john neal
fallor ergo sum
How so? I always understood that Leicas can be played with whether cocked or not. There is nothing in the speed setting mechanism that can be damaged (well, unless you physically force it, and that's quite hard). Have I missed something?
batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
Ah, thank you very much. This means I seem to have a pretty decent example, although it is a bit of a mongrel (body older than top cap, as wolves3012 pointed out). The proof will be in the test roll, of course.
batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
Even if you don't damage it (and I have no intention of finding this out by experiment!), you wouldn't know which speed you're setting.
john neal
fallor ergo sum
Depends on the model of your Leica, but some speed dials will keep on going around and around. Of course, as you point out, you will have no idea what speed is set (unless you are totally tedious, and can feel the difference at 1/1000)
wolves3012
Veteran
Just to clarify this often-misunderstood point. As John rightly says, Barnack Leicas can be set without damage but you're guessing at set speed. On FED/Zorki FSUs there are 3 variations.Depends on the model of your Leica, but some speed dials will keep on going around and around. Of course, as you point out, you will have no idea what speed is set (unless you are totally tedious, and can feel the difference at 1/1000)
If the model has slow speeds then it's quite possible to get the slow-speed mechanism in a tangle or break it by setting uncocked - AVOID DOING. If it has a 2-piece dial (outer part with speeds marked plus inner shaft with a dot or line) then it's possible and easy to set cocked OR uncocked and no damage results. If it has a 1-piece dial then the only danger is accidentally trying to pass between 1/500 and B or vice-versa. This WILL break the limit pin but it does require force and won't happen without carelessness. Other than that, setting the speed uncocked on a 1-piece dial is guesswork, like the Barnacks and it will not damage things. Some FED 2 models have no limit pin either.
Of the FEDs/Zorkis the list is:
Safe to set uncocked on FED 2 (except earliest few), Zorki C/2/2C/5/6
Pointless but possible on FED 1/Early FED 2/Zorki 1/Mir
All others DON'T, they have "slow" speeds.
Kievs can be set uncocked too, although for some of the slower speeds the mechanism may not be set properly and you'll get the wrong speed. No damage done though.
wolves3012
Veteran
Correct. Actually ONLY the Zorki 3/3M/3C/4/4K have these baffles.
David Hughes
David Hughes
I vaguely recall that on the FED 3 and/or Zorki 4's there was a similar restriction on going round from 500 to B. In other words when you got to 500 you had to go back via 250, 125 etc to B and vice versa.
Wasn't there a red line between them as a reminder?
Regards, David
Wasn't there a red line between them as a reminder?
Regards, David
wolves3012
Veteran
The restriction is there on almost all of them (I only know of some FED 2s that don't have the pin - missing/broken or part of the design, I don't know!). There's no red line on any of mine...