Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/07/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The answer is maybe. It is very simple and inexpensive. You just move the near focus limit to allow the rangefinder arm to move further. Sometimes there is extra travel there that will allow it to couple down to 0.7 metre, sometimes not. Take off the lens, turn the camera upside down and gently push the rangefinder roller in and out. You should be easily able to see the travel limit adjustments. The eccentric cam adjusts the far limit and the long thin metal tab adjusts the near limit. Gently bend the long thin metal tab to allow the rangefinder arm to travel further. Do not leave the adjustment so that the force of stopping the arm is in the internal viewfinder mechanism. Make sure you readjust the long thin metal tab to stop the rangefinder arm. Also do let it travel very much beyond 0.7 metre as you do not want it to be hitting internally. As I said earlier, sometimes the M3 rangefinder mechanism will have the extra travel, sometimes not. There are no disadvantages if done correctly. John Collier > From: Bob Walkden <bob@web-options.com> > > is it possible to have the rangefinder of an M3 adjusted so that it > operates at focal distances < 1m with a lens such as the 50mm > Summicron-M 1st version (11817)? > > If so, is it generally considered an expensive operation, or fairly > straightforward, routine and reasonably cheap? > > And what are the disadvantages of doing this, if any?