This camera is *almost* not worth repairing, Leica wants $1700 to repair it. I bought it for a bargain price and plan to have it repaired someday, but the curtains are already shot, so I don't have any qualms about further experimentation.
It's almost 11AM here in Northern California in the height of summer. If 7 minutes pointing directly in the sun won't burn this thing, what will??
I am open to any ideas you guys have. I have my video camera with me today so I can record it if anyone wants to see the carnage.
It's not often someone is willing to leave a BP M4 sitting in the sun trying to damage it, so let's hear some ideas...
bob
Bob, that could be a blockbuster video here at RFF. I agree with ferider, a f2 lens would certainly give "results" quickly.
On a general note, I worried a lot about this before and during the first weeks of owning a cloth-shutter rangefinder.
I made a quick test with a piece of paper and a 40mm f2 Rokkor.
It was summer and the sun was very strong (EV 16-17 @400 ASA). Wide open at f2 it took only a few moments to set the paper on fire, when the light was focussed into a small point. The burn was almost instantaneous. But I also quickly saw that stopping down made a huge difference. From f5.6 on I think I would have gotten a cramp in the hand from holding the lens sooner than burn the paper.
If you walk around on a sunny day and adjust your lens to the light (sunny would usually translate to at least f5.6, probably for most scenarios f8 and higher etc., YMMV), it would be very unlikely to get your shutter burned from just having the camera "worn"/hanging from a strap etc.
An interesting thing is that the slower film you are using, the higher is the risk for a shutter burn ;-), since you would need to open up by two stops with for a example 100 ASA vs. 400 ASA.
All in all, I tend to be in Roger Hick's camp, that it is less of a practical limitation than people think. But it is necessary that you develop habits of using/storing your gear. Think of putting down your camera at home on a table in the evening... Lens is wide open, because you were shooting outside... why put a cap on it, it's dark... The next day you see your camera bathing in sunlight, and your heart skips a beat
🙂 Have that scenario once, and you get in the habit of taking precautions.
My habit is to set my M2 to f4, 1/60th (a compromise beween indoor and outdoor exposure, easy to adjust both ways, works for me ;-)) when I am done shooting. Already at f4 there is some protection from accidental shutter burn.
