M5 counter reset

[capitalK]

I'm going to start by saying that I bought my M5 with the full intention of having it CLA'd. It works great but I want to get the 3rd lug attached and possibly adjusted for modern batteries.

Having said that, I'm having problems with the film counter not resetting, or not resetting enough. Sometimes I will run a roll through it that has already been exposed (that I use to test cameras) and it will reset fine but when I'm out on the town sometimes it will stick at 5 or 20 or some other random number. I know I probably need a CLA but am I missing a step on rewind?

I will likely send it in shortly after returning from my vacation later this Summer.

Thanks.

 

[J J Kapsberger]

You're not missing a step. The counter should reset itself the moment the base plate becomes loose from the body. I imagine this'll be a small part of the CLA you'd planned to get, so no worries.

Having the camera adjusted for the modern voltage is a good idea. Convenient. And the modern batteries do last a sufficiently long time such that their power drain profile is effectively no different than the profile of the mercury batteries they'll replace especially if you change the batteries once a year, which wouldn't cost a lot.

 

[maddoc]

I had an M5 for some time and it came with the CRIS adapter installed. I used it about half a year and when I sold it, for the first time opened the battery compartment to check which battery the previous owner had inserted. The M5 meter consumes only very low power so a battery lasts forever and the CRIS adapter works very well without having the hassle of voltage adjustments.

The counter of your M5 should be repaired though. A fine camera !🙂

 

[capitalK]

love the m5 -- it's my main camera

Me too. I bought it as a second body so I could have one dedicated to B&W and one for colour on my trip later this month. I've barely picked up my Bessa since getting the M5, as much as I love it as well.

 

[JNewell]

I was told by Sherry K. a while back that for some reason I don't remember the M5 counter is often prone to be sticky. It is probably a different design than the other M bodies.

BTW, I love the M5, too!

 

[capitalK]

Thank you, at least I know it's nothing I'm doing wrong. It's not too bad, it just sucks when I lose my place and have no idea how many frames are left.

 

[Nokton48]

My M5 is also now my main camera. Look, if I'm really in a hurry and forget to reset my M2, the counter is also messed-up. No biggie. When you can't advance anymore, you're done. Most often it still works OK, right? Needs a CLA, but I enjoy it as it is.

 

[JNewell]

Thank you, at least I know it's nothing I'm doing wrong. It's not too bad, it just sucks when I lose my place and have no idea how many frames are left.

Welllllll...a CLA would probably not be amiss, nor a waste...get the meter recalibrated at the same time... 😀

 

[capitalK]

Welllllll...a CLA would probably not be amiss, nor a waste...get the meter recalibrated at the same time... 😀

Yeah, I just couldn't get one done before my trip later this month. It's really smooth otherwise and for the price I got it for I'm very happy with it. The camera is (slightly) older than I am and in better shape than me 😀

 

[awilder]

The M3, M4 and M5 are similar in design, all being mechanically excellent with no short cuts in design according to Leica repair expert Don Goldberg. The later M's starting with at least the M6 all suffer from short cuts in redesign as a means of cost saving and consequently a small percentage have a problem similar to the one you describe. The difference is that your's is probably correctable with CLA while the later models need replacement of the entire frame counter unit.

 

[capitalK]

The last few rolls have been fine so maybe it just needed to loosen up. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[venchka]

Send it to Sherry. That is all.

Do you have the shutter speed dial with the very soft detents? That is the early one with two lug bodies. if it bothers you, Sherry can fix that too.

Enjoy!

 

[thomasw_]

Talk to Bob about the M5 modification. He had the 28 frameline added, the battery conversion and he loves his big badass M5. Personally I think the 2 lug hang is the ultimate way for a camera to hang. ;p

 

[venchka]

Bubba has those framelines too. I don't use them nearly as much as I thought I would. Bigfoot works just fine without the 28mm framelines. The 75mm framelines are nice but I don't use the 75mm lens enough. Maybe that's my bad?

Both Bigfoot and Bubba have 3 lugs. Sometimes I hang the camera on my left shoulder by 2 lugs. Alas, doing the same on my right shoulder seems odd. The camera comes up backwards. The camera needs 4 lugs. Like my big Pentax.

Lots of cameras in the 80s & 90s had two lugs. Virtually all autofocus zoom lens P&S cameras hung vertically.

 

[capitalK]

I'm happy with the current framelines, though I might add the 28 and 75 if the price was right. There's not much room for the 28's in the viewfinder and I heard they actually overlap the meter reading at the bottom?

I love the way it hangs as a 2-lug but I'd probably add the third when it's in for service. I lost my TomA softie today, which has bummed me out. I hope I can get a replacement before my vacation.