Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/04/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hello John: Was the problem the quality of the M4-2 as produced or the quality of the earlier repairs? I have two M4-2s that seem to function well. If they are OK so far, should I anticipate problems in the near future? Roland Smith Oakland, California - ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Collier" <jbcollier@shaw.ca> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 6:23 AM Subject: [Leica] Gerry does it again (long) > As you all know I purchased an early M4-2 so I could find out if the > early cameras really had all the problems everyone said they did. And, > as I have written previously, everyone was remarkably prescient. Please > consider me just another member of the everyone crowd; never ever buy an > early M4-2 period. > > I have the camera though and I am sure as heck not just going to unload > it on some unsuspecting Leica buff. So Gerry Smith of Kindermann Canada > has been in charge of getting the darn thing working properly. I > strongly suspect that the last few weeks will have had him pining for > the fjords of his native land, far away from any place that might have > an early M4-2. This of course depends on his native land having fjords. > > First he did a proper CLA on it. This was to fix the problems caused by > the first CLA done by They Who Shall Remain Unnamed But Should Bloody > Well Have Known Better (TWSRUBSBWHKB from here on in). He warned me that > the motor drive coupling was worn but should be OK with just a > RapidWinder. The camera arrived back and the drive coupling promptly > expired so I sent it back. > > Gerry next installed the new style of drive coupling from the M4-P and > up cameras and phoned me to say it was on its way back. It would not > have made it in time for my holidays, so I told them to not send it > until I got back. Three weeks after I got back (five weeks later) there > was still no sign of the camera! > > Finally Gerry gave me a call and, after saying several polite but > plainly negative comments on early M4-2s and inexperienced repair > people, told me his sad sad tale. He had the camera all fixed up and > ready to box up for shipping. It had been sitting for a couple of days > and when he picked it up and fired the shutter, it fired off a blank! He > fired it again and no troubles. > > So for the next four weeks, he would let the camera sit for at least > three days and then test it. It had to be that long or the camera would > not misbehave. It would only fire the very first shot blank and then you > would have to leave it alone for another three days to try it again. So > he would try an adjustment or two, wait three days and see if it he had > found the problem. Then he would do it all over again, and again, and > again... > > The problem turned out to be a shutter roller that had been poked > inappropriately during one of its previous repairs. This VERY slightly > bent the tip of the roller so that, if it was left a long time, the tip > would stick slightly in its bushing. > > The charge for all this labour that was not any fault of Gerry's? > > Nothing, nada, not one penny. > > He is charging me for the parts but the labour is all free. When I > insisted he charge something for his hours of frustrating work, he > simply says that you cannot bill every hour and on some jobs you just > have to take a loss and write it off as a learning experience. WHAT A > GUY!!! > > What else can I say? > > John Collier > > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html