Robustness of the Leica M

[jonathan_reynolds]

I've seen the durability of Ms debated in this forum, so this little story may

interest some.

 

Last Thursday, I was perched on a bar-stool, in a pub far from home, enjoying

the local scene and waiting for my meal to come. Nice pub, good beer, bare

flagstone floor. A family re-union was going on across the bar, and some folks

had a toddler on the loose, way past his natural bed-time. This little fellow

meandered my way, and out of the corner of my eye I saw him stagger a bit and

start to fall, right by where I was sitting. Instinctively, I flung a hand down

to get it under his head as he went over. I got there, but the next instant

there was a sickening crack. That was my M6 rattling down off my shoulder onto

the flagstones, about 5 feet in all.

 

I was glad to see the kid was OK (smiling!). The kid's dad was more concerned

about my camera. I assured him it would be fine, but when all had quietened

down I checked it over. I really expected to find the rangefinder window

cracked and heaven knows what else. But to my surprise, I could find no mark on

the camera anywhere, not a single scratch or dent (it's a black chrome version).

The only thing is that the vertical rangefinder alignment, which was very

slightly out before, is appreciably more out now. What happened? Did a Leica

angel catch it even as it fell?

 

(Lucky it didn't fall on the kid of course, but actually that was never likely.)

[ronald_moravec1]

Leicas are very robust.

 

I recall reading a story about a PJ who lost a SL from 20,000 feet over the MOjave dester while riding in a F4 Phantom.

 

 

It was recovered several years later and still worked.

[albert knapp md]

Glad the kid and camera are well....

[mike dixon]

You got lucky. When I dropped my M3 onto a concrete floor, I got a new dent and an ugly scrape as a reward. Camera still works fine, though.

[sitemistic]

Actually, the SL, with motordrive attached, was recovered by hikers about a year later. While it

did not work, Leica proclaimed it repairable, but decided to give the photographer a new

camera and put the one that had taken the fall into their museum.

<p>Most amazingly, the way they found the photographer who owned the camera, was by

developing the photos that were still in it and tracking him down through those. Even after

the fall, the camera remained light tight!

[terry_rory]

Toddlers in pubs? They should either be outside with a lemonade and a bag of crisps or at home. 'Family pubs'. I hate them.

 

Sorry to digress.

 

The Yashica T5 is the hardiest camera I have owned. Both the kids (now 15 and 22) both still have theirs, totally intact and unscathed despite many hair raising accidents and drops. My old one was still mint despite flying 10 metres into the side of an allotment shed one time.

[john sypal]

<p>A Leica Fall Story</p>

<p>My MP fell off my shoulder onto a wood floor in a few months ago. It looked fine, and

the rangefinder

seemed

ok. The next day I took it down to the Ginza Leica shop here in Tokyo to have it looked at

and handed it over the camers to a man in the white lab coat. 20 minutes later he came

back and said that the shock

of the fall had slightly twisted the frame, rendering it difficult to focus properly. So I asked

what it was gonna cost and he replied "130,000 yen, which will cover the parts- a new

chassis to replace the current warped one, and labor". </p>

<p>That same amount of yen can get you a pretty good M6 down at Map Camera in

Shinjuku. I

had been saving for a summicron and figured that the cash I had in my bedroom that was

to go towards that lens would now be spent on the repair bill- - and it was. But only after

coming back to me via an insurance company after my place got broken in to and the cash

stolen. (long story, but the burglar walked right past my M5 and F3P and just took the

cash). In the end (5 weeks later), I got my MP back good

as new, with a new chassis, a 1 year warranty, and a new hot-tub floor grip cover (another

5800 yen on the

bill) but without the stock Leica strap that I had on it when I handed the camera over for

repair. I could have gone back to get it but never did because it was far more slippery

than the leather one I have on my camera now. <p>

 

 

<p>P.S. That very SL2 you guys are talking about was on display at the Leica Ginza shop

last

year.<p>

 

<p>http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00HnrI</p>

[paul_chan4]

Maybe, maybe not. I lost the framelines for the 50/75mm and 90mm in my M6TTL .85 viewfinder after I mount and remove the body cap! My repairman told me there was this linkage mechanism that was not working as it should. No fall , no angel. You win some, you lost some. Yes, I still have this firm conviction they are fairly durable.

[john sypal]

<p>>>here in Tokyo to have it looked at and handed it over the camers to a man in the

white lab coat. <<</p>

 

<p>*AHEM* How about "... here in Tokyo to have it looked at, and handed over the camera

to a man in a

white lab coat. "</p>

 

<p>I should probably not mention that I am an English teacher, but I will say that it has been

a long day...</p>

[Troll]

There's a lot to be said for always keeping one's camera in the neveready case (at least in the bottom part).<P>Despite the reputation for being the most rugged of cameras, it's well known that if tapped just the right way the Leica M rangefinder will go seriously awray, a rare but occassional problem.

[brucecahn]

I dropped an M3 off a 26 inch table onto a vinyl floor years ago and it picked up a considerable dent, just like any other metal camera would. They are great cameras but dent as easily as anything else.

[charles_stobbs3]

You mean there's more than one white lab coat?

[michaelging]

Just a thought, I use on several of my cameras a "up strap" that is amazing on how well it keeps the camera on your shoulder. I can bendover and reach down to pick something up off the ground and the camera stays in place on my shoulder.I also have some domke "gripper" staps that work ok , but not nearly as well as the Up Strap.

[aplumpton]

Some polycarbonate cameras bounce better than a Leica, probably due to the fact that plastic is more elastic than metal and thus absorbs the shock a litle better. Leicas do seem to have a better chance though of staying aligned during less extreme handling (staying in precise register) as they are more solidly constructed, but this assumes no boucing off concrete or even wooden floors.

[exabetal]

Don't count out the FSU Zorki's ;-)

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39987

[dan flanders]

"I should probably not mention that I am an English teacher, but I will say that it has been a long day..."<p> I am a publisher, and you'd be surprised at the number of would be "authors" who tell me "No need to edit or proofread my manuscript -- my wife (son, brother, etc.) is an English major (teacher, etc.)!"

[jun_cao]

My M6 dropped on the a bus floor (hard plastic) from the seat (2 feet to the floor) and the

rewinder lever is bend and can not turn (It was my second day in Alaska).

rewinder lever on M6 is a weakpoint.

[johannes_knightworth]

Well cameras are not made for dropping (obviously) but the need to be able to stand bumps and knocks and stuff. I always have my M4 dangling over my right shoulder, it will and does bump into walls, doors, tables etc. and has been doing so for 25 odd years, it doesn't look very good anymore but it still functions like it did on day 1.

[Bill Blackwell Images]

I was at the LA Zoo with some family members recently with my M7. It was draped over my right shoulder and it pounded onto a pole - you know, one of those worthless barrier poles at just above waste level. Anyway, when I checked the camera over, it looked to be just fine with no visual damage at all. But later when I changed film there was a substantial dent over one of the strap eyelets under the Luigi half case. Although I have considered having the dent removed, I view it as one of those Leica adventures. Whenever I remove the half-case to change film I think of that day at the Zoo.

[stephen_w.]

My M6 is from the first batch of 1000 that I bought at Central Photo in Chicago in '91. It has been dropped at least three times: My GF dropped it into the snow and rocks on a mountain trail in Andalucia, Spain, she also knocked it off a chair in a hotel in Lisbon. I caused it to fall off a table in the old Ivory Photo in Ann Arbor, MI. Other than a DIY infinity adjustment, it has never been serviced. It's as ugly as Al Kaplan's M's. ;*)

[larry_kincaid1]

Okay, so maybe I'm the first fool to drop a M8. All $4700 of it right onto the concrete. I always, repeat always, use the camera with the strap around my neck. But the first time I took it out in March it was still cold outside and windy. Just as I was transfering the camera to a camera bag (it's only split second moment of vulnerability) the wind blew my hat off. Big deal. Camera in my right hand, I lean over to pick the hat up. Wind blows it further away (We're in a Charlie Chaplin movie now). Then again. Now I'm seriously chasing the hat ($80 hat). But not problem there's a 3 foot high concrete bunker type object in its way. Surely it will block it. No. Just as I was reaching for it one last time it blew over the the top of the bunker. So, I dove on top of the bunker and grabbed it with my "right hand." The one holding the expensive M8. The M8 and 35mm Lux ASPH fell onto the top of the bunker. So, not all the way to the ground, but concrete nonetheless. Conclusion. The brass bottom plate where it landed is very strong (as will all Ms) and was barely scratched. That means that it landed on the base. First good luck. The only other mark was on the edge of the filter on the lens. That's all. Still worked perfectly and has ever since. I no longer shoot in wind. I sit down to transfer the camera into the camera bag.<div></div>

[jonathan_reynolds]

I have made a list of you all and the cameras you dropped, just in case I ever see them offered for sale!

 

Nice to know I'm not the only one. Commiserations to those who suffered more than I did.

[jerry_kirkwood]

Great stories, but there's more to reliability than just being able to survive being dropped onto a hard floor. Like being dunked or even in a heavy downpour, or where a lot of dust is blowing around. The old Leicas could survive that even if they weren't sealed, because the mechanical parts could be cleaned and re-oiled and away you go. An electronic/digital is a different animal entirely. I don't get why for five grand the M8 isn't weather sealed. The >$3000 pro DSLR's are all weather sealed, even the prosumer D200 Nikon.

[laurentvuillard]

My own experience with Ms is that they do not wear for sure but they are fragile instruments.Each timeI dropped one , it did not like it: An M2 dropped fromnot too high on the floor ended up with a dead rangefinder (prism split) thta had to be replaced at great expense by Leica. I also dropped an M6+ summicron 35, landed from about half meter (1 1/2 foot for our US friends) on a not so solid airport safety X-Ray machine : result dead threads on the focusing ramp and 350 euros (>400 USD) repair. On the other handI've never had any mechanical failure even on second hand very worn bodies.