Qustion about the MR/MR-4 Light Meters

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Pirate

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Can they be repaired?

Are there parts available to do your own repairs?

Are they a 'fun project' type of thing to buy in inoperable condition?

Can't find a lot about them on the net so I'm asking here.

Thanks,
P^)
 
i bought an "inexpensive one" and ended up having it pretty much rebuilt/calibrated etc at Quality Light Metric in hollywood. it's a good meter, coupled to the shutter speed dial, with 90mm lens field of view - and gives an m2-4 a nice period look. worst case, you can add about $135 to your purchase price for a CLA.

certainly, there are several more modern and less expensive solutions.

good luck with your project

rick
 
Thanks Rick. I mentioned this in another thread- after looking at all the M-bodies with the MR-4 meter on it, I bought one. After looking at my M4 body and the scuff marks on the top, I realized that it used to have one of these meters on it in the past. My MR-4 has not arrived yet and it's supposed to be in working condition but I like to tinker with stuff too so I was wondering if these can be a "do-it-yourself" project or not, thinking of getting one or two inops to fool with.
 
If the meter cell is working but the meter is jumpy or off cal, you can often restore the whole thing relatively easily. I used to have two of them and I loved them both. One got immersed in the Bay of Cadiz & then it was done for good. i used it for spare parts. The other worked well until I sold it.

Just a small spanner wrench and two screwdrivers are needed to take it apart. It's a very simple device. About an hour with some rubbing alcohol and a pencil eraser to clean everything up can bring them back to life.

Phil Forrest
 
Phil_F_NM said:
If the meter cell is working but the meter is jumpy or off cal, you can often restore the whole thing relatively easily. I used to have two of them and I loved them both. One got immersed in the Bay of Cadiz & then it was done for good. i used it for spare parts. The other worked well until I sold it.

Just a small spanner wrench and two screwdrivers are needed to take it apart. It's a very simple device. About an hour with some rubbing alcohol and a pencil eraser to clean everything up can bring them back to life.

Phil Forrest
Click to expand...

you may have to reheat/redo some solder connections too - that's what i heard from QLM. update to modern batteries with different voltage, then recalibrate - not impossible but worth doing for a thorough project. possible final step? there are some places on the bottom of the meter where thin felt strips can be applied - protects the camera top plate a bit and makes it easier to mount and remove the meter.

post a photo when you're done??

rick
 
I had three of them. I tried to restore one but ended up using it as parts. Got one CLA by Don for $60 which stayed on my M3. Another one sitting around and waiting for a M4. There is a Leica repair book which has all the photos of the MR-4 meter.
 
Yeah, just be careful of the hairspring that is exposed. I dropped a tweezers into it, and that was the end of that meter.

Vick
 
I have two I got from auctions, and the readings from both are identical, even in different lighting scenarios. One sits on M2, the other on M4-2. Well worth having IMO.
 
Most of them when they don't work just need a good cleaning. They come apart very easily. There are enough non-workjng ones cheap you should never worry about spare parts. And I don't think I ever had one with a dead cell. Then again you can usually find a nice working one for a decent price. Black ones are newer and don't seem to mind if you use a mercury or silver oxide battery (they have an internal calibration span to adjust for voltage decay). There is also a tiny screw on the bottom to make adjustments. I have both a chrome one and black one right now, they both work great on my M4. IMHO there is no better meter for the M body.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

So were the Black MR-4's actually made to take the newer batteries or they just don't "seem to mind" them?
 
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