1s. Is it
> > normal? Or my M6 has a problem?
> > 
> > Thanks a lot!
> > 
> > Terry Sham
> > 
> > 
> My black M6 TTL 0.72 does this but my .085 does not. I brought it in to
> Leica in New Jersey while on other business there and had Brenda Olesin take
> a look at it. She seemed concerned took it to the repair department for a
> look. She came back a few minutes later and said that the repair guy said it
> was normal, something about the new ones have a stronger spring somewhere in
> there. I remain skeptical, glad I have the passport...
> 
> Gilbert
>