Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/06/23

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Vertical alignment: short and nasty; not for the feint of heart
From: Jerry Lehrer <jerryleh@pacbell.net>
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 18:58:36 -0700
References: <20030624012533.3800.qmail@web10503.mail.yahoo.com>

Pat

I am sorry to hear that you are unable to help me.  Possibly
some other LUGer can.

Jerry

Patrick Jelliffe wrote:

> Jerry,
>
> If you don't know by now, no one can help you.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Patrick
>
> --- Jerry Lehrer <jerryleh@pacbell.net> wrote:
> > John und Patrick
> >
> > Dare I ask, what is a "vertical alignment tool"?
> >
> > Jerry
> >
> > Patrick Jelliffe wrote:
> >
> > > The dedicated cyclist knows how, or figures out
> > how,
> > > to fix any mechanical problem on the road.  Well
> > done,
> > > John.  You have more courage than I.
> > >
> > > Patrick
> > >
> > > --- John Collier <jbcollier@shaw.ca> wrote:
> > > > For the last few years I have taken to wearing a
> > > > vertical alignment
> > > > tool around my neck as a talisman against evil.
> > It
> > > > has been remarkable
> > > > successful with no misalignment during that
> > time.
> > > > You might say that I
> > > > got cocky. You might say that I forget from
> > whence I
> > > > came. The
> > > > resulting struggle in my somewhat dim evening of
> > the
> > > > soul has freed me
> > > > forever from the tyranny of rangefinder
> > coddling. I
> > > > sit before you,
> > > > clacking away. a changed man, a humbler man; but
> > > > more sure of myself
> > > > and my abilities.
> > > >
> > > > It all started innocently enough: a nice surfing
> > > > holiday in Tofino with
> > > > a good friend of mine. I packed light so as to
> > do
> > > > the all carry-on
> > > > thing. A small pack and a hip bag for the
> > camera. I
> > > > only brought the
> > > > 0.58x with a 24 and a 35. My new to driving
> > daughter
> > > > agreed to getting
> > > > up early -- hard to believe but true: a
> > seventeen
> > > > year old can get up
> > > > early -- to give me a ride to the airport. So
> > far so
> > > > good except that I
> > > > decided to leave my alignment tool behind as
> > another
> > > > sacrifice to the
> > > > weight gods. We jumped in the car, down the
> > drive
> > > > way and,
> > > > unfortunately, a curb leapt out and smacked the
> > back
> > > > wheel destroying
> > > > the tire. I frowned at my daughter and quickly
> > > > ordered a cab.
> > > >
> > > > In this somewhat agitated state, I threw my bags
> > > > into the taxi. The
> > > > sickening clunk that concluded the arrival of my
> > > > camera bag at the
> > > > boot's floor, had me inwardly cursing. I knew
> > that
> > > > clunk. That was the
> > > > clunk of a camera with a misaligned rangefinder;
> > and
> > > > me without my
> > > > alignment tool! Sure enough when I got to the
> > > > airport, the superimposed
> > > > image was almost fully halfway to completely
> > missing
> > > > its target. OH
> > > > POOP! My only comfort  being that my wides could
> > be
> > > > moderately easily
> > > > scale focused. Sigh.
> > > >
> > > > While waiting for the ferry, I came to a
> > decision.
> > > > If a knock can put
> > > > it out of alignment, why the h*** couldn't
> > another
> > > > put it back in. So
> > > > there I sat by the ocean, beating the stuffing
> > out
> > > > of my 0.58x. I am
> > > > sure it was only the ferry's arrival that
> > allowed me
> > > > to narrowly miss
> > > > being arrested and locked up for this heinous
> > crime.
> > > > Parents herded
> > > > their small children back into their cars and
> > > > cranked up the
> > > > Teletubbies soundtrack to drown the screams and,
> > in
> > > > vain, pleadings of
> > > > my poor camera. However, no word of a lie, it
> > > > worked! I hit the camera
> > > > on the RW and the superimposed image dropped a
> > > > little low. A few more
> > > > biffs to the top plate and it was perfectly
> > aligned.
> > > >
> > > > So the next time you are out and about and your
> > > > finder is bent out of
> > > > shape, just whack it back in place. Remember
> > that
> > > > this only applies to
> > > > late M4-2 cameras and up. The earlier cameras
> > have a
> > > > simple vertical
> > > > alignment adjustment located behind the cover
> > screw
> > > > just above the lens
> > > > mount.
> > > >
> > > > NEVER NEVER hit a M2 or M3 camera. The finder is
> > > > held together with
> > > > Canadian Balsam and this deteriorates with time.
> > A
> > > > good knock could
> > > > cause the finder to separate and black out.
> > > >
> > > > Cheers,
> > > >
> > > > John Collier
> > > >
> > > > --
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> > >
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> > >
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> >
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In reply to: Message from Patrick Jelliffe <pbjbike@yahoo.com> (Re: [Leica] Vertical alignment: short and nasty; not for the feint of heart)