Calibrate your Leica rangefinder

E. von Hoegh

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In 2015 I purchased a 1936 Contax II, very lightly used and showing evidence of having been disused for half a century, likely longer. As recieved the rangefinder was dead accurate at 1 meter, 2 meters, 5 meters, 10 meters, and infinity.
 

Ko.Fe.

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The article is entry point. What RF is. Something what Leica user should know before using Leica.

Rangefinders rarely goes off of alignment on cameras which were not in use for 30 years. If you drop camera or displace RF arm by mishandling, then it will go off.
After 30 years on shelf shutter speed might be off very likely and curtains might have some wrinkles, but it is not critical most of the time.
TLC is done in washrooms, but Leica cameras are maintained by C.L.A.
 

zanxion72

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Indeed! And this does not apply only for Leicas. Among my Leicas I own a Zorki I from the 50's that have never had its rangefinder adjusted. Yet, it is still perfectly accurate.
It will need to be adjusted though after fully tearing down the camera to replace its worn curtains. Those frisky things under the mount for sure will break down in pieces removing them during the disassembly.
 

benjiboy

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I'm not a Leica owner, myself but I saw a video of the Leica factory in Germany and they use the same machine to calibrate the M camera rangefinders as the U.S Army do to calibrate the laser rangefinders on their Abrams tanks
 
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