jim_shields

The chain is detachable. For a while I kept the little case on the

strap and the chain in place, but the case was always getting in the

way when I'd bring the camera to my eye(left). Also, the little

rubber ring that protects eyeglasses fell off almost immediately.

Had the same problem on my M2. With the higher speeds, the first

curtain didn't make it all the way across the film gate before it got

bumped by the second curtain. Sent it in for CLA and all's well now.

I suspect this was the first it had received and this was in 1997.

Maybe I looked too long at the streaked picture but the color one at

the top still seems to have them, and in the same place. Anyone else

see them?

I'd like to ask Mike Dixon a question if he's still watching. Mike,

would you have considered the 75/1.4 a good business decision given

what the rest of your equipment looks like? I'm thinking here that

you have the 90/2, a DR 50/2, maybe even a Noct.?

Well, I wasn't sure there were such things. Anybody out there know

where these can be found?

If you're like me, Classic M6 owner, you hardly ever need to change batteries. But, if you're in Rome for a week you may find that you need them on day one. You can get them at a well supplied camera shop across from the Cancelleria, but the guy there won't be able to help you get battery cover off. He'll give you a card for a repair shop outside of town but you won't want to do that.

What you might do is go to have a nice lunch in Campo de Fiori and spend an hour working your thumb and forefinger raw trying to get it off. You may fail. The two glasses of wine you will have will make the next part of the procedure much easier, emotionally. You will take the chrome end of your Cross pen, or equivalent, and with considerable force the cap will budge. Engage the chrome end with the knurled rim of the cap and begin to push carefully. You will worry about slipping and gouging the vulcanite. You will also worry about slipping and scratching the rangefinder window, or the top plate, so you will decide it's better to push toward the base plate. On the first try you will scrape off a few of the ridges and you will see the brass. You will remember that while the top plate is zinc this part and the base are still brass. You think, "well, I'll worry about this less in the future."

Finally the cap comes off. Clean away the crud, in go the batteries, and all's right with the world again. Two weeks later the skin will begin to peel off of your thumb and forefinger.

I just felt like sharing. Ciao.

Using the magnifier on a .72 body allows you to shoot with both eyes

open i.e. right eye through viewfinder and left eye out in space.

It's a remarkable feeling.

Watch out for the little rubber eyeglass protector. It can come off

pretty easily.

Your need for the extra stop may not be the issue. You might "want"

toshoot at 1.4.

Let me get this straight. Am I reading that if I set the sutter speed

dial somewhere between 1000 and 500 that I will actually get a shutter

speed between 1000 and 500?

Tri-X @800, ID-11 (straight), 70 degrees F., 12 minutes, a little

agitation every 30 secs. This puts you in the ball park. But if it's

a sunny day the contrast is a bit strong if printed normally.

Twice in two different years I was heading south on 93 in Boston. On

these two occasions I found myself behind a white Volvo with the

license plate "LEICA". Was that any of us?

For some time I've been shooting Tri-x at 800 and developing in ID-11

or D-76 (1:1, 12 mins, 20 deg C). I'm feeling it's a bit too harsh,

contrasty, on average. I usually have a wide variety of lighting

situations on a roll and while pushing a stop is great for some

shots, it definitely is too much for others. I'm going to try to

dial it down a bit.

I spent several minutes in the shop screwing it in and unscrewing it

to see the difference in magnification and brightness of the finder.

I found both to be slight but I bought it on the assumption that my

results in the end might be slightly better or more reliable. If I

really look to the limits of the finder I can see the 28 lines. I

have no problem with the 35. This is all on my M6. The results on

the M2 are slightly different, the M2 lines being slightly larger in

the first place, I think. The major disappointment came when I found

that the rubber eyeglass protector rubbed off against my shirt while

walking around. Beware.

FYI, as I just mentioned in another thread, the rubber eyeglass

protector is something like a little o-ring which fits into a channel

that runs round the magnifier. My experience is that the action of

the camera hanging around your neck while walking for an afternoon in

Venice is enough to loosen the o-ring. Fortunately I do not wear

eyeglasses.

The rubber piece that protects eyeglasses is glued to the magnifier.

I lost mine somewhere in Venice over the weekend. The truth is that

on the way down in the train I looked down at my shirt and I saw a

rubber o-ring. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I unscrewed

the thing and put it in its little box. I considered what to do.

Sometime later I thought I'd chance it, put it back on, and keep an

eye on it. Later still, it was gone. Hmmm.

Well, it wasn't a question. And it wasn't a Bessa T either. No

viewfinder or rangefinder. Two accessory shoes, M mount, Leica

script on the front and a Leica 25/2.8. I thought it was

interesting. Also interesting is that the price of the 1.25 was

450,000 Italian Lire which is about $225, I believe. Pretty much

what I've seen for the list price elsewhere.