M4-P flash socket missing

Hi,

The first thing Sherry Krauter will insist on performing a CLA on a M4-2/P or M6, is checking the plastic flashblock for the above reason.


Sherry has always given me good advice, from the time that, as a young punk, I used to attend the NJ Meadowland´s Hilton camera show where they had a table.

What´s more, many years ago I purchased a Leica M4-P, and Leica USA could not perform a CLA in areasonable amount of time. They asked me if I wouldn´t mind telling them who I was going to send it to.
when I mentioned Sherry they said, "You are in good hands, she does excellent work" 😉.
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Nokton48 said:
rlouzan said:
Plastic bits from the flashblock can get in the shutter and end up jamming it 😱
Latest email from Youxin: I will let you know when its here. If the plastic bracket does not fell apart, which means we may have to replace it, it shouldn't be a hard work.
The plastic is soft, as far as I know, shouldn't have chips get into the camera and ruin the shutter.
Regards,
Youxin
Click to expand...
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I have decided to bite the bullet and at the recommendation of rlouzan have bought on eBay a new flash sync assembly for my M4P - its not expensive.

I have also seen on Youtube, a video showing how to remove the top plate of an M series camera. Very nice video which can be found here ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwQGNcJEdDk

There is also one for the M2 if you are interested! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjGovQ-KpNc

The task looks to be well within my skills (OK famous last words but I am not a total newcomer to delicate mechanics ) and looks quite easy for anyone with basic tool handling skills and no more than one thumb on each hand.

Now to do it, its necessary to buy a couple of specialized flexi-clamps to remove the external ring around the lever wind and also an internal ring within that lever wind assembly. (see the video) Also looks to be desirable to have a smaller clamp to remove the flash sync points themselves.

Now here is the question. Micro Tools have clamps but are out of the specialized M ones sold as a set, which in any event are a bit expensive for the full set - considering I don't need them all for this job (I do not see myself undertaking anything much more demanding unless more video guides turn up. Same problem with items sold by a trader who sells them on eBay.

But MicroTools also sell the same clamps individually by size /the diameter of the "hole". Here is the link http://www.micro-tools.com/store/SearchByCategory.aspx?CategoryCode=FLX

At around $10 a throw for three items this make this much cheaper than buying a full set of Leica ones.

My question. Does someone know what size / diameter the three flexiclamps must be to get the top plate off. I have a caliper gauge and I can measure some of these myself - the one for the external retaining ring on the winding lever and the one for the flash sync retaining ring. But of course I cannot measure the internal retaining ring for the lever wind until I disassemble the external one first - catch 22!

Any one able to help please so I can place an order?
 
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Picking my M4-2 (fixed by Youxin Ye) today at the local post office. He says he glued the flash sockets in, and thinks they will hold OK. BUT DON'T USE THEM, use the hot shoe for flash. I plan to cover mine (again) with black electrical tape, to protect them a bit more. And no more plastic flash-socket covers for M4-2. I think that makes it alot more breakable, to have covers on the flash sockets. $60 plus shipping to repair the problem.
 
I ordered a new hot shoe/flash socket assembly from DAG plus the missing parts and had it all shipped to Youxin. RF was out too, $140 for new flash socket fitted and RF alignment and CLA (I wanted the sockets fixed properly, the previous owner had glued in the broken socket by the looks of things).
 
Peter,

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

http://forum.mflenses.com/unexpected-set-of-lens-wrenches-t12451.html

http://www.mypentax.com/tools.html

Regards,
RLouzan

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Please send PM with details.
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peterm1 said:
I have decided to bite the bullet and at the recommendation of rlouzan have bought on eBay a new flash sync assembly for my M4P - its not expensive.

I have also seen on Youtube, a video showing how to remove the top plate of an M series camera. Very nice video which can be found here ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwQGNcJEdDk

There is also one for the M2 if you are interested! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjGovQ-KpNc

The task looks to be well within my skills (OK famous last words but I am not a total newcomer to delicate mechanics ) and looks quite easy for anyone with basic tool handling skills and no more than one thumb on each hand.

Now to do it, its necessary to buy a couple of specialized flexi-clamps to remove the external ring around the lever wind and also an internal ring within that lever wind assembly. (see the video) Also looks to be desirable to have a smaller clamp to remove the flash sync points themselves.

Now here is the question. Micro Tools have clamps but are out of the specialized M ones sold as a set, which in any event are a bit expensive for the full set - considering I don't need them all for this job (I do not see myself undertaking anything much more demanding unless more video guides turn up. Same problem with items sold by a trader who sells them on eBay.

But MicroTools also sell the same clamps individually by size /the diameter of the "hole". Here is the link http://www.micro-tools.com/store/SearchByCategory.aspx?CategoryCode=FLX

At around $10 a throw for three items this make this much cheaper than buying a full set of Leica ones.

My question. Does someone know what size / diameter the three flexiclamps must be to get the top plate off. I have a caliper gauge and I can measure some of these myself - the one for the external retaining ring on the winding lever and the one for the flash sync retaining ring. But of course I cannot measure the internal retaining ring for the lever wind until I disassemble the external one first - catch 22!

Any one able to help please so I can place an order?
Click to expand...
 
Thank you rlouzan that helps somewhat. I think I will buy at least some flexiclamps though. I dont really feel too inclined to make my own - I used to have a good workshop which was suitable for metal working and suchlike complete with a strong workbench and bench-vise, needlefiles, power tools, dremel equipment. (I used to do some fine gunsmithing so had a passing aquaintance with fine tolerances.) But apart from a few basic tools, not any more so I would have to do it on the kitchen table with obvious results for my relationship with my wife :^(

It is interesting to see that Mike FeuerBacher was having problems with cloudiness of his finder. Mine also needs a clean so that is another reason I am keen to remove the top plate to allow me to get at it.

A final question for rlouzan or anyone who knows. In Feuerbacher's page he has a photo of the top of the camera with the top plate removed. In it you can see the synchblock with the hotshoe above it. What is the relationship of the hotshoe to the sync block. Does it come off with it? Or does it get removed separately first? I presume I will also have to remove and resolder some wires?.........

And a final comment. The guy who sold me the synch block assembly emailed me saying "I will shipped tomorrow black chrome for the M4-P. Recommendation when You place the screws on the plastic holder of the synch. Suggestion - place very small oil the place the screws very slow and carefully to avoid cross thread ."

I post it here as others may wish to know this.
 
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82453

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64926

Quote:
It is interesting to see that Mike FeuerBacher was having problems with cloudiness of his finder. Mine also needs a clean so that is another reason I am keen to remove the top plate to allow me to get at it.

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Leica M Flexiclamps

Film advance lever: 16mm
VF eyepiece: 17mm
Flash sync rings: 10mm and 7.5mm

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peterm1 said:
I have decided to bite the bullet and at the recommendation of rlouzan have bought on eBay a new flash sync assembly for my M4P - its not expensive.

I have also seen on Youtube, a video showing how to remove the top plate of an M series camera. Very nice video which can be found here ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwQGNcJEdDk

There is also one for the M2 if you are interested! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjGovQ-KpNc

The task looks to be well within my skills (OK famous last words but I am not a total newcomer to delicate mechanics ) and looks quite easy for anyone with basic tool handling skills and no more than one thumb on each hand.

Now to do it, its necessary to buy a couple of specialized flexi-clamps to remove the external ring around the lever wind and also an internal ring within that lever wind assembly. (see the video) Also looks to be desirable to have a smaller clamp to remove the flash sync points themselves.

Now here is the question. Micro Tools have clamps but are out of the specialized M ones sold as a set, which in any event are a bit expensive for the full set - considering I don't need them all for this job (I do not see myself undertaking anything much more demanding unless more video guides turn up. Same problem with items sold by a trader who sells them on eBay.

But MicroTools also sell the same clamps individually by size /the diameter of the "hole". Here is the link http://www.micro-tools.com/store/SearchByCategory.aspx?CategoryCode=FLX

At around $10 a throw for three items this make this much cheaper than buying a full set of Leica ones.

My question. Does someone know what size / diameter the three flexiclamps must be to get the top plate off. I have a caliper gauge and I can measure some of these myself - the one for the external retaining ring on the winding lever and the one for the flash sync retaining ring. But of course I cannot measure the internal retaining ring for the lever wind until I disassemble the external one first - catch 22!

Any one able to help please so I can place an order?
Click to expand...
 
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More pictures:
http://homepage2.nifty.com/QJSYJ/Leica-M1.htm

--------------------------------------------------------------------
WTB: 35mm f3.5 W Komura, W Acall Kyoei, Telesar or Accura ltm lens.
Please send PM with details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
A final question for rlouzan or anyone who knows. In Feuerbacher's page he has a photo of the top of the camera with the top plate removed. In it you can see the synchblock with the hotshoe above it. What is the relationship of the hotshoe to the sync block. Does it come off with it? Or does it get removed separately first? I presume I will also have to remove and resolder some wires?.........
 
rLouzan thank you - I just saw the extra post of yours. Very useful page. By the time I decided to proceed the UK based guy had sold his set but I have found some from a Chinese guy on eBay who is selling them (individually) for a suitable price. My flash sync block has arrived from the eBay store you recommended so in a week or so I will be good to go.

Its interesting that on the Micro Tools site: https://www.micro-tools.com/store/home.aspx you can either buy a whole set of these for Leica (in of course the correct sizes ) at a relatively high price. (But are presently out of stock anyway.) Or you can buy them individually - but all of the ones sold individually are not sized correctly for Leica. Funny about that! Strange coincidence.
 
I just received an M Eyepiece Clamp from Mr. Zhou, it arrived yesterday. Well made, and within half an hour, I had my stubbornly-stuck M Eyepiece (from M2) seperated from my Eyeclypse Rubber Eyecup. Could not have done it without the eyepiece clamp.

Will probably order the rest of them, in the future.
 
The thread which holds flash socket is plastic? I overscrewed the socket and now thread is damaged.
I could see metal thread on this page. Is plastic under it? Does it have thread?

http://feuerbacher.net/photo/repair/LeicaM4p/LeicaM4p.html

Not a big deal for me. I'm only using hot shoe. This is why M4-2 is better camera.
And those plastic pips were getting into my ugly Christmas Walmart's sweater.
Now it is better camera without those two pips. Less useless parts to deal with.
 
M4-2 is plastic too. Mine snapped off just by snagging on my sweater. Now I never put the cosmetic plastic caps on them -less to snag. The only disappointment for me with this camera.
 
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