Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/01

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Subject: Re: [Leica] M6 RF vertical adjustment... again, the answer
From: Walter S Delesandri <walt@jove.acs.unt.edu>
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1999 19:30:16 -0600 (CST)

Ok, Jim, again I take your word......I agree, it's the M6/4P that this 
applies to.....the M4-2 had the "old" system, I recall.....I was working 
in the repair shop UNTIL the M4P, by coincidence.....
As for Ernst's reply, I will say it's corporate bullshit (his, NOT 
yours- don't want to stir it up....)  

>IF< they wanted to eliminate "hackers"- they'd have also changed the 
adjustment facility for the infinity/close range horizontal adjustments.
WHY eliminate "hackers" from the vertical ONLY?

I'm going to offer some assertions....PLEASE--these are (reasonably
educated) OPINIONS ---PLEASE UNDERSTAND!  They made the M4-P/Early 
M6 without the adjustment screw.  They DAMN SURE GLUED the adjustment 
on the early ones--I've had a couple and so have a couple friends.
Because of the number of returns (warranty?) - someone designed a 
"TOOL" --I've designed my own by making an "eccentric" and brazing it 
on the end of a defunct jeweler's screwdriver. This they used to 
adjust previously "unglued" early ones, later ones probably NOT 
glued.  There is NO WAY that they "intended" this external adjustment 
facility-they wouldn't have glued on the DOT!!  My final assertion is 
that the removal of the adjustment came FIRST -- the "tool" came 
later...and OF COURSE I can't prove any of this...and I'm not, of course 
going to get in a "pissing contest" with an employee of the company.

I'll make this my last post on the subject, unless asked.  I re-
emphasize that these are my OPINIONS -- they're not going to change.
No employee of ANY company I've ever worked for is at liberty to 
tell the whole truth...and in this case it doesn't matter anyway.

Bear in mind I have nothing personal at stake in this discussion.
My own cameras have been fine, once adjusted...I don't mind pulling 
the top, because on two of them there was some "haze" on the inside 
of the top cover windows anyway, which is now cleaned.  I have 
them adjusted, and have made a "tool" for the future "accident" we 
all have!  
Also, if there weren't initial adjustment problems, there wouldn't 
have been a dozen replies (some on the group, most private) about 
vertical problems.  One of these cameras was "new-in-the-box"--
the other was "minty" -- no pro use, never been dropped, supposedly.

I'm sorry if my bitching and assertions have offended the (probably)
good folks at Leica, but I >also< didn't fall off the turnip truck 
yesterday...(in Texas, it was a watermelon truck...)

as for "hacking"-- I've heard several people "prying" off the red 
dot-- I'm sure that more damage has been done by this than by 
"adjustment" -- I don't recall seeing any wrecked RFDRS from 
adjustment in the past (a dozen or so used bodies of my own 
over the last 22 years, several dozen more of other folks....)

Again, I started this "adjustment" thread because of the sheer number 
of questions reported on the lug/private email...I have zero 
commercial interest because 1) I'll NEVER work in camera repair 
again and 2) I have no problems with my "family" repairs/adjustments.
Hell, I'm not even using the stuff enought anymore to have many 
problems (exc. storage related!!--had one of those recently!)

Cheers and good luck with your 
cameras, whatever the vintage,

Walt

On
Mon, 1 Feb 1999, Jim Brick wrote:

> I asked Ernst Hartmann this very question "when did the M6 change to the
> special tool?" and Ernst replied,
> 
> "All M6's and the pre-M6 M4-P were ALL equipped with this adjustment
> facility. Leica eliminated the ordinary screw-head to discourage clumsy
> hackers. The mechanism and procedure, however, is exactly the same. Just a
> different tool." ... Ernst.
> 
> Jim
> 
> At 01:47 PM 2/1/99 -0600, you wrote:
> >Well, thank you, Jim.....I'll take their word that the later M6 is 
> >so equipped....the earlier ones CERTAINLY were not....Nor were the 
> >"pre M6 window M4-P"
> >
> >I'll accept their assurance that now the cameras are adjustable in this 
> >manner.....BUT
> >It still doesn't explain why the previous design was abandoned.....if it
> ain't 
> >broke, why fix it? (question to Leica, not Sherry, of course.)
> >
> >I'll feel differently about newer M6s in this regard....I basically like the 
> >camera, but still the fit/finish ain't no M4....
> >
> >Walt
> >
> >
> >On Mon, 01 Feb 1999 09:40:03 -0800 Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com> 
> >wrote:
> >> I first asked Sherry:
> >> 
> >> At 09:43 PM 1/31/99 -0800, Sherry wrote:
> >> >It is not a screw.  A special tool is required.
> >> >  Best regards, Sherry
> >> >
> >> 
> >> And I just called Ernst Hartmann who said, "M6's require a special tool
> >> rather than a screw driver. The adjustment is exactly the same as it always
> >> was, between the viewfinder windows, just now requires a special tool to
> >> turn the eccentric."
> >> 
> >> Jim
> >> 
> >> PS... sorry Walt, it's NOT a glued assembly as you told me. It is the same
> >> as it's always been. Just more difficult for the lay person.
> >
> >
>