OK, How Do To Get A Hair Out Of M3 ViewFinder ?

<p>This is a 1955 M3 with collapsable Summicron 50 I just bought, really good looker, like new, but a hair in the rangefinder is an unwanted guest, right in the patch. Anyway to blow this thing out or anything? Or does it stay until sometime I may get a CLA?</p>

<p>I've got a set of ring wrenches designed for the M3 that I can sell you. They'll take the top plate off lickety split.<br>

My guess is that somebody's already opened up this body--which might otherwise be a good thing if it were CLA'd. They didn't tend to ship from Leica that way. It would drive me insane, or, perhaps, more insane.</p>

 

<p>Thanks Chandos, but I don't trust myself with anything mechanical, especially a Leica. The hair will have to stay until/if I get the camera/lens CLAd. The hair, even if all else is fine, may drive me to that.</p>

<p>If I should think differently in the near future I'll get back to you about your wrenches and I appreciate the opportunity!</p>

Do you see the hair extend beyond the patch? If not, it may be the silvering on a prism which

have cracked.

<p>No it doesn't extend beyond patch. Where is the prism, interior of the eyepiece? Then it would be permanent unless fixed. Wonder the cost? I may learn to love it if it's a lot. Right now it's irritating.</p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestion.</p>

<p>There is something simple & safe to try:</p>

<p>Next to the "frosted" middle window, there's a bright chrome screw that covers an access point.<br /> With a can of air and it's supplied tube, you can "puff" some air in the direction of two possible resting areas for this "hair" (A mini 2nd image prism & the front of the brightline mask). This tip <strong>may</strong> dislodge the annoyance.</p>

<p>To clarify, a sharp & defined flaw means that debris is at the point of the mask & mini unsilvered prism.<br /> If it's in the viewer area, debris would be so blurry you wouldn't be bothered by it.<br /> On the other hand, fog/haze or decayed glass cement, would be a major factor in reducing the<em> Leica</em> RF brilliance/experience...</p>

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<p>"take the top plate off lickety split" <em><strong>Chandos</strong></em></p>

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<p>So you're the one scratching all of the bezels, retainers and top-plates...<br>

(Sorry, couldn't help myself)</p>

<p>I actually have become friends with the Seller of a sort, so I messaged him about what Niels said. Seller said he never noticed a hair, and that he would have said something if he had. I believe him. He seemed to think it was his fault for not noticing, <br /> That could mean if it's a prism crack USPS Shipping caused it. It's small but obvious, no one could miss it.<br /> So, if Seller is willing to have himself quoted officially, I could file a complaint with post office.<br /> I've heard though they do everything to put you off, then deny.<br /> But I'll also buy some compressed air and do THE BLOW as suggested above first.</p>

<p>I could build up a real obsession about this little hair or crack posting here and with all the kind replies , more and more preoccupied, muttering about it while in public, not bathing or sleeping..</p>

<p>"</p>

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<p><strong><a href="/photodb/user?user_id=1899361">Gus Lazzari</a> <a href="/member-status-icons"><img title="Subscriber" src="/v3graphics/member-status-icons/sub10.gif" alt="" /></a>, May 14, 2015; 08:54 a.m.</strong></p>

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<p><strong>There is something simple & safe to try:</strong><br /> <strong>Next to the "frosted" middle window, there's a bright chrome screw that covers an access point.</strong><br /><strong>With a can of air and it's supplied tube, you can "puff" some air in the direction of two possible resting areas for this "hair" "</strong></p>

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<p><strong><br /></strong>You mean take the screw out first? You must, what good would a puff be otherwise.<br>

Think I'll wait for a reply on that, it would be like me to misinterpret what you wrote and screw things up good.<br>

Besides, there are two screws, one to the left of the frosted window looking at the camera from the front, and one between the frosted window and eyepiece window. Dunno for sure which you mean.</p>

<p>If it is in fact a hair, it will do no damage and will not appear on the photos you take. When you are taking pictures and not examining the camera minutely, you are unlikely even to notice it.</p>

<p>It's a crack, must be. The Seller never noticed and he did a pretty thorough check before it was sent, though small one look through the eyepiece and you can't miss it.<br>

It therefore can't be a hair that got in during shipping. It defies the laws of Physics that a fully cased camera surrounded by packing material, all of it boxed, could allow a hair in the viewfinder.<br>

It is however not unlikely that ground shipping produced a drop, bump, etc while in transit.<br>

Has to be a crack.<br>

I just shot a test role, it doesn't bother me and against a colored background I don't notice it.<br>

But I likely will file against USPS, fat chance but I lose nothing.<br>

I'm posting on a separate thread a problem I had while shooting if anyone is interested</p>

<p>An impact hard enough to crack the tiny "Bright-line capsule", would certainly have severed the large split-beam group<br /> at the cement joint (Blacked out view). So unless the box shows <strong>major</strong> damage, USPS isn't at fault.</p>

<p>Now if there are many "hair like" imperfections in the brightline and center projections, then the sandwiched film sealed in with glass (makes up the brightline & rectangle 2nd image opening), may have been attacked by fungus etc.</p>

<p><em>"Dunno for sure which you mean"</em><br /> The <strong>large screw in the middle</strong>, not the two small ones securing your early M3 top-plate.</p>

<p> </p>