Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/10/17

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Subject: Re: [Leica] M camera parts
From: "SonC (Sonny Carter)" <sonc@sonc.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 11:16:18 -0500
References: <SIMEON.10110170903.F@sova-walt.unt.edu>

Ken Ruth of Photography on Bald Mountain repaired the vulcanite on my
M3.  He did a terrific job, and I could not spot the repair at all.
He uses dental tools and a goop to replicate the shade of the
vulcanite on your camera.

He also made my M6 all better, after it kissed the stone tile floor in
my den.  I highly recommend his work.

http://home.pacbell.net/baldmtn
KEN RUTH
113 BALD MOUNTAIN
DAVENPORT, CALIFORNIA
95017
( 831 ) 423-4465

Regards,
Sonny




> Jimbo, Hello from Texas
> You can get replacement covering (not "vulcanite" ) from Leica.
> (Dave Ellwell-201-767-5728 for parts)
> The back door piece looks nice and is easy to install.
> The body covering is like that on an M6...it looks nice on an
otherwise
> 'beater' camera, but I wouldn't put it on a collectible.
>
> As for parts count, it's ambiguous...for example, is the "top cover"
> a part?  what about the little glass windows and the clips that hold
them
> in? are they parts?....is a double (stacked) gear that is swaged
together
> one part or two if the FACTORY made it of two parts but now it is
sold as
> ONE?....
>
> Interesting questions, but it's more "salesman" talk than an
accurate number.
>
> Electronic cameras with the same features as an M6 would have FEWER
parts...
> BUT no company (Leica?) would build such a thing...
> for example...no one asked
> for TTL flash on M cameras--which have added problems (flash
compatibility and
> battery drain) that would have NEVER existed...WHEN there's an
"electronic" M,
> you can bet that it WILL NOT just replace the speeds escapement in
an M6...
> it would be an "M" shaped body LOADED with other useless shit.
>
> I tell Leica friends "be careful what you ask for"....when the M6
came out,
> the M4P was to be continued for "traditionalists"...that small
percentage who
> DO NOT want TTL metering (we "incident" metering lunatics)...a year
or two later,
> the M4P was dropped from the catalogue...it COULDN'T have cost them
a dime more
> to build a few dozen a year...it IS an M6 minus some junk.
>
> PC electronics CAN be built to NEARLY 100% reliability...US
government
> contractors do it every day....I don't know how the camera folks
compare, tho....
> ANYTHING would have a longer MTBF than the Leica slow speed
geartrain, on
> average...for example, every NIKON geartrain from 1950 till
1980!...(the
> escapement in Ms has serious, designed-in flaws)
>
> Our Leicas are "pretty" reliable and VERY tough (different things).
I have hoped
> for REAL improvements for years, but they will not come...SOMETHING
else will--
> something we DIDN'T ask for.
> (Where is our mechanical, manual M camera from Konica?-Where's our
"volksleica"
> M from Cosina?...how 'bout FEWER different lenses from them at even
lower prices?-why
> bodies in different MOUNTS?>>>JEEZUS (I know, so the "collectors"
can use their
> junk 50s lenses on them)
>
> Oh well, it's been interesting to watch.
> Walt
>
>
>
> On Wed, 17 Oct 2001 08:49:10 -0500 "Gumm, Jim" <Jim.Gumm@okdhs.org>
> wrote:
> > Do any of luggers know how many parts are in an M series Leica? I
have heard
> > somewhere, years ago, that there were 835 (or something close)
parts in an
> > M-3.
> > How does this compare to the number of parts in a modern slr, say
a F-100
> > Nikon? Do the electronics that dominate the cameras feature sets
lower the
> > related number of parts? Is it more difficult to calculate mtbf
numbers for
> > a circuit board?
> > On another note, do any of you have any M vulcanite, small or
larger pieces
> > for sale or rent?
> > I could use a little for several of my cameras seem to be missing
some here
> > and there. My M-2 is missing a small piece that looks like a map
of
> > Oklahoma. My M-4 is missing some around the film reminder dial. Ad
nauseum.
> > Any amounts would be appreciated and paid for!
> > Still waiting for my Noctilux to comne in, any day now. Since the
wtc
> > tragedy, I have quit worrying about things like, "When's my
package gonna
> > get here?". A least I am healthy enough to worry about it! So
everyone have
> > a GREAY DAY! and I will also.
> > best regards,
> > Jimbo
> > --
> > To unsubscribe, see
http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
>
>
> --
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>

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In reply to: Message from Walter S Delesandri <walt@jove.acs.unt.edu> (Re: [Leica] M camera parts)