Re: R lenses - ground glass screen, etc

[Colin <colinmi@fast.net>]

Gary Todoroff wrote:
> 
> I have an SL with a scratched up screen. Can the screen be easily replaced,
> or is it a factory job?
> 
> Also, many of the slides I took last month in Kodiak with the SL have a
> camera shake problem. I used a 280 f4.8 Telyt, mounted on a Slik U8000
> tripod - somewhat small for the SL/280 combo, but I always strapped my
> camera bag over the tripod to weight things down. That approach worked
> perfectly for my M6 long exposures in dark, emerald green forests. Those
> slides are all very sharp. A couple of times with the SL, I could actually
> see the front of the lens shudder when the mirror went up.
> 
> I've shot B&W with the Telyt handheld at 1/500th or faster and have gotten
> exceptionally sharp photos, so the lens does not seem to be the problem.
> Has anyone had camera shake problems with the SL? Is there a mirror
> movement or dampening mechanism on the SL that could be out of adjustment?
> Any way to retrofit an SL with mirror lockup?
> 
> Thanks,
> Gary Todoroff

Gary,

I don't think the screen can easily be replaced.  I think you have to
get at it from the top.  As for the shake problem, I've used SL's for a
while, sometimes doing macro work, and have never had a problem.  There
was no difference between the negatives from the SL and the Leicaflex
Standard that had lockup.  Try a heavier tripod and/or get the camera a
good overhaul when you have the screen replaced and see if that smoothes
it out for you.  The SL is heavy and precise enough not to need MLU,
that's why they didn't continue that feature.

Good luck,

Colin