Help I dropped my Leica

[tom nb]

I recently, idiotically, and unsurprisingly dropped my Leica M4-2 - absentmindedly holding the camera by the little

lightmeter in the hotshoe, the two parted company and the camera (50mm summicron attached) hit the pavement.

 

Subsequent images show that some damage has been done. Whereas before the area on which I focused was pin

sharp, now it is the foreground that is in focus and the centre is off.

 

What have I most likely done? Damaged the lens, caused a rangefinder misalignment or both? Camera on its way to

Aperture Photographic for emergency treatment but would be interested in any thoughts...

[john carter]

It's too painful to discuss a dropped Leica. Sounds like RF needs to be readjusted, I hope that is all.

[tom nb]

Yes. That's what I hope.

[nickc1]

While dropping an M series Leica is a catastrophe, it is probably less of one than with virtually any other camera. No

plastic body to distort or crack, no circuitry to damage and a totally repairable machine in addition. There are

numerous tales of Leica salesmen chucking M series cameras (admittedly without the lens) against the wall to show

how tough they were, and dear old Victor Blackman the Daily Express photographer who wrote in Amateur

Photographer magazine for years admitted dropping his M2 off the Rock of Gibraltar with no harm coming to it. Apart

from the consummate 'quality' of the camera in use, when you get it back after its (minor) adjustment you have now

totally justified your owning a Leica.

[tom nb]

Thanks for the reassuring words Nick. So your money would be on the RF being off? There are certainly no signs of damage on the lens (nothing rattles, for example).

[michael_darnton1]

RF is the likely suspect.

 

Once my M3 with the 35mmRF Summilux on slipped off my nylon jacket arm as I reached for the railing at the top of a tall stairway in a commercial building and did the slinky thing down about 25 hard-surfaced steps, one at a time, and the only thing that happened was that a prism in the finder delaminated. It cost a bunch of money to fix, but there wasn't even a dent anywhere externally. Them things is tough!

[el_fang]

Sounds like the RF just needs an adjustment, which is a simple and (Leically-speaking) inexpensive repair. Ridiculous and unverified "tales" notwithstanding, consider yourself lucky if an RF adjustment is really all that's needed to fix it.

[Rob F.]

The rangefinder adjustment can be done yourself. There are some old threads in the archives, written by myself and others, with the details. It isn't hard. I personally would try a "field adjustment" before sending it anyplace. Write back if you can't find the old thread(s).

[mark_hahn]

this is a story... but one photography prof I had once, told us that when the M-series was new, he was a working pro in NY and as a publicity stunt, the Leica rep showing the new model at an assembly stopped the talk, went over to the window and just dropped the brand new Leica out the window (several stories) and then retrieved it to show that it still worked, even though it was completely dented. My prof said it was pretty impressive... though it had to be risky, even a Leica will not always take a drop so gracefully.

[stuart_richardson]

I would still send it out -- even if the RF adjustment brings back the sharpness, it is probably best to have someone who

knows what they are doing check out everything -- that the lens mount is still in the proper plane, none of the internal gear

trains are out of sync etc. Leicas are rugged, but not invincible -- better to have some confirmation that everything is still in

ship shape, especially if you are not used to working on your own cameras. If you are comfortable working with your own

cameras, well give it a try.

[tom nb]

The camera is deposited with the camera doctor and I am anxiously awaiting his diagnosis. Shall alert anyone interested.

[sandy_ferenczi]

<p>Tonight my M8 somehow popped out of its Blackrapid strap and bounced onto the pavement, then skidded approximately five feet. The first few shots I took afterward seemed abysmal; subsequent shots look more or less okay.</p>

<p>Just wondering how that all worked out for you, Tom.</p>

<p>It’s possible that I screwed the strap in wrong (?), though that seems highly unlikely because I’m fairly neurotic about not wanting anything to happen to my camera and so I always check and double check to make sure everything is tight. </p>

<p>The hood (12585) is ruined; the glass looks untouched; the camera body is quite scratched up but not dented. I have a thumbs-up grip on the camera (also quite scratched up) which may have actually provided a surprising amount of protection.</p>