Joshua_G
Member
How often does a Leica M requires a CLA normally?
CLA frequency
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mrtoml
Mancunian
I recently had my M6 serviced in London at the Classic Camera (a Leica dealer). They told me it was wise to do it every 5 years.
mr_phillip
Well-known
I would have said once a decade, but it depends on how hard the camera is used.
ChrisN
Striving
Older Ms, once every thirty years, whether it needs it or not.
cpborello
Established
One respected technician on this board told me that unless you drop the camera, figure every 10-12 years.
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
Many say every ten years or so w/ newer cams, twenty years or so with the older ones. Then it depends on useage and what its used for, no?
peter_n
Veteran
Exactly. How much are you using it and under what conditions? For a weekend amateur like me <=10 years is probably OK. I hammer my cameras twice a year on my two vacations. If I was doing that all year-round a CLA would be much more frequent.
Joshua_G
Member
Thank you all.
I read (on an Israeli similar forum) that the shutter mechanism stays in shape better when the camera is in use, rather when it's idle. Any ideas about that?
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When ever I take a camera out of the closet (not used in a while), I dry fire it (without film) while watching two hours of TV (drives family nuts). With Leica's this gets the shutters in reasonably good condition. I have not needed to do this on my Nikon RF, it seems to come out fine every time.
The best thing you can do for a camera is use it. Second best is to keep it clean, do not keep cleaning it. The third best is to use it.
B2 (;->
The best thing you can do for a camera is use it. Second best is to keep it clean, do not keep cleaning it. The third best is to use it.
B2 (;->
Xmas
Veteran
The ribbons snap about every 25 years, cameras will go that long without, if they are not on a shelf.
noel
noel
mrtoml
Mancunian
Joshua_G said:
That's like what I was told. The camera I had serviced had not been used very much at all, but it still jammed. The service people said these cameras are better off used than sitting on a shelf in terms of useful functioning.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
When Sherry CLA'd my M5 she said it would go 15 years, even with the amount I shoot (a lot). She said if I was nervous she'd be happy to take it back in ten.
peter_n
Veteran
Yes. If you're not shooting with a body and it's mechanical exercise it. I use an M6TTL as a backup and I exercise every speed (about 5 shots per) about once a month. With my two user M7s I exercise the 1/60 and 1/125 (they are mechanical) every time I change a roll of film.Joshua_G said:
sepiareverb
genius and moron
peter_n said:
Excellent tip Peter! I shall spin that dial a little further every time I load from now on. A simple and effective way to keep it going strong.
RichardB
Well-known
How often? If you are not a professional, then when it doesn't work. Every time you open the camera is an invitation for something to gor wrong, Since most of the M power train is manual gears and lube, there really is nothing that can go wrong by sitting. My 1962 M3 went until the early 1990's without a service. At a Leica 'Clean & Check' Day, the camera functioned prefectly but needed lubrication. The tech said to send it in within a year! My M6 and M7 will be used until they won't function.
If you are a professional and must insure that your equipment works when you need it, that is another story. -Dick
If you are a professional and must insure that your equipment works when you need it, that is another story. -Dick
mr_phillip
Well-known
Joshua_G said:
I make a point of picking up any camera I'm not using regularly at least once a month, and firing off the shutter (with no film in the camera) a couple of times at every shutter speed. It just helps to keep the lubricant distributed around the moving parts and helps keep thing in prime order.
That being said, nothing betters regularly using the camera to take pictures – it's kinda what they're for 😉
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
The 'dry" firing without film is a good way of keeping the shutter in shape. However,with film in the camera there are differences. There is "drag' on advance and sprocket gears which helps ensure that lubricants are dispersed evenly on gears and shafts. I keep some old films around for this when dry-firing. Just run them through until the camera feels smooth. It is also a way of checking that the advance and sproclets are in synch. take an old "dead" film and with a marker draw lines on the film, using the filmgate as a template (remove the lens first!). Now draw the vertical lines for each frame (both the left and the right one). This will give an idea how the spacing is and you can transfer this film to another camera and by loading it carefully, you can use it to check that cameras spacing and advance!
One trick that i use when travelling for extended time is that every week or two weeks, I will go and buy a short (12/24 exp) roll of color negative film. I will load the camera and shoot through all the speeds and aperture at meter indicated exposure. Have it processed and look at the machine prints. They should be close to each other in color density. That means that the exposures are correct across the board. With mechanical cameras you have speed variations, particulary at the higher speeds and occasionally the shutter can start "capping" (not open either partially or remain closed completely). This way you can identify at what speed it does it and avoid them until you get the camera fixed. There is nothing more dis-heartening than coming home from a trip and finding that one of your cameras has decided to act up and cap at 1/250 or 1/500 or simply that the advance is acting up and you have over lapping shots. This way is not fool proof but it does give you a bit of confidence in the camera. It is a cheap way of ensuring that everything is OK.
Another way is that I ALWAYS shoot a couple of rolls with the bodies I am taking on a trip the week before leaving. A quick process and check and I know that they
work.
Service intervals for me is usually a CLA when I buy a used camera (I simply factor that in to whatever I paid for the camera) and then every 5-7 years they are checked out and CLA'd again. I do cycle through my cameras on a regular basis and at the moment two of my M2's are in for service and one Nikon Rf is going in next week. That should take care of this years services, unless i find yet another M2 to add to the stash!
One trick that i use when travelling for extended time is that every week or two weeks, I will go and buy a short (12/24 exp) roll of color negative film. I will load the camera and shoot through all the speeds and aperture at meter indicated exposure. Have it processed and look at the machine prints. They should be close to each other in color density. That means that the exposures are correct across the board. With mechanical cameras you have speed variations, particulary at the higher speeds and occasionally the shutter can start "capping" (not open either partially or remain closed completely). This way you can identify at what speed it does it and avoid them until you get the camera fixed. There is nothing more dis-heartening than coming home from a trip and finding that one of your cameras has decided to act up and cap at 1/250 or 1/500 or simply that the advance is acting up and you have over lapping shots. This way is not fool proof but it does give you a bit of confidence in the camera. It is a cheap way of ensuring that everything is OK.
Another way is that I ALWAYS shoot a couple of rolls with the bodies I am taking on a trip the week before leaving. A quick process and check and I know that they
work.
Service intervals for me is usually a CLA when I buy a used camera (I simply factor that in to whatever I paid for the camera) and then every 5-7 years they are checked out and CLA'd again. I do cycle through my cameras on a regular basis and at the moment two of my M2's are in for service and one Nikon Rf is going in next week. That should take care of this years services, unless i find yet another M2 to add to the stash!
