Re: [Leica] Re: Leica M4 - 2

[shino@ubspainewebber.com]

i thought i was the only damned fool whose' ever done this!!!

while doing what i thought was focusing my 28, i actually spun it
out of the lensmount and damned if that jewel didn't go 
straight down onto concrete.  the hook cracked open
and the focus finger handle cracked.  amazingly, the lens appeared
to have suffered no other damage.  i switched to my 21 and 35 for
most of the pictures on my trip, but did take a few 28s, and they
appeared just fine when i got the prints back.

it really appeared to have suffered no hard damage mechanically or
cosmetically but i did sent it back to leitz to clear my conscience.

with regard to what caused the accident (besides the bone-headed operator)
the accident actually happened with a CLE.  the way i hold the camera,
my index finger tends to rest on the release button.  i figure i must
have pushed it just hard enough to allow the lens to uncouple.
not a day or two later, i caught myself doing the same thing with my
M6, so i can't really blame the CLE.

the lenses bayonet off so smoothly, you do need to be careful about
touching that release button.  hopefully dropping one lens will
teach me that lesson forever!

- -rei


> From: Alastair Cowe <a.cowe@ucl.ac.uk>

> This happened to me too..when taking the camera from a jacket pocket,
> unaware that I'd pressed the lens release
> my 50/2 dropped onto a concrete pavement. I was  trying  to take photo's of
> the Chinese New Year
> festivities in London a couple of years ago..very , very crowded. I think I
> was lucky to even retreive my lens in the crush of (moving)
> people.
> The only damage was to the focus barrel, which appears to have shifted
> forward, the metal lenshood (detachable) took most of the impact
> The lens was still very usable (with no infinity focus)  but it was checked
> at Leica UK a few months later..a few adjustments (Colimated?) and it's
> fine.
> they even rounded out the 'flat' on the lenshood..
> Now, as soon as the camera is to hand, I automatically check that the lens
> is secure!
> 
> Regards
> Alastair Cowe
>