Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/04/05

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Subject: [Leica] Hexar leak, dud service
From: lindnich at lindnich.plus.com (lindnich@lindnich.plus.com)
Date: Mon Apr 5 09:18:33 2004
References: <1166833.20040404213722@lindnich.plus.com> <DAEA0CA9-8683-11D8-A453-003065D6E648@umich.edu>

Hello Dante,

Sunday, April 4, 2004, 11:03:07 PM, you wrote:

> The rangefinder on the Hexar has been redesigned in the last four 
> years; it's my understanding that both that problem and the use of a
> brass RF adjustment screw were corrected.

> I just repeated your test with my latest (and now only) body (S/N 
> 14506xx) and a mini-mag lite (I assume this is a "small" torch) in a
> dark room.  Nothing.  This is a lot more light than is ever supposed to
> be coming through a diffuser window, and it never made it down that 
> shaft.  And even if any (pretty attenuated) light did get down that 
> shaft, it would be in front of the shutter, which is usually only open
> for a fraction of a second.

> It seems that either you have an old body from before the RF redesign,
> or the flare you are seeing is coming from pointing the lens at the 
> sun.  Any time an RF coupling ring has a bright surface, it can flare.
> I understand that this is a known problem on Leica IIIs that don't have
> good baffling.

> You could probably also expose the film by holding a small flashlight
> against the film window on the back...

> ____________
> Dante Stella
> http://www.dantestella.com

> _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information

As I understand it, if the light leaking from the rangefinder is
enough to give an average exposure of 1/15 second, as measured
off-the-film with a lens-cap on the lens, then it will create visible
fogging when the lens-cap is off at faster shutter speeds. So even at
1/125   or 1/250 it will show.

I didn't know about a redesign: this may be an issue. The camera was
bought in UK in June 200 and was new stock as the shop had sold three
Hear RFs already. My guess though is a bit of felt was missed out when
it was assembled.


-- 
Best wishes,
                         mailto:lindnich@lindnich.plus.com


In reply to: Message from lindnich at lindnich.plus.com (lindnich@lindnich.plus.com) ([Leica] Hexar leak, dud service)
Message from dante at umich.edu (Dante Stella) ([Leica] Hexar leak, dud service)