M4-2; taking the top off?

[leif e]

Hi!
I had this idea, but don´t know if I dare try. My M4-2 has a little fogging on the inside (front) of the viewfinder. I´ve been thinking of a CLA, and then I had this idea: Tha fogging seems to be on the inside of the front glass. On ebay I´ve seen that the top housing of these cameras seem to be quite simple. If I could take it off without desturbing anything vital, i could clean the inside of the glass myself - and put it right back where it belongs? Voilá? Or not voilá?

What do I need to know before doing this? Should I leave it to the pros?

Grateful for any advice!

leif e

 

[xayraa33]

leave it to the pros.
a valuable camera like the M4-2 deserves professional care IMHO, and is actually cheaper in the long run.

 

[jlw]

I wouldn't say "don't do it" IF you're prepared to take the risks and IF you're willing to invest in the right tools.

To do a good job of this, in addition to a set of good jeweler's screwdrivers, you need ring wrenches of the correct sizes to unscrew the threaded rings that secure the winding lever and various other parts. www.micro-tools.com will sell you a set of three copper wrenches in the sizes you'll need for US$49.

The other minor "gotcha" about this job is that to remove the top cover, you have to remove the screw at the 12 o'clock position in the lens mounting flange. On "factory-fresh" Leicas this is protected with a wax seal, which you'll have to dig out. Removing the seal is easy enough, but cameras with broken seals tend to lose value because it's a sure sign that an amateur repairer has worked on the camera.

You have to use the right tools because, as xayraa notes, even minor cosmetic damage will knock down the resale value of your camera drastically. Even if you don't plan to resell it, keep in mind that this is a long-lasting camera, and the next person who "inherits" it after you will appreciate it more if the screwheads and rings aren't all doggered up.

Of course, if this is a user camera that already shows a lot of evidence of "tough love," then that's not an issue -- but you WILL find the job much easier if you have the correct tools. Once the top cover is off, cleaning the inside of the finder window is a very minor task.

 

[netzspannung]

Don't do it man. Don't do it. Shoot it till it dies, then have it repaired by pros... Btw, I have the same camera and it could use some cleaning too. But I resist 😀

 

[leif e]

Needed that!

Needed that!

Thanks!
I´m convinced already. I won´t do it. Not by myself, that is. 😀

 

[Todd.Hanz]

here's a link to some directions for an M4-P (same as M4-2), haze seems to be common on these finders.

http://www.feuerbacher.net/photo/frame.html?repair/LeicaM4p/LeicaM4p.html~Main

Todd

 

[Gman]

Removing the seal is easy enough, but cameras with broken seals tend to lose value because it's a sure sign that an amateur repairer has worked on the camera.

Doesn't the missing seal indicate that the camera has been repaired by 'someone'? How would one know if an amateur or pro took the top cover off?


jeff

 

[jlw]

Doesn't the missing seal indicate that the camera has been repaired by 'someone'? How would one know if an amateur or pro took the top cover off?
jeff

This is all folklore as far as I'm concerned, but as I understand it, the folklore is that Leica service facilities have access to new seals (and the stamps needed to stamp the correct code letter in them) and independent professional repair technicians presumably would know how to apply a seal as well. The thinking is that a do-it-yourselfer would be less likely to understand the seal's significance or to be able to apply a new one.

Of course, this is all moot now, since (according to the omniscient Internet) Leica stopped using the wax seals in 1981, sometime during M4-2 production, so it's quite likely that the original poster's camera doesn't have a seal to bother with.

 

[Justin Low]

The link that Todd posted gives sufficient details for viewfinder cleaning.

You'll need the flexiclamps, or you can make your own. The important one is 16mm in diameter, and is for the cover over the film advance lever. You'll also need a 12mm one (IIRC) for the rings around the flash contacts on the rear. A pair of needle nose pliers will suffice to remove the ring under the rewind crank.

Apart from that, don't force anything. Try not to jar the RF mechanism, or you might have to recalibrate it.

 

[Ben Z]

After removing the black rings around the flash contacts you need to remove the flash contacts themselves, without damaging the outer threads (the ones that hold the black rings). The micro-tools set contains all the necessary sizes of wrench, except you will need a spanner to take off the ring under the advance lever. Putting this ring back takes a very gentle feel because the threaded part is short, the pitch is very fine, and the ring is soft brass and bends and strips easily. Also putting back the flash contacts and rings should only be to where they stop turning by gentle hand pressure. Putting any force to tighten them will almost surely strip the threaded block that holds them. On the M4 and earlier it was brass but starting with the M4-2 it's plastic, and getting old and brittle. On my M4 I took the top plate off before I had it overhauled, and cut off the little tab that the 12:00 lens mount screw goes through. Now if I need to ever remove the top plate to clean inside I can do it without disturbing DAG's nice little wax imprint 😀

 

[Xmas]

One of the specialist repair people will also fit the Leica 'modifications' as necessary.

If your camera is in original build state for a M4-2 then it may have a few pending, look at the new M8 for example. CRR Luton did at least one to my M4.

If some one has removed the tab (like Ben above) they might replace it to avoid 'tampering' during their warrenty period.

Noel