RE: [Leica] LUG -- what's the point?

[srlondon@ibm.net]

- ----Original Message-----
   >From:    	pieter@world.std.com (Pieter Bras)
 
   >I am a new Leica user, having recently purchased an M4-P. In the course
   >of looking at used M cameras at a recent photo show, I was surprised at
   >the high percentage that seemed to slightly misaligned rangefinders.  Of
   >course, a vertical misalignment doesn't necessarily focusing inaccuracy,
   >but one does wonder if the horizontal alignment (which certainly does
   >matter) couldn't be equally off.

I thought that the same was true (that vertical alignment did not necessarily disturb focusing accuracy) until I went to a camera shop in NY this week.  I saw a CL whose vertical adjustment was so far out of alignment, that the two images of the target I was attempting to focus on did not intersect at any point.  In focus, you would see one image right on top of the other.  That certainly seemed to warrant adjustment.

On a side note, I thought that I would share my experiences with two large camera stores in New York City while shopping for a CL.  In Adorama, the used equipment seemed very well arranged and bodies were protected in bags to keep them clean, and the place generally seemed very professional.  However, the salesperson I dealt with had no understanding of how the CL worked.  After asking another salesperson which lens could be mounted, I was handed the body with a 50mm Summicron in the collapsed position, a no-no for this camera, as it can damage the swing-out metering cell.  The meter worked neither in that camera or the other CL, neither of which had any mention of this either in the ad or on the phone when a description was requested.

Wall Street Camera was an entirely different experience.  The store is much smaller and felt more personal (it might have had sometime to do with the labrador napping in the open doorway).  The salesperson was very friendly and had extensive knowledge of both the CL and M cameras in general.  The store had several CL examples, all of which were honestly labelled, including one in which the meter was non-functional.  The salesperson explained the store's return and warranty policy, and suggested that film be run through the camera immediately to verify meter and rangefinder accuracy (good advice).  I would not hesitate to do business with them again in the future.