Leica MA - Wavy frame edges

[cwalton]

I have had my MA for just under a month. Came to develop the first rolls about week or so ago and noticed that the one edge of each frame on the negative is very slightly wavy, like the mask inside the camera does not have a straight edge. I have tried to show this with the attached picture (MA on top and old M6 below for comparison).

It's not a massive issue but does irk me on a camera that cost a fair bit! The camera was bought second hand from a reputable seller in the Uk and is in otherwise immaculate condition. Their approval period for used gear is 15 days which I am now well past (lesson learnt!) but I would appreciate any advice on what might be causing this. Anyone have a similar issue with an MA or MP (assuming this part would fit both)?

I know it really is minor but it is getting to me - would it annoy you?

Thanks RFF!

Leica MA vs M6 frames MA on top, M6 on the bottom. by Chris Walton, on Flickr

 

[Nigel Meaby]

Hi Chris
If from a UK seller apart from the approval period, surely they offer a 3/6 months warranty? I would contact them and see what they have to say and can do about this. You should be covered for this.

 

[FrozenInTime]

If the same lens was used for both sets , then possibly the rear back plate is not applying enough pressure to seal the gate.

 

[Dan]

Also not helping is the overexposure+overdevelopment of the sky in that area.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Looks like the frame is made by hand. Maybe the production numbers of the M-A is very low so every frame is made by hand.

Erik.

 

[colker]

Frame looks bigger than on my nikons.

 

[Huss]

I checked my M-A - same as yours! Never noticed it before, and now that I do does not bother me.
Checked my M7 - same!
Checked my M4-2 - better than the two above. This of course is the cheapest camera out of my M bunch.

Checked my cheapo Minolta point and shoot - straighter than my Leicas!

 

[alexandru_voicu]

Also not helping is the overexposure+overdevelopment of the sky in that area.

Well said. This might be the real culprit.

 

[santino]

Is that a real problem?

 

[Erik van Straten]

If there is still warranty you can have it corrected.


Erik.

 

[Highway 61]

Is that a real problem?

If you like "natural" black borders around your pictures, from scanning or enlarging the whole frame without cropping the least bit (the HCB myth etc), that is a real problem.

The M-A frame displayed by the OP is quite unpleasant (wavy edges and cutaway angles).

Frames are oddly smaller than on my Nikon rangefinders with a 50mm lens mounted (and with a 35mm lens mounted the Nikon RF frames are almost touching the film sprocket holes). On my Nikon S3 made in 1958 I have one slightly fuzzy frame corner but that's very hard to see.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Was the same lens used for both sets of negs?

 

[cwalton]

I checked my M-A - same as yours! Never noticed it before, and now that I do does not bother me.
Checked my M7 - same!
Checked my M4-2 - better than the two above. This of course is the cheapest camera out of my M bunch.

Checked my cheapo Minolta point and shoot - straighter than my Leicas!

Thanks all for your replies, especially Huss! So interesting to hear that it occurs on your M7 and MA too. I had a suspicion that if it was the mask itself mine wouldn't be the only example. I will post my S/N later on once home - could be a batch thing but would presumably affect M7s and MPs alike as this part is unlikely to change between models?

I don't think I'll be contacting the vendor, the camera is in perfect working condition and was sold to me used. I am happy with how it is but was just wondering if I was the only one to see it. I actually quite like the fact that I will always be able to spot my negatives by this quirk.

Without doubt, the overexposure does not help but I chose this frame to highlight the issue only. It occurs on all frames on both rolls regardless of correct (or not) exposure though so unsure how this could be the cause?

For clarity, same (35mm) lens used on both rolls and pressure plate seems to be doing its job perfectly on inspection. Will post up S/N later on for reference.

 

[Nathan King]

My M6 and M-A both have this, though to a lesser extent. My Nikon F3 gives negatives with an aggressive radius to the top-left corner. It never bothered me.

 

[colker]

The mask is the camera´s signature. Yours is signed this way. I understand and kind of admire extreme cases of ocd where frame borders would drive anyone crazy. Any company that charges Leica prices should understand it as well. If you decide to go warranty on Leica i believe it´s legit.

 

[Archlich]

It's no biggie but I don't think it should be taken as a sign of quality, or unique identity, or classic Leica experience. It's just a not very well made frame mask.

 

[Sumarongi]

😕

Errrm, I really don't understand the fuss.

The thing is, and that AFAIK shan't be a secret since even I as a hobby shooter does know it: something like an *exact* 24mm * 36mm negative is very very very rare.

Anything between 23mm and 25mm, and 35mm and 37mm can be found.

 

[leicapixie]

I checked my M-A - same as yours! Never noticed it before, and now that I do does not bother me.
Checked my M7 - same!
Checked my M4-2 - better than the two above. This of course is the cheapest camera out of my M bunch.

Checked my cheapo Minolta point and shoot - straighter than my Leicas!

I was always disappointed in spacing and framing..
My Pentax Spotmatics always nice framing and good spacing.
My Nikon-F brought a whole new concept of quality.
Larger spaces between exposures, no wavy lines..
I know about M-shutter and extreme angles of some lenses (21mm),
and almost no space between frames..

I love my Leica M's but ..

 

[Richard G]

This would be unacceptable to me. I'd approach Leica about replacement. Very irritating.

And I always said my 60 year old M2 would be a better MA than the the MA.

 

[ka7197]

My Leica M-A also had such a tiny cut-away in the frame's upper right corner. It annoyed me enough to complain at Customer Care in Wetzlar. They solved the issue by replacing the camera with a new copy which now has a straight film mask.

But—before you go that route, please consider this: In the two film stripes shown above, the M-A has narrower spaces between frames than the M6. So the frames are wider. Now, crop out the largest-possible straight rectangle from an M-A exposure. If that still has a width of full 36 mm then I wouldn't care.