M4-P Vertical Adjustment Tool- anyone have a photo.

dpetrzelka

dpetrzelka

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Does anyone have a photo of the specialized tool used for the vertical RF adjustment on M4-P and later M series bodies?

Also- anyone have detailed photos of an M4-P with its top plate off?- specifically the Vertical RF adjustment point.

thanks
Dan P.
 
dpetrzelka said:
Does anyone have a photo of the specialized tool used for the vertical RF adjustment on M4-P and later M series bodies?

Also- anyone have detailed photos of an M4-P with its top plate off?- specifically the Vertical RF adjustment point.

thanks
Dan P.
Click to expand...

Good question, Dan. I would like to know, too (to build my own tool).

Roland.
 
I found one mention on Photo.net about making the tool- but the guy who talked about it did not post a photo, and suggested that one would need to see both the tool, and an M-Body without the top plate on to understand how the adjustment tool must fit.

That is my reasoning for asking for photos of both.

Roland- I'm with you- if we could get the proper info there are many DIY inclined people on this forum who would love to take a stab at making the tool.
 
Bob

Really useful for me but no.

leitz decided to stop us adjusting our rangefinders part way through the M4-2 run, changing the adjuster for vertical from a screw slot to something different. the adjuster is under the screw between the rangefinder window and the illumination window, or red patch with late cameras.

The special tool tool is pictured somewhere and you can buy it as well.

Noel

P.S. the p net post is correct it is useful to know what you should adjust... what is needed is a high mag of the tool about to mate wuth the special screw head...
 
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Xmas said:
Bob

Really useful for me but no.

leitz decided to stop us adjusting our rangefinders part way through the M4-2 run, changing the adjuster for vertical from a screw slot to something different. the adjuster is under the screw between the rangefinder window and the illumination window, or red patch with late cameras.

The special tool tool is pictured somewhere and you can buy it as well.

Noel

P.S. the p net post is correct it is useful to know what you should adjust... what is needed is a high mag of the tool about to mate wuth the special screw head...
Click to expand...


Is this it?

https://www.micro-tools.com/store/item_detail.aspx?ItemCode=LF-KIT-C
 
Bob

Real sorry to be negative, but that is not it. It is a 'screwdriver' with a special 'end', it is made of 'platinium' hence the $$$$$$$.
I've got an early M4-2 euch but it only needs a normal screw driver, hence my disinterest, if you remove the red patch or screw you should see the head of the mating part.

Noel
 
Roland

I think your deleted post was ok, all the cams after and including some M4-2 have the same adjustment requirement i.e. tool, the problem is you cannot easily see what you are doing through the hole and a picture of the adjuster is really useful.

Noel
 
Thanks Noel. Under the Leica Logo of my two M6 bodies is a "double hole", a triangular and a round hole next to each other. I assume that the tool somehow uses both holes ....

The photo in the website that Bob referred to just shows an M4-P with a traditional adjustment screw cover (like on M3 and M2) that's why I assume that it's an older body (according to Nemeng adjustable like older M[23] bodies). The magic tool must somehow feature a fork at the end .... just my guess.

Roland.
 
From what I'v been reading no M4-P had a screw driver adjustable vertical alignment. All M4-P and later bodies require the special tool as I understand it.

Someone must have one of these?
 
Here is from Nemeng.com:

"The ability to DIY depends on what model M you have. If it is a M3, M2, M4, M5, M4-2 and early M4-P then yes, you can easily recalibrate the RF patch vertical adjustment yourself. Just just remove the small cover screw on the camera face plate - the one between the RF windows immediately
: : :
However, if you have a late-run M4-P or any M6 model, then you will need to use a special RF adjustment tool and in the case of the M6, now remove the Leica red dot logo above the lens mount to uncover the recessed adjustment "screw".

Yes this is a nuisance and was deliberately introduced by Leica to stop weekend warriors from doing their own adjustments. You cannot use any old screw driver or torx tool to do the adjustment either, only the special tool Leica make and supply - "Adj. RF M4P, M6" #1500-0000-1279 - for approx $US 250 (ouch)."
Click to expand...

And here a quote from an owner of the tool (http://leica-users.org/v19/msg02637.html):

"It is not even close to being a screwdriver. It is a very very tiny
eccentric head and offset post at the end of a long hex rod, necked down to
a very tiny round throat at the eccentric head. The tool is so fragile that
I have mine taped to a steel rod for storage. Not exactly easy to make.
That and a limited demand is probably responsible for the price.

It doesn't take too many FedEx bills and Leica (or whomever) repair bills
to eat up the price of the tool. So you have three choices. Pay up front
and never again. Pay continually out the back. Don't ever pay and never
re-align your V-RF when it goes out.

Jim"
Click to expand...
 
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M4-P Vertical Adjustment Tool- anyone have a photo.

Here's a three-year-old post of a guy who says he's made the tool:

walt delesandri , of www.photo.net, apr 08, 2003; 03:31 p.m.


I'm almost afraid to post this, as my views on the subject started a war several years ago on the LUG....but what the hell, here goes....with a disclaimer: I believe ALL of the following to be true, and I worked for a dealer/repair shop in Houston at the time we're talking about> I will NOT try to "prove" any of it...this is for YOUR help, only: The Leica Ms through the M4-2 ALL had the old style (slotted eccentric)screw for vertical adjustment. If you have a camera that doesn't, it's not original (quite possible, as the frame line masks can be changed among the (late)M2, M4, M4-2, etc... Starting with (all) the M4-P, the screw adjustment was removed. Here's the controversial part (REMEMBER, I worked as a repairman and had a US Leica rep as a friend/customer)---Leica obviously adjusted the RF at the factory, and intended it to "stay"..... of course it didn't!! The aforementioned Leica rep brought HIS SAMPLE M4-P to me to adjust, and I pulled the top and we looked at it....first time either of us had seen the "new" assembly..you know, the one with "flare"....hehehehe... This was an EARLY M4-P, of course....1980....It is MY ASSERTION that Leica devised the "tool" to adjust these units AFTER they had a problem with warranty....I >>KNOW<< there are Leica folks who disagree...as well as folks on the LUG... all I can say is that the CAMERA came first, then the tool... ALL M4-2 (original, unmodified) should have the screw, I don't know of ANY M4-Ps that have the screw..if your's does, PLEASE let me know...I'd be interested for history's sake! I'm NOT talking about the "cover" screw...I'm talking about the actual adjustment............ Now, the tool....Leica should GO OUT OF BUSINESS for asking $250 for the damn tool..........anyway,


Yes, it's possible to make one, YES, I have one I've made, and Yes, you can make your own... IF you're the kind of person who can comfortably work with small brass rod, and if you wouldn't shy away from rebuilding the fuel injection on a Jaguar,.... You either need to LOOK at a tool, in real life, or LOOK at the "hole" on the front of the RF assembly, with the top OFF the camera...if you CAN'T see what kind of TOOL you'd need, then you DO NOT have the mechanical aptitude to make OR use one...I'm sorry if this is harsh, I DO NOT want to encourage you to destroy your equipment. My tool was fashioned by taking a "cheap" jewelers screwdriver, slotting and "brazing" a small piece of brass rod to the tip, and finishing it with some jeweler's files, under magnification, with considerable patience!!...the tool must fit through the hole in the top cover to be of any use, of course. You really need to see the assembly IN the camera to understand how the tool works....otherwise, you're "twisting" in the dark. Find a repairman who has an M disassembled, and ask if you can see the RF >AND< the tool...it's use will then be self-explanatory. Again, use this information at your own risk!...and PLEASE, if you disagree, post your opinion...

WAlt


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Thanks- but thats the post that I already said I read (post #4)- it is the one that lead me to ask if anyone here actually has a photo of the tool or experience with making one.
 
As a point of interest (or not) I have an early M4-P and it very definitely has a screw adjuster for the vertical bit of the rangefinder as I have used it. Take off the cover screw and poke a small jeweller's screwdriver into the hole, stop when you feel the adjuster, turn it round till you engage the slot, turn the screw till the images coincide, job done.
 
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