Dropping the Leica

[maajka]

I dropped my M6 from from about 8 inches on the desk yesterday, but it was in the case so there was no exterior damage. But I read somewhere before that you can knock the RF out of adjustment in some cases.
So the question is, how heavy does the drop have to be for this to happen, and is there an easy way to check RF alignment?

 

[marcr1230]

try increaing the height of the drop incrementally and report back when the RF/VF is out of alignment 🙂

 

[maajka]

No problem, just send me your camera ;-)

 

[.ken]

lol. funny comments. my son dropped a bessa and it knocked out the metering...

 

[maajka]

How do I check if the alignment is OK? Just take some pictures, develop and check if it's in focus?

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Well, you'll notice if the images don't line up in the viewfinder. You can also do a quick check on infinity (+ 2 miles) focus and near focus and see whether it passes the common sense test. You can also check micro-focus by making some test shots. In 20 years, I've knocked M's out of alignment twice. Once was a fall to the marble floor of Union Station in Washington DC. Rewind crank took most of the impact, but it shook the innards pretty well too. The second was on the edge of a desk when raising the camera to my eye (hit the top plate). Both were fixable. Both cameras are still in use. I have dropped the cameras other times with no discernible effect. Personally, I think impacts to the top plate are worse, but that is only based on my personal experience and a lot depends on the force/angle/location of a specific impact.

Ben

 

[Pablito]

3.39574 grams (using earth gravity)

 

[sanmich]

check alignment at infinity, at 3m and 1m with a measuring rule.
(for infinity, I would suggest to skip the measuring rule)

 

[swoop]

I've dropped an M7 four feet. Perfectly fine. I slammed my M8 onto a table. Still fine.

 

[maajka]

I feel better now swoop 🙂
It seems ok to me. I'll take a few test shots and have a friend check it out too, he used RF before. I just got the M6 ten days ago.
Thanks guys

 

[maajka]

Well actually it seems that the images don't line up completely vertically. That's my luck...
What are my options, how much would it cost to get it aligned? I got warranty for it but I would have to ship it to Germany. Is it something I could do myself?

UPDATE:
OK, sorry guys, still new to rangefinders so always some new things.
After reading this post:
http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/002jUm
I figured it's just that I need to move my eye up-down and to align the patch. I guess it's a common thing for M6. Everything is fine.
Thanks for all your help.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Most Leica dealers should have SOMEBODY on staff that knows which screw to turn after taking the lens off of the camera. It should just be a simple adjustment. If you can't find somebody local, as long as the rangefinder is tracking distance from infinity OK, then just learn to live with it.

 

[Beemermark]

How do I check if the alignment is OK? Just take some pictures, develop and check if it's in focus?

The fastest, quickest, easiest, cheapest method is to focus on a very distance street lamp (pin point of light) at night. You'll see any vertical or horizontal alignment issues immediately. If it's dead on at infinity then it's probably all right at all other distances.

For closer distances using a measuring stick the problem can become whether the RF is off or how accurate the focusing scale on the lens is (I'd hope Leica scales are accurate but who knows? Did you ever try scale focusing a fast lens at close distances??). A check this way is to put the shutter on bulb and tape a piece of wax paper to the shutter plane. You can focusing and then check the sharpness on the substitute ground glass.

 

[OurManInTangier]

check alignment at infinity, at 3m and 1m with a measuring rule.
(for infinity, I would suggest to skip the measuring rule)

I have a ruler you can borrow that measures that far, think its in one of the kitchen drawers...I'll check and get back to you

 

[RichardB]

The better question may be, why did you drop your Leica?
If you were handling it without a strap attached and around your neck, then learn to always have a strap around your neck. Some cases have the strap and these are an invitation to disaster as when you load and take the camera out of the case, you are open to dropping. All my M's have straps firmly attached to the camera and if in my hands, the strap is around my neck.
Only once did I drop an M7 with 21mm ASPH and hood attached about 1' rignt onto the hood at an angle. Strap was NOT around my neck and no damage. did put a dent into a dining room table though!-Dick