Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/04/19

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] M2 Viewfinder black?
From: "Ken Iisaka" <kiisaka@ibm.net>
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 23:05:03 -0700

> I have been offered a used M2 with defective viewfinder in otherwise
> good condition. When looking through the viewfinder, the whole field
> is black, with only the rangefinder window being transparent, and the
> framelines being bright.
> what is the reason for this? Is this condition repairable?

My M3 once suffered from this.  It is caused by separation of the cemented
beam splitter.  The entire rangefinder mechanism could be replaced, or the
beam splitter resilvered and recemented.  Either way, it will cost you lots
of $$$.  It cost me $600 or so to have the rangefinder mechanism taken
apart, the separated beam splitter removed and washed in nitric acid,
silvered in a vacuum chamber, then cemented, then the entire mechanism
reassembled.  Now, the viewfinder is better than ever, and the framelines
are white.