M4 rangefinder control arm

[agricola]

Hi - the M4 has lost its ability to focus. Had a look inside. The rangefinder control arm is not under spring tension.

I can move it forward, attach a lens, and then rotate the focus to infinity (pushing the cam rearward). But the cam will not follow the rear rim of the lens forward when then attempting to focus closer than infinity.

I have done some searching and it is said that the rangefinder control arm is under spring tension. Mine is not.

Is it likely to be some thing that I can fix myself, or should I send it to a technician?

any advice would be much appreciated

 

[ChrisN]

Hi - the M4 has lost its ability to focus. Had a look inside. The rangefinder control arm is not under spring tension.

I can move it forward, attach a lens, and then rotate the focus to infinity (pushing the cam rearward). But the cam will not follow the rear rim of the lens forward when then attempting to focus closer than infinity.

I have done some searching and it is said that the rangefinder control arm is under spring tension. Mine is not.

Is it likely to be some thing that I can fix myself, or should I send it to a technician?

any advice would be much appreciated

Hi - damn, that must be annoying!

I've not had that problem, so can't suggest the solution. The Australian Leica agent is a company called Adeal in Melbourne. They are supposed to have factory-trained techs. They overhauled my M4 when I bought it a few years ago. When I got it back the packing of the camera inside the box was barely adequate, and the box had a large and distinct toe-print in the side - clearly someone involved at some point in the delivery chain had kicked the box heavily. The camera came back with dust still in the viewfinder and sticking 1-second shutter. I would have sent it back except I didn't want to risk their delivery service again.

There are several others in Australia who will service Leica, but I have no names or experience of them - perhaps others can chime in with their experience. One you might talk to is Ben Vang at Camera Checkpoint in Dubbo. He did an excellent job on my Pentax LX and he certainly sounds like he knows his stuff on the older cameras. If he claims to understand Leica cameras then I'd trust him. If the camera hasn't been serviced in the last 20 years or so then it is due. Sherry Krauter in the USA is the other repair-person I have used and trust - she is very well known and widely respected.

I have a pdf file (767kb) with an old magazine article that gives a good run-down on basic mechanical repairs to the M-series cameras. I can't remember where I found it, but if your email can stand a file that size, I'll send it. Let me know.

Cheers and good luck.

 

[LChanyungco]

i had the same problem with an M4 i had... i sent it in and the tech said the cause was gummed up grease and dirt in the spring. it was an easy fix. for him that is 🙂

 

[MikeL]

I had the same problem on my M4 agricola. It hadn't been used much by the previous owner. I sent it to Sherry Krauter and she cleaned up the gunk.

 

[payasam]

ChrisN, if you send the PDF file to anyone, please mark a copy to uthappam [at] gmail [dot] com.

 

[ChrisN]

ChrisN, if you send the PDF file to anyone, please mark a copy to uthappam [at] gmail [dot] com.

Done!

Anyone else want a copy?

 

[agricola]

Chris - just sent you an email re the magazine article - thanks for your message.
Dan

 

[LChanyungco]

Done!

Anyone else want a copy?

i'd love to have a copy of that pdf. please send to info @ chanyungco dot com

 

[payasam]

Something the matter, Chris -- the PDF hasn't come in.

 

[ChrisN]

Payasam - have re-sent. Is your address (above) correct?

Have also sent to Agricola and three others. Let me know if it arrives ok please.

 

[agricola]

Chris - arrived safely
many thanks
Dan

 

[LChanyungco]

got the file, thank you.

 

[payasam]

Got it, Chris. Thank you. I found I already had the same matter with a different file name and -- inexplicably -- a 6MB file size.