Re: AW: [Leica] M2 rangefinder adjustment

[Guy Bennett <guybnt@idt.net>]

fellas,

this is getting complictated! if the tree or mast on the horizon does not
align within the rangefinder, couldn't one just take a step to the left or
right (accordingly), and if that doesn't work, have 'em move the tree or
boat in question?

guy bennett (i suppose proper punctuation etiquette requires : ) or some
such thing)

>Michael Dienert wrote:
>>
>> > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
>> > Von:  Martin Howard [SMTP:marho@ikp.liu.se]
>> > Gesendet am:  Mittwoch, 2. Juni 1999 13:00
>> > An:   Leica User Group
>> > Betreff:      [Leica] M2 rangefinder adjustment
>> >
>> >
>> > The rangefinder on my M2 needs adjustment: Images do not align at
>> > infinity (yes, I'm looking at things several miles off).
>> >
>> > Can I adjust this myself?  If so, how do I go about it?  (Leica
>> > Answers
><snip>
>> > Martin Howard, Grad. Schl. for Human-Machine Interaction, <snip>
>> > [Michael Dienert]
>> >
>> > hi martin,
>> >
>> > below please find the answer to the same question, edomond once asked.
>> > this trimming procedure adjusts horizontal alignment only. i do not
>> > know how vertical alignment is adjusted. if anyone knows i'd
>> > appreciate any hints.
>> >
>> > michael
>> >
>> > hello edmond,
>> >
>> > be careful, the trimming screw is NOT inside the camera!! if you take
>> > off the lens, you can see a small metal wheel at the end of a lever.
>> > this wheel juts out the plane of the lens bayonet. if you look through
>> > the finder you can see the the bright window of the rangefinder move
>> > if you press and release the wheel with your finger.
>> >
>> > the screw you must turn to adjust the rangefinder is the screw through
>> > the axis of that wheel. by turning it you change the distance of the
>> > highest (when the camera is laying on the back side) point of the
>> > wheel (the point which touches the lens' cam) to the mounting plane.
>> >
>> > the trimming procedure is as follows:
>> >
>> > point your camera (summicron attached) to a vertical object far away
>> > (tree, antenna mast etc). set the lens to infinity and check if you
>> > have alignment. if not, take off the lens, turn the eccentric screw
>> > and check the alignment again. repeat this procedure until you have
>> > perfect alignment at infinity.
>> >
>> > it shouldn't be necessary to repeat this procedure. i did it only
>> > once. i also have that 40mm summicron-c. it uses a different approach
>> > of the rangefinder cam (it's a steep cam where the other lenses use a
>> > second helical drive). on my m3 i see a little misalignment with the
>> > 40mm compared to the other leica lenses (eg. 50mm summicron) which are
>> > perfectly aligned. maybe it's caused by the different cam. but i think
>> > the difference is neglectible. if you have another lens with the more
>> > sophisticated helical driven cam you should use that to adjust the
>> > rangefinder. if you only have the summicron-c you can of course trim
>> > the rangefinder to perfect alignment with this lens.
>> >
>> > i really like the summicron-c. it's the lens i take most of my
>> > pictures with (mostly attached to a leica-cl).
>> >
>> > btw the 35mm summaron for the m3 uses the same steep cam approach as
>> > the summicron-c.
>> >
>> > if you have further questions, just send me an e-mail.
>> >
>> > best regards
>> >
>> > michael
>I read the above with great relief because that is what I figured out
>myself on the road (in a cold sweat) but with remembering what I saw my
>repair guy do. (I'm new to English) I did find it necessary to repeat
>the procedure until I got it right. I am glad I did not steer people the
>wrong way in my posts last night and before. I was very afraid I might have.
>Mark Rabiner
>The buck stops elsewhere.