Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/09/30

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To: "'leica-users'" <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Subject: Re: M4-P rangefinder vert. align.
From: KEVIN BURKE <KBURKE@iterated.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Sep 96 14:38:00 EDT
Encoding: 49 TEXT



>>[...]

>>Unlike my M3 the M4-P does not have a screw you turn to
>>make the adjustment, but instead it appears to have a piece
>>of metal that can be moved to make the adjustment.
>>[...]
>>My question is: how well does the M4-P hold the adjustment
>>compared to the older systems ...[snip]

>The same appears to be true for the M6, though I would never have the guts
>to take mine apart.  My vertical alignment is constantly going out of 
whack,
>and it drives me crazy.  A rapairperson once told me about the advantage of
>the earlier M3s with their adjustment screw.  Does anyone out there know 
how
>to permanently fix the alignment in M6s (and M4-Ps)?

I have an M6 from the mid-late 1980s and an M4-P from 1983.  So far, they
have had their various service work done at Leica in NJ.  I have found that
the relative alignment of the rangefinder images has been very solid over
time - it's just that they were never in precise alignment in the first 
place.
Repeated trips back to NJ never made it any better.  The cameras are not
subjected to harsh treatment very often.  At worst, the M6 is subjected to 
the
vibration of overseas air travel, any shock occuring to a camera bag or 
brief
case during travel and the occaisional light knock when around my neck. 
 But,
man 'o man, they stay in their own particular degree of unalignment like a 
rock...

I, too, would be interested in finding a worthy service person who could put
them right, stand behind their work, and not cause other problems while
making the adjustments.  I've talked to other Leica users about and have had
phone conversations with a few of the independent service people popular
with members of the LHSA.  None seemed to have gotten glowing reports
in all dimensions.  One particular service tech told me that any M body
newer than an M4 would continue to have problems requiring frequent service.
Since I can't judge the accuracy of such a statement, I decided to not test
their theory with my camera and money.  Such statements are a bit hard to
swallow on the face of them, but then I have two late model M cameras that
could use a rangefinder adjustment.

 - Kevin

kburke@iterated.com