Leica M3 with new prism anomaly

[Radost]

Just had my prism replaced "old one split and became dark" The prism could not be recemented so it was replaced.
I am having a strange issue. The double image inside the patch moves the opposite way of my eye position on the viewfinder. It makes it impossible to find the correct focus. I compared to 2 more M3,1 m2, 1 m6, 1 m7 and a CL and none of those have the same anomaly...
Anybody seen this before?

 

[Don_ih]

There is a lever operated by the rangefinder cam that swings the arm with that prism on the end of it. It should be impossible for it to move the wrong way. It's not clear what exactly you mean by "The double image inside the patch moves the opposite way of my eye position on the viewfinder." At any rate, if it's not working like every other similar M, it was done wrong.

 

[joe bosak]

vertical alignment perhaps?

 

[Radost]

vertical alignment perhaps?

It happens in all directions.

There is a lever operated by the rangefinder cam that swings the arm with that prism on the end of it. It should be impossible for it to move the wrong way. It's not clear what exactly you mean by "The double image inside the patch moves the opposite way of my eye position on the viewfinder." At any rate, if it's not working like every other similar M, it was done wrong.

Imagine I am looking at a vertical line.
If my eye moves a little to the right the split image moves to the left. If my eye moves up a little on a horizontal line it moves down.
Let's say I am looking at a light pole 100 years from me at infinity.
Normal eye position the focus is short of infinity. If I move my eye to the right "almost half of my eye is out of the viewfinder circle the focus alights with the light pole at infinity.

 

[Don_ih]

Don't move your eye?

 

[Saganich]

I've heard a term associated with M2's and M3's that that have this issue... "floater". Open up a dialogue with the repair place. Significant movement like that isn't acceptable and makes critical focus difficult especially if you wear glasses.

 

[aw614]

I think I've noticed this on my M3 actually and its been driving me nuts. I need to get some stuff done it for other issues...

 

[Radost]

Don't move your eye?

and keep it half out of the viewfinder? Also how would I know what the correct focus position is?

 

[Radost]

I've heard a term associated with M2's and M3's that that have this issue... "floater". Open up a dialogue with the repair place. Significant movement like that isn't acceptable and makes critical focus difficult especially if you wear glasses.

Repair said they will try to fix it. It is strange that before the prism was replaced I did not have that.
I have similar issue with one of my Minolta CLR but it is not as contrasty.

 

[reddesert]

I think you're describing parallax between the apparent image of the split image (RF) and the apparent image seen through the viewfinder. In other words the images are projected at somewhat different apparent distances, and so if you move your eye side to side, or up to down, they move relative to each other. Like holding your finger in front of a distant telephone pole and moving side to side a little, or winking left-eye-right-eye.

This shouldn't happen in a properly set-up rangefinder. I am unfamiliar with the details of the M rangefinder, but would guess that a lens is out of adjustment/out of place.

 

[Radost]

I think you're describing parallax between the apparent image of the split image (RF) and the apparent image seen through the viewfinder. In other words the images are projected at somewhat different apparent distances, and so if you move your eye side to side, or up to down, they move relative to each other. Like holding your finger in front of a distant telephone pole and moving side to side a little, or winking left-eye-right-eye.

This shouldn't happen in a properly set-up rangefinder. I am unfamiliar with the details of the M rangefinder, but would guess that a lens is out of adjustment/out of place.

The only thing is it is in the opposite direction of that.