Problems with Leica M's?

[m3]

How many of you nice folks out there have actually had any mechanical problems with your Leica M cameras that was brought on by normal use and not by accidental abuse?

[kirktuck]

1986 M3 wind stopped functioning during shoot in Paris. 2001, two new M6's, one a .72ttl and the other a .85ttl both delivered with inaccurate

rangefinders. Jan. 2002 M6 classic film wind becomes inoperative in Biloxi, Miss. during AR shoot., 2001 Brand new 90apo delivered with rough focus

ring. 2002 discover CL meter to be erratic. How about R stuff? Still shoot with the stuff but I'm getting to know my local Leica repair man very well. To

his credit, once fixed they stay fixed.

 

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Kirk

[sait_akkirman]

Leica cameras do not have mechanical problems. Their design

is truly fantastic. (So are various other cameras eg Nikons F2,

F3, FM, FE, Canon F1, etc). The main problem with Leica is

quality control. Following are things that I know, that can be out

of adjustment in a brand new camera. Shutter speeds out,

uneven exposure due to shutter problems, variation of exposure

between 2 quick succession shots (at the same settings),

rangefinder vertical and horizontal adjustment, parallax not

working for 35&135 lens frames, light leaks around the shutter,

titanium finish can peel off.

[jay_.]

I have never had a failure with an M body. The erratic shutter is a

design consequence...I don't call it a flaw, it is a consequence of

it being a very old design timed by gears and springs driving a set

of cloth curtains. Once the slower speeds are adjusted unless the

camera is left unused for many months they stay put. I periodically

fine-tune the 500/1000 speeds which can be done on an M6 (not earlier

models) without removing the top plate. The vertical alignment of

the rangefinder doesn't go out of adjustment, it has to be knocked

out. If you don't drop or bang it, it won't go out. The horizontal

alignment is likewise, but that is an easy at-home adustment.

Basically, otherwise all I've ever done with my M6's is change the

film and batteries. One body is about 11 years old and the other is

6.

[bobtodrick]

Leicas I've owned include an M4, CL, IIIg and an R3. My affair with

Leica started in 1976 and I've shot on average 300 rolls a year with

these cameras. Total repairs to date (not including a total of 4 or

5 CLA) is one - I dropped the M4 w/Elmar collapsible - the lens

didn't collapse afterwords and the rangefinder needed adjustment.

Total price was about $300.00 1982 dollars. Of course the people

that have had problems will scream bloody murder on this thread and

Leica will end up looking problem laden. While the people that have

had no problems just continue taking photos.

[wilhelm]

I had to get rid of my then new M5 because the meter would shift off

by 1/2 stop, which was just enough to ruin Kodachrome exposures, but

not enough to notice that it was screwing up. The CL does the same.

[pcg]

Shot w/ a DS M3, IIIC & M6 now since early 1980s. The M3 has

worked flawlessly through 100s of rolls & in many harsh

settings. The IIIC had a problem with the spool about 3 mths

ago & I had DAG fix it--cost about $75; otherwise, flawless. The

M6 has worked fine throughout. Any array of SM & M lens from 21

thru 135mm--never a problem w/ any. An amazing track record.

[john_layton]

The only Leica-M that failed me in "normal" use was my

"take-apart" Leica, an M-2 that had fallen off the roof of someone

elses car and gotten run over by a succession of following cars.

I bought it (from the driver of the first car) cheap (50.00) took it

apart and got it to work. I took this M-2 apart many times, mostly

to satisfy my own curiosity. With each of these sessions I would

go a little farther, until I had it just about down to the internal

castings. The internal build quality of this camera was truly

magnificent! At any rate, at one point I pulled a bit too hard on the

top shutter curtain strap, and it came partially unglued. I used

what I thought was the proper rubber cement to repair this, but

the strap broke away completely soon after this, causing the

shutter curtains to form a "V." I eventually repaired this and got it

working again. What is truly ironic is that just as I was trying to

sell this camera to a guy from RIT, the front element of the 90mm

Elmar that was attached to the camera fell off onto the carpet!

But he bought the body anyway, and I haven't seen him since!

[Rob F.]

I bought my M2 around 1961 or so. After 40 years I thought the

shutter speeds were a little off, so it went to Focal Point. It came

back with the speeds right, but then I couldn't see the left half of

the finder frames. Back to Focal Point. It came back again with the

frames all in place, but now the rangefinder's off. So it's back at

Focal Point again.

 

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My M6 developed rangefinder problems soon after purchase (used). One

trip to Focal Point, and it's been fine for over a year. Knock on

wood.

[andy_piper2]

M4-2: Had several "usage/age" problems fixed by a CLA - uneven frame

spacing; sticky frame-counter reset (often didn't reset to minus-2

unless the connector inside was pushed manually); slightly cloudy

viewfinder; locks up when used on any M winder/motor.

 

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M4-P: 1/8th second is off (1/15th); film advance occasionally has a

'break' (as in trigger break) when winding but frame spacing is even;

gets uneven exposures with any winder/motor M.

[jackflesher]

3 M6TTL's and 1 M6 Classic. No problems whatsoever.

 

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:-),

[thomas_nutter]

I had a problem with the shutter release of one of my M6 bodies.

 

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The camera's "Point of Release," the spot where you have

pushed the shutter button far enought to trip the shutter, slipped

a little causing the button to sort-of "Bottom Out," when I fired,

causing a delay in tripping the shutter.

 

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Sherry at Golden Touch said this is a common problem with the

M6, caused by vibrations suchas leaving it in the trunk of a car

loose, etc. She fixed it with no problem, but told me it could

easily happen again. Well, I've gone about two years or more

now and it has not recurred.

[jerry_pfile]

Both my M-2 and M-3 developed shutter problems over time, each

characterized by no exposure of approximately 20% of the frame.

Obviously the curtains weren't synchronizing properly.

 

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I had had the M-2 since new in 67' and it took 18 years w/o a CLA to

show up. Leica NJ repaired it with the advice to have a CLA every 10

years or so. They also advised that cameras receiving sparse use

should have a lens mounted and racked out to infinity and back, along

with the shutter run up and down the dial and fired at all speeds

to "keep the lubricants loose".

 

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The M-3 was a gift from my Father and it had the same problem when I

received it in 91. He had purchased it new in 1960 and it had

received little use. Again Leica NJ repaired.

 

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My CL is also 1/2 of a stop off, but has been that way since I

purchased it from my Uncle. As it is not erratic though, I simply

compensate by adjusting the film speed. (As a partial response to a

previous post, I can't ever recall carrying more than one M with me.

However, on vacations the CL is a great "just in case" body to carry

for insurance.)

 

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No problems with the M-6 other than RF flare on occasion, but it is

only 4 years old. (The M-2 and 3 DON'T flare.)

 

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I guess the moral of the story is use them if you have them, and give

them a grease job every decade or so. As long as parts are around,

they should last for a few generations. While they're not cheap,

it's not too bad of a way to avoid probate. Each of our four kids

knows which outfit they'll get.

 

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Regards,

 

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Jerry Pfile

[nick_chi]

I had a used but very good condition M4 s/n125xxxxxx the shutter

curtain "detached" from the mounting frame after 10 years of

shooting. The repair costs HK$2,800 + HK$4,000-5,000 CLA by offical

Leica Service Center. I end up selling it and buy a new M6TTL. I

enjoy shooting now but I miss the engraving on the top.......

[Alex_Es]

M-2 shutter frozen in Vancouver on Oct. 2000. This was a beat up $300

(yes that's right) bought in 1987-or 8. It was having probs for a

while.

 

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In December 2001 my M-6 classic shutter froze. The "Authorized"

repair people here in Japan wants over 172,000 yen to fix it.

 

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If anyone can turn me on the a good repair person in Japan, in the San

Francisco South Bay Area I'd appriciate it.

 

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Um. I turned down the "Authorized" yakuzas' offer.

[david_smith12]

I have had the vertical rangefinder come out of adjustment on both

the M6 and the Hexar RF. With the M6 I was unaware of the bump. I

dropped the Hexar on the floor from approximately one foot and that

did it. Both needed to go to the shop for adjustment.

 

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I haven't had this since I have been more careful with the camera.

SLR's aren't as dainty in this regard.

[oliver_s.]

1/25th and longer speeds in Grandpa's M3 DS went off after 32 years

of use. That's the only problem caused by normal use I met with an M.

[sparkie]

2 M6ttl's, 1 minilux, 1 minilux zoom - Nothing wrong. Only a dud

35 'lux ASPH. Best,

[richie chishty]

The shutter jammed on my brand new Leica M6 TTL 0.72 after only a

month of light use. Leica USA repaired it under warranty, but I had

to wait almost 3 months (!) to get it back!

[virgil]

I had a dream last night that I was in bed with my M6(Iknow,I know!)

and a small screw fell out of the top-plate.When I tried to put it

back in some other little screws fell out and the top-plate fell

off.I tried to fix it but there was tiny screws all over the bed.Then

it turned into an old Rollei 35 compact.I was thinking in my dream

that it was going to have to go back to Leica and I would have to use

my Nikon gear until it was fixed and that really pi**ed me

off..............is there a dream analyst out there?

[hans_berkhout]

I examined a used M body in a camera store: in the usual way I tried

to remove the back door, and the spring-loaded hinge pin slipped from

under my nail, hit the eyelet hinge part on the body and it broke off!

 

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I conveniently forgot the end of this story. But I never remove the

back of my own M bodies.

[john_chan2]

<i>I had a dream last night that I was in bed with my M6(Iknow,I

know!) and a small screw fell out of the

top-plate.When I tried to put it back in some other little screws

fell out and the top-plate fell off.I tried to fix it but

there was tiny screws all over the bed.Then it turned into an old

Rollei 35 compact.I was thinking in my dream that

it was going to have to go back to Leica and I would have to use

my Nikon gear until it was fixed and that really

pi**ed me off..............is there a dream analyst out there?</i>

 

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Yah. Stop sleeping with your M6!

[john_collier5]

Let us see...

 

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I had a M2 shutter curatin pop out of its guide slots. The next

year a curtain came loose from its ribbons. A few years later the

slow speeds gummed up. No problems since its last CLA.

 

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I had an M4-2 with wonky slow speeds and had it CLAed it. I

have had problems with shutter bounce with all my cameras on

slow speeds with a Winder mounted. My M6TTL has had its

vertical alignment done twice and it will go for a CLA as soon as

the warranty runs out.

 

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My latest M4-2 needed its rangefinder adjusted so I did it myself.

I also had to take the top plate off to adjust the frameline

selecting mechanism. My 50/2 needed to have its rangefinder

cam adjusted. My 21/3.4 optical unit came loose from the

focusing mount. And, of course, you have to tighten screws that

come loose over time.

 

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Hmmm...I think that is about it for normal wear and tear.

[scott_evans3]

No problems with M6ttl. Got a new 90 APO with a chunk of dust

on the back of the front element. Yikes!! Must have been right

before lunch for quality control when the lens went by. :0) scott

[paul_chefurka1]

I had a used M3 SS that needed a new gear in the film transport a

couple of years ago. I sent the same M3 in for an RF cleanup and

adjustment. That was it. My 3 M6's, the two M4's I've owned over

the years have all bee trouble-free.

 

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All my lenses except for the Tri-Elmar have been flawless. It took 3

tries to get a good 3E - the first two had problems with the detents -

one on the aperture ring, the other on the focal length ring. Given

that I've owned 18 various M lenses over the last 30 years, that's as

close to perfection as the company needs to come for me.