M2 is here!

R

RML

Guest
Finally! The long awaited M2 is here!

It doesn't look too bad, actually. It shows some bumps and bruises, and a few very minor scratches. The vulcanite was coming off as I was unwrapping the camera, so i took it all off right away.
I already wrote an email to cameraleather.com to ask about the pink paradise snake skin. Yes, if it's not too dear I'm gonna get it. :)
I think I'll need a cover for the vf. I just got new glasses and I don't feel like having them scratched by the vf's metal rim.

The shutter times seem right, even the longer times.

The RF patch is a bit raffled, though. I guess that'll mean I'll have to have it resilvered some day. But for now it still functions.

The curtain looks OK; no holes that I could find right away, and no repairs. I'll have to see the results of a first shooting run to see if there are any pinholes or light leak.

Some questions.
1) What is the purpose of the little "R" lever just above the self timer?
2) I pulled out the rewind knob but it won't go back in! How do I get it back in?

OK. I'm off to give it a test run. I'll take out the J-8 with adapter and see how the camera performs.
 
Congrats Remy !!! :D

Good to hear the beauty came out ok from the customs office.

I'm not a Leica-nut (yet?) but if I'm not wrong the little 'R' lever is the rewind lever, to disengage film advance while rewinding film.

I've no idea why the knob is not coming down... but you may find this link helpful http://www.mediajoy.com/en/cla_came/leica_m2/

Now, put it to work with that nice J8 or with the wonderful 40 'cron ;)
 
Congratulations. Take before and after pictures of the camera so we can compare the results of its pinking.
 
Well, I got the knob back in. It took a few wacks with the ball of my hand. I got it back up again as well but then it came off completely. I think that knob will need some attention when the camera goes for a CLA.
 
Taffer, actually Customs worked very quickly! What caused the delay is the courier service! I had sent all evidence last Monday, and even called them to have them acknowledge receiving it. Then, on Wednesday, I called them again to ask when the camera would be delivered, and they told me they didn't have my evidence. Nincompoops! Wasting two days of my time!
Anyway, that day I stayed on the phone with them until they had received everything and had made the dossier up-to-date. From then on all went well and the camera arrived around 10.30am.

Can you all see the big grin on my face? :)
 
OK. The grin isn't so big now. The camera worked fine but I found two or three little problems.
The first is that sometimes the shutter button needs to be pressed very hard, like it is stuck on something.
The second and third problems have all to do with the rewind knob; it comes off, and it doesn't engage properly with the film canister. I wasn't able to rewind the roll I shot, and truly at first I thought I had inserted the wrong end of th canister.

I just spoke with Herr Wiener in Munich. I'll send the M2 to him for a first check, and probably will ask him to give it a CLA.

Any German-speaking members here? What do you call a CLA in German? I really have to brush up my German. It's been at least 3 years since I last spoke it conversationally.
 
well that's not a very nice thing for you!

i always try to temper my excitement about a new used purchase with the known reality that the camera could be a dog and not work at all. but then the package arrives and i want to play with it right now and am so disappointed if it doesn't work perfectly out of the box.

joe
ps - i know i will cry if there is anything wrong with my canon p when it arrives.
 
I think that happens to us all... even if we try to prepare ourselves to think about the worst and etc etc, each time we receive some new toy we want it to work like a charm just out of the box :)

Except on those for parts/repair purchases, of course ! :D

Remy, a full CLA is probably a good idea, and it will provide you with an outstanding tool for years to come but... I don't know how you call a CLA in German ! :confused:
 
Your sympathy is like medicin, guys! Really heart warming. :)

I was a little ticked off when I found out that rewind knob isn't working properly but after I made that phone call to Herr Wiener I've set myself in a different gear.
Now I want it to work properly and look sweet, no matter the cost. Well, not literally, of course. I'm not gonna go on a cookie diet like some of you. :)

In a couple of days I'll get some good shots of the pink paradise snake skin leather. It's $50 per set for the M2.
Next Saturday I'll see how much it'll cost to have the M2 send to Germany. I'll write Herr Wiener to have it examined and CLA'd if there aren't too many hidden costs. I've heard his CLA's are about 150 euro.
Remains the RF mirror that shows some frayed edges and some craquelé. I think I'll put that on hold and see how long it'll last. If in 5 years it has deteriorated too much I'll have it resilvered at that time. For now another handful of 100-dollar (euro/ pound) notes is beyond my budget.
 
Congratulations and yes - sounds like it's due for a CLA. But fear not once back it will be ready to go!! :)
 
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