New body & lens :) Please help with focusing problem :(

bmsermd

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Oct 7, 2011
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Firstly, Id like to thank all of you who offered advice with my previous posts as the search for my first M carried on.
Happy to say I am really fortunate to have found a beautiful black paint M4, thanks to a real gentleman in the UK (you know who you are).

So I have a dream M4 and have decided to go with a very clean Biogon 35/2.

Only problem is that when focusing I am having the following problem: in landscape orientation the images line up in the vertical axis but there is some small gap in the horizontal. The reverse happens in portrait.

Is this an issue I should worry about? It is a simple adjustment that would be covered in a CLA?

Thanks,

Brant
 
Congrats !

It's a simple adjustment that you can (and IMO should learn to) do yourself. Horizontal alignment via the RF cam roller:

472571211_JigSy-M.jpg


vertical alignment with a small screw driver adjusting a screw behind the cover screw that you see on the front of the top plate.

See also here for instance: http://www.nemeng.com/leica/034b.shtml.


PS: not clear from your email if your camera is vertically or horizontally misaligned. If it's horizontally slightly misaligned at infinity, first try it out with a roll of film, everything might be OK.
 
Yep, typical image alignment.

1. set the lens to infinity.

2. if you have a sideways misalignment (horizontal), use ferider's method to align the images. It is because your infinity setting is off

3. if the images are misaligned up-and-down, you have vertical misalignment. You need to remove the screw that is above the lens mount, between the RF windows, and with a small screwdriver, adjust it until the images align vertically. Then check the infinity alignment again.

Dream black paint M4? Wow. Some of us dream of having one.

Congratulations.

Oh, Gerry Smith at Kindermann Toronto can CLA your Leica to perfect working order.

Vick
 
ferider's suggestion may take care of the problem, and I'd suggest trying that first. If you have out of focus images after that, send it off to a reputable technician and explain the problem. If it doesn't require a full CLA (the rest of the camera may be fine), they may end up charging you less.

FWIW, Sherry Krauter did the same repair for me a couple years ago for $150. She also calibrated the shutter and meter in my camera - unexpected, but appreciated.
 
Thanks for the above advice.
Ill start with a more precise examination of the problem. Sounds like it may be a "vertical" alignment issue.
And will give it a go.
If all fails Ill get in touch with Gary @ Kindermann (seeing a is I live in Toronto).
Cheers.
 
If you remove the screw on the front between the two rangefinder
windows you can adjust the vertical of the rangefinder as well.
This adjustment is best done on a tripod with a item with large
to small print with it being about 5 feet away, when the two
adjustment are done focusing is better, I've done this with all
my Leica's except the M6 which they spot welded in place (Boo!)


Range
 
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