Leicaflex SL lens release catch replacement

The Leicaflex SL lens release catch is a notorious weak spot on these cameras, often breaking leaving the lens stuck on the body with no way of releasing the two. If you can find a new metal lens release, it is possible to do a DIY repair. This post is purely so this procedure is out there on the net for anyone that might be trying to do the same thing. This is what I did, you may come up with a different method, you may think this is madness, but it shows it doesn’t necessarily have to be done by a qualified repair person. DAG cameraparts still have the all metal releases, Oct. 2018, at a price that is a whole hill more than I really wanted to pay, but hell, they had one! Thank you DAG. The remains of the old plastic one, and the shaft upon which it fits were visible, but recessed below the level of the face of the lens. I found one other reference to using a pair of scissors to remove the old one on the net, but several others of doom and gloom, that you are screwed, if the old one breaks. Anyway, I did use a pair of small, sharp, pointed nail scissors, in good light, and pushed the old remains down, using both points of the scissors with one hand, while retaining a grip on the lens with the other, camera body between my legs acting as a vice (steady boys, steady!). I think scissors are quite good for this as you get two points reducing contact pressure on the old and brittle plastic parts, and they are sharp, meaning they stick into the plastic, reducing the likelihood of slipping. The remains moved easily into the released position first time, enabling me to turn the lens slightly to prevent it returning to the locked position. From there it is just a case of removing the bayonet ring with an appropriately sized screwdriver, removing the broken parts (careful don’t let anything fall into the mirror box without you noticing) and replacing with the new metal release. Don’t loose the spring on the shaft of the old catch, the new one doesn’t come with one, so you need to hang on to it.