Does your shutter lever hit hot shoe?

A

anitasanger

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Mine does. It's an MP and I noticed that the back of the shutter lever comes to a stop on the hot shoe. It's brasses the paint off in that area instantly. My question is, does everyone's MP do this? Is it a design flaw or purposeful? After searching, I found that some past Ms had the problem of the lever hitting and denting the shutter speed wheel. Anyway, I was just wondering if mine is maladjusted, or business as usual.

Thanks, L
 
Mine hits the hot shoe and there is an area of brassing and a dent. It's had several hundred rolls through it without a glitch.

Marty
 
Thanks Marty. Is the dent in the shoe or the lever? It seems peculiar that they would design the lever in a way which would create a dent under manufacturer suggested operation. Definitely peculiar. Anyone else?
 
Mine also rests against hot shoe - too new to have dented or brassed at contact points but I feel it is inevitable. I was surprised by this at first but I haven't paid much attention since. It does seem a bit odd though, I agree.
 
The dent is in the brass in the lever. I don't exactly just let it go and let it whack into the hot shoe, but I also don't baby it.

Marty
 
1955 Double Stroke. My lever rests against the Shutter Speed knob, but I read somewhere recently that the Double Stroke M3's have a shorter lever than the Single Strokes.
 
It does touch against the dial, but I don't see any marks. Maybe it was just well maintained. I don't slam it back when I'm done shooting so that helps too.
 
That's unacceptable IMO and I only see that you have two choices ... return the camera to the seller who may or may not be sympathetic.

Or ... send it to me and I'll generously exchange it for my M2, which definitely doesn't have this problem!

:angel:
 
Wrap some tape around the lever! Mine have all done this. The plastic M4, 6 and 7's wear the top plate under the plastic tip.
 
Keith said:
That's unacceptable IMO and I only see that you have two choices ... return the camera to the seller who may or may not be sympathetic.

Or ... send it to me and I'll generously exchange it for my M2, which definitely doesn't have this problem!

:angel:
Click to expand...

na, it hits the shutter speed dial :eek:
 
Double stroke M3's have a shorter lever that hits the speed dial. But since its a Xouble Stroke it never dents the speed dial.

Newer M3's and M2's have a longer lever that hits the accessory shoe first.

Either way it doesn't matter one bit. It's a work of beaut but foremost a tool that needs to be used!
 
On the MP the lever stops at the shoe. On the older M's (M2/M3) it hits the shutterspeed dial. This is how you can determine if it was used by a pro or an amateur. Pro- cameras are usually "dinged" at either flash synch (1/50) or the 1/250 -1/500 position. Otherwise it tends to be at 1/125.
Beware of M1's and Md's with heavy dents at 1 sec and B. They usually look mint - but probably spent most of its working life on a Reprovit or Microscope - exposing 100 000's of images. Usually all the speeds above 1/15 are off. Kind of a nice tell-tale forensic evidence!
 
Interesting forensic analysis Tom. As a guy who use to shoot film a lot through microscopes, it makes sense - although I've never seen an M attached to a microscope. But I imagine there may have been some made for this purpose as "film boxes" without rangefinders?
 
I must "third" that bit of knowledge from Tom! As a new Leica user, but an old film salt, I appreciate very much his knowledge of them!
 
According to the marks on my M2, the 50, 60, 125, and 250 were the most used speeds. I reexamined the M3 and still can't find a mark, even under heavy scrutiny.
 
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