My M2 is seriously messed up....example photos...

[splitimageview]

I didn't realize this was flaming. I was just curious.

 

[Rangefinderfreak]

I called our very qualified serviceman here in Finland. His answer was, after looking Michael´s images:
The shutter has completely frozen. The small portion of exposure comes when the unopened curtain bumps back when there is no resistance in the shutter brakes. A total strip down is required. Slower times may work, as there is a different (clockwork mechanism) for that . Choose carefully the repairguy...

 

[rodt16s]

I'm guessing the AV cameras repair centre isn't preferred.

 

[Range-rover]

Did you try and blow out the back of the camera with a blower bulb,
set the camera to "B" and just blow it around the shutter. it might work
better the banging it on a table :bang:. The focusing you could adjust it yourself
I've done it a few times with my M3 and M4 cameras.


Range

 

[El Jonbre Grande]

My M2 was suffering issues and I sent it to Youxin (all the way from Australia). It's come back feeling brand new and I couldn't be happier!

 

[Monochrom]

Hi, bad news,probably the curtains are stuck, it happens when there´s too much moisture.
There are many parts on the M´s that are made of steel, they can rust and produce the curtains to stuck or to travel slowly...

For that you may dismantle the entire camera in oder to get into the shafts that hold the curtains.
If you can´t do it send it to a service, it´s not so difficult but for sure body and top cover must be removed.
There´s a plate in the bottom, it´s secured by three screws, once removed you can access the bottom part of the shafts, you may lubricate them, but the top ones cannot be service from that part...

Bye!

 

[Rob-F]

the sounds at 15 at 30 really sound strange compared to the different shutter speeds.....I do not like sending my camera half way around the world, but I think that is what I am going to do......I am contemplating shooting a roll tomorrow and get it developed at a one hour lab and see whats up.....but I sort of lost confidence in my M2 now, and that's not a good feeling......

Michael, the shutter does sound different at 1/15 and 1/30. It has a "tick-tick" sound after the exposure at those two speeds. It sounds like a ball bearing bouncing on a glass table.

I send my Leicas to Sherry Krauter (Golden Touch Camera) in New York when they need work. I've also used Don Goldberg (DAG) in Wisconsin.
Sherry is faster. I never tried Youxin Ye, but he does have a lot of satisfied customers.

 

[Leica All Day]

Thanks for all the replies everybody .....I have used both Sherry and Youxin on several occasions in the past and I am happy with their work....I also talk to them sometimes and ask questions....I am going to send them both emails later tonight with sample photos and see what their replies are....most likely my camera will get sent to Youxin just because he's cheaper and my M2 is a "user".... My M6ttl gets sent to Sherry when I have problems with it.......all I know is, I'd like to get this fixed so I can bring it to Myanmar with me....if its too expensive to repair or something else is wrong with it....my M3 will be my back up....

Thanks again for all the replies....

Cheers, michael

 

[Vickko]

there is one other characteristic flaw that happens to old M's. There are felt strips that are glued to the light shield of the camera's film chamber and after 40+ years, the glue is brittle, and the strips fall off and jam right into the shutter tape. If the shutter jams up, especially on winding the film and tensioning the shutter, the camera just jams.

Very easy to determine once you take the cover shell off - you can see the fuzzy strip wound up in the shutter.

If you do jam up the camera, don't apply any more force.

As for focus issues, it is a different mechanism but lubricants can gum up especially if the humidity changes.


Good luck