leicaflex SL meter problem-hope for DIY solution

[JSteed#2]

The meter in my Leicaflex SL is perfect. Suddenly, however, it will not turn off when i restore the advance lever to the start position. In other works, it is always on despite the click when i move the lever back and forth. Anyone encounter? DIY fix? love the camera and would love the fix

 

[Tim Murphy]

The meter in my Leicaflex SL is perfect. Suddenly, however, it will not turn off when i restore the advance lever to the start position. In other works, it is always on despite the click when i move the lever back and forth. Anyone encounter? DIY fix? love the camera and would love the fix

Dear JSteed#2,

Pretend it's a Pentax Spotmatic F and replace the lens cap after every shot. 😉

I love the wide-open metering of the camera, but the wide-open meter is a real bummer!

Seriously, I hope there is a better way for you!

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[santino]

All I can say is that the fix is probably nothing fancy but it is quite hard to reassemble the ISO dial properly when putting the top cover on. I think there is a way to use dental floss to make the job easier…

 

[Calzone]

I own a black SL2-MOT that was built from a shelf queen and a parts camera.

Basically I sent two cameras to Sherry to build me one camera. I secured both cameras from Adorama separately: one evidently the CDS cell had failed early on in its life and was the reason why it went unused for many a decade; the prism was funky also; then I found a hammered SL2 donor that was dented with a pristine prism and working meter.

A SL2-MOT is kinda rare with only about 1000 ever made. One peculiar thing though is there is no way to turn off the meter, and I asked Sherry to try and add the switch from the standard SL2, but Sherry replied that it was really hard to do and that SL2’s are crazy ly overbuilt and a pain to work on.

BTW the donor camera was so hammered and worn that the lens mount needed replacement. It looked like it was used as a weapon in many a street fight. Kinda funny how the meter was robust and the prism was perfect. Pretty much a lucky find.

Her solution was just use a lens cap: this deactivates the CDS cell and turns off the meter. Mucho simple fix.

BTW Sherry updated the power supply by changing a resistor so that I could use modern batteries.

Cal

 

[Dralowid]

I own a black SL2-MOT that was built from a shelf queen and a parts camera.

Basically I sent two cameras to Sherry to build me one camera. I secured both cameras from Adorama separately: one evidently the CDS cell had failed early on in its life and was the reason why it went unused for many a decade; the prism was funky also; then I found a hammered SL2 donor that was dented with a pristine prism and working meter.

A SL2-MOT is kinda rare with only about 1000 ever made. One peculiar thing though is there is no way to turn off the meter, and I asked Sherry to try and add the switch from the standard SL2, but Sherry replied that it was really hard to do and that SL2’s are crazy ly overbuilt and a pain to work on.

BTW the donor camera was so hammered and worn that the lens mount needed replacement. It looked like it was used as a weapon in many a street fight. Kinda funny how the meter was robust and the prism was perfect. Pretty much a lucky find.

Her solution was just use a lens cap: this deactivates the CDS cell and turns off the meter. Mucho simple fix.

BTW Sherry updated the power supply by changing a resistor so that I could use modern batteries.

Cal

I too had a black SL MOT with the 'always on' meter which in practical terms caused no problems. The camera was built on an industrial scale and I just assumed Leitz thought that it would be being used 24 hours a day. Alternatively perhaps it needed to be used 24 hours a day to help the poor photographer cover its enormous cost when new! I sold it in last year's clear out, despite its rarity it didn't sell for much.

What did make big money was a box of spare battery boxes for the monstrous Leicamotor, those surprisingly flimsy plastic things which are quire out of keeping with the robustness of the rest of the kit.

Tremendous camera!

 

[Calzone]

D,

At this point my SL2-MOT is not an expensive camera, but mine has cherry picked components that were vulnerable to fail. With Sherry’s recent service about 5-6 years ago I should be good for decades.

The SL2-MOT works for me as a vaccine against Nikon F2 Disease.

Know that I own a R-mount 50 Lux “E60” which is a remarkable lens. What a remarkable kit. The “E60” has this wonderful OOF when shot wide open. Makes for a great portrait lens.

Evidently the hammered SL2 that was my donor camera was extensively used. Everything still worked. A real survivor of man a street fight where it likely was used as a weapon. The lens mount was mucho worn.

Cal