david_s4 Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 I've been lurking for a while, so it's good to talk to you all, now that I have a question. <p>I've borrowed an M6 Classic a few times, so I know that rangefinder shooting and I get along well. I have the opportunity to buy a nearly-new silver MP at a decent price (about US$2K). I was giving the camera a once-over inspection and noticed that the advance lever touches the corner of the flash shoe when fully retracted. <p>So for those of you with MP's, or who have carefully inspected them, have you noticed this as well, or should I consider this a defect that may damage the lever or shoe with continued use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_barnett2 Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 That is how it is supposed to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua_drucker Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 Mine touches as well, so its probably not a defect. And with no friction, unlikley to cause damage. The real defect is the cheap ISO dial, which is prone to select a speed on its own when being handled during the course of a day.. (Someone needs to design a clear cap or something to fit over this to avoid accidental movement).. Anyhow, hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 After 36 years of using M bodies you gotta come along and make me look at the levers on my M2 and M3 bodies. Some touch, some don't, some touch the shoe and some touch the shutter speed dial first! It makes me think that they're not all the exact same size or shape. Anybody got a better idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charles barcellona www.bl Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 This is a condition known as crankus carborundom, in Latin. For about $75-85, you can get a decent belt sander from Home Depot, just grind it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob F. Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 My M2 and M3 levers both touch the flash shoe. They also graze the shutter speed dial. Something has to backstop the lever, right? The plastic tip on my M4P, M6 classic and M6TTL also rests on the shoe. It's normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_. Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 1. The MP's advance lever does touch the flash shoe, which is slightly different than the M2/M3's where it touches the shutter dial. I've seen a half dozen slightly-used black paint MP's and all of them have developed a bright spot on the advance lever tip where it hits. Oddly the bright marks were all silver-colored. 2. Or you could order a nice plastic-tipped M6 advance lever from Leica and have it installed. 3. Or you could buy a mint M6 and save $700. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_s4 Posted December 13, 2003 Author Share Posted December 13, 2003 Thank you all. Regarding Jay's first point, the lever isn't likely made of brass. The following is from an MP <a href="http://www.leica-camera.com/unternehmen/presse/data/03260/index_e.html"> press release</a>: <p><i>"Like the LEICA M7, the LEICA MP has a top of solid brass. The main body and housing consist of light-weight but robust diecast aluminum. All the controls such as the speed dial, the film advance lever and the rewind crank are made entirely of metal."</i> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_. Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 Interesting, so then does that mean the advance tip which should by all estimates be one of the high-wear points, will wear to "ugly" silver (like the black chrome bodies do, and everyone gripes about)rather than "beautiful" brass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_barnett2 Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 As usual Jay is talking complete bollocks about the MP. The advance lever of the black paint MP is made of BRASS. Evidenced by brass showing after some use. I suspect one of two things is going on here. Jay is either seeing what he wants to see, rather than the truth (being prejudiced on all things MP), or he is colour blind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_r._fulton_jr. Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 .......this is getting good.....carry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryk_barnas Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 Can someone verify that it is made of brass? I did get silver MP few weeks ago and I am toying with idea of buying black paint one in hopes that it will appreciate value like all of the black paint models. By the way main touches too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno_menilli Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 Henryk My MP has about 1mm x 1mm of wear or chip(?) on the serrated edge of the lever wind, where it has hit the hot-shoe. A bright(ish) silvery-grey is what shows through. I would guess that brass is probably too soft to use on this fairly high stress part. As long as it does its job who cares? Anyway if the resultant glare causes me eyestrain I could always put a blob of black paint or felt pen on it :>) Regards Bruno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryk_barnas Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 Thanks Bruno. Sorry for spelling in my previous post. How did they make M3 in black paint? I have only seen it on pictures and it looked like brass lever, at least in my eyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan flanders Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 If it's brass try "Birchwood - Casey Brass Black" from your friendly local gunsmith. If its aluminum they also make "Aluminum Black" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom h. Posted December 14, 2003 Share Posted December 14, 2003 It's the flimsy frame selector lever I'd worry about. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_barnett2 Posted December 14, 2003 Share Posted December 14, 2003 'Can someone verify that it is made of brass?' Yes it is made of brass Henryk. I think Bruno is 'seeing' something that is fooling his eyes. The serrated end of the lever on my MP shows a silver grey finish in some small areas, but this is just the last vestige of black paint (which if you scratch it obviously looks a lighter grey)or etch primer that Leica applied. As soon as a larger area is uncovered and shows polished wear even Bruno will see the metal underneath is brass. As for not using brass because it is a 'high stress' part of the camera, somebody like Bruno should have mentioned that to Leica in all their previous weak attempts at advance levers on M3, M2, etc etc, because they to are made from brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsr Posted December 14, 2003 Share Posted December 14, 2003 The lever on my MP comes close, but does not touch the hot shoe! Best regards, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunom Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Steve Never saw your response before now - must be something to do with my eyes? As you agree there is a silvery grey finish on your wind lever, how am I seeing things, if that's what I see as well? I did not suggest that Leica had got it wrong all these years , but that I guessed it wasn't brass because I've got better things to do than sit around scatching my film wind lever to see what's under the silvery grey area. If it is brass - so what ? who cares, as I also said. Regards Bruno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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