How often do you calibrate your Leica M rangefinder?

[film_man]

Just wondering here...my M4 is out of alignment. It was calibrated 1.5 year ago. Not dropped or anything, probably shot 60-70 rolls with it since. Infinity is just a bit off now.

Just wondering...how often do people have to calibrate theirs?

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

M3 & M5 - never calibrated, no need to.

Is the problem with infinity being off consistent lens-to-lens? Asking because the problem may be in the lens or on the lens mount and not in the rangefinder.

 

[film_man]

Two lenses and they're both just slightly off. Both lenses are accurate on the M246. I think my M4 is cursed, been in the shop for a shutter speed issue and a full overhaul in the last two years and now looks like i may have to take it back. I'll shoot a roll in more controlled conditions to see what is going on...

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I think my M4 is cursed, been in the shop for a shutter speed issue and a full overhaul in the last two years and now looks like i may have to take it back.

There is an old engineering adage: "Fix anything enough times and you will really break it."

 

[Nitroplait]

Currently own 2 M bodies (well 3, but one is a MDa) and have owned another 4-5 M's over the past 25 years. Only one beat up M3 was off (vertically), I adjusted that myself.

 

[cjbecker]

I wish my kalart on my graflex would stay in alignment as good as you all speak of the M bodies.

 

[mshchem]

There is an old engineering adage: "Fix anything enough times and you will really break it."

Yeah, I have a M2 and M6ttl. The M6 has the cursed meter doesn't time out when cocked. Solution don't leave cocked with battery in place, or remove battery and dispose of responsibility. There's a guy locally that could probably fix it, but the risks outweigh the benefit.

Send to whoever is The Best, for a complete work over. The camera is worth getting expert hands involved.

 

[250swb]

The oldest M I have that I know it's full history from new is a 2002 MP and it has never needed calibrating. My others may have been done at some time, I don't know, but either way it's not a routine thing to do unless something is wrong.

It may be worth remembering that the body and lenses should be calibrated to their own independent standards, never ever calibrate a body to a specific lens or visa versa, this is often where mismatches occur. Some (bad) camera repairers don't understand this or don't care and adjust the body to work with a specific lens and it may be the lens that needs adjusting, or both.

 

[film_man]

Yeah, I have a M2 and M6ttl. The M6 has the cursed meter doesn't time out when cocked. Solution don't leave cocked with battery in place, or remove battery and dispose of responsibility. There's a guy locally that could probably fix it, but the risks outweigh the benefit.

Send to whoever is The Best, for a complete work over. The camera is worth getting expert hands involved.

The camera had a full overhaul by Starkie at Cameraworks at significant cost, so doesn't really get better than this. It came back super smooth and nice. Was just surprised that a year and a half later I need to calibrate it. I don't know, maybe I bumped it somewhere...

 

[Nitroplait]

The camera had a full overhaul by Starkie at Cameraworks at significant cost, so doesn't really get better than this. It came back super smooth and nice. Was just surprised that a year and a half later I need to calibrate it. I don't know, maybe I bumped it somewhere...

The two emphasised statements don't really compute. Camera techs are not infallible and their customers are mostly not equipped to evaluate the quality of work performed. If you don't know if it is your fault that it is in need of calibration, then how do you know if Starkie did a good job?

 

[film_man]

The two emphasised statements don't really compute. Camera techs are not infallible and their customers are mostly not equipped to evaluate the quality of work performed. If you don't know if it is your fault that it is in need of calibration, then how do you know if Starkie did a good job?

I don't know. The camera worked fine when I got it back a year and a half ago. It is out of alignment now. Did I do something? Did it drift because the overhaul damaged something? Did it drift because of something else? Will I win the lottery tonight and buy a new M-A and bin the M4? Who knows.

 

[Don_ih]

how do you know if Starkie did a good job

All accounts I've heard, he does a good job. Rangefinder calibration is something that can undo itself, in an older camera, since the adjustment can overshoot the actual proper setting due to things just not moving the way they did when new. I doubt the "complete overhaul" involved dismantling the rangefinder assembly (unless there is a reason, no one will take that thing apart). Just take the screw out and readjust the rangefinder. It's not hard to do.

 

[Nitroplait]

I have 3 recent service jobs, all from highly recommended techs, that had to go back for further adjustment. Luckily for me issues were identified within the warranty period - but could as well have been found outside.
A simple screw than isn’t secured can cause a lot of grief.
Not saying it is the case here, but regular RF patch adjustments isn’t normally necessary.

 

[film_man]

Well...in the end with a bit of youtube and a screwdriver and 10 minutes I adjusted the vertical alignment which is what was actually off. Seems spot on, we'll see on the next roll what happens.

 

[mshchem]

Well...in the end with a bit of youtube and a screwdriver and 10 minutes I adjusted the vertical alignment which is what was actually off. Seems spot on, we'll see on the next roll what happens.

That's cool! Teach a man to fish.....

 

[Huss]

I have 3 recent service jobs, all from highly recommended techs, that had to go back for further adjustment. Luckily for me issues were identified within the warranty period - but could as well have been found outside.
A simple screw than isn’t secured can cause a lot of grief.
Not saying it is the case here, but regular RF patch adjustments isn’t normally necessary.

I recently bought an immaculate M4 that had paperwork showing it had just been fully serviced with a full shutter overhaul by a very prominent tech here in the US.
I opened the back to check the shutter action. I could see the second curtain dragging and bouncing! I filmed a short vid, and sent the camera back to the shop with the vid so they could see exactly what to look for.
They gave me a refund.

Funny thing this actually was a blessing, as I should not have bought that camera! No need for it at all.

 

[film_man]

I recently bought an immaculate M4 that had paperwork showing it had just been fully serviced with a full shutter overhaul by a very prominent tech here in the US.
I opened the back to check the shutter action. I could see the second curtain dragging and bouncing! I filmed a short vid, and sent the camera back to the shop with the vid so they could see exactly what to look for.
They gave me a refund.

Funny thing this actually was a blessing, as I should not have bought that camera! No need for it at all.

Leica hoarder!