'new' M2- a few questions...

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mooge

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got my M2 in the mail today. heehee...

the wind lever has a little 'click' at the end of the travel. is that supposed to be there?

I have a PC sync adapter or something in the hole with the lightning bolt. how would I take this out?

and what's the mysterious post on the bottom left side of the camera for?

cheers!
 
The "post" hooks into a flash bracket that probably hasn't been made since the sixties. Just grab the synch adapter and pull it out. The click? Unless it's causing a problem of some sort just don't worry about it.
 
I think my M2 has that slight click at the end of the wind. It was CLAd in the last two years. Sounds like Al is right. In deciding whether to have it CLAd my repairman asked me if the 1/30s or 1/15s sounded screechy - if so it was an indication of a need of lubricant. If not, then maybe the rest of the camera is reasonably lubricated also. Now I know what that little post is for. I never even wondered before.
 
One of the things you are asking about is a pc adaptor. You can pull that out if you aren't using flash.

What mysterious post on the bottom left of the camera? Does it hold the baseplate on? Can you post a pic?
 
That flash bracket had a swinging arm so you could position the flash directly over the lens in both vertical and horizontal shots. It also had a tripod socket in the center for better balance when using a tripod. At some point the black crackle paint would start chipping and it would be on its way to looking like hell.

The mysterious post is on the opposite end of the camera from the one that the baseplate uses? It's a bit smaller in diameter and it's round. The baseplate post has a flat side. It's there to help hold the flash bracket in place.
 
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The Benser base-plate is great for carrying two extra lenses. Get a chrome brass 85/2 and a 135/2.8 Elmarit with the eyes, hope that the strap lugs don't pull out or the strap breaks. I'd lusted after one for 40 years, finally found one "like new in box" at a great price, and couldn't wait to sell it again. (I did make money though.)

It's also handy (but expensive!) for holding two lenses in your camera bag. You can't put wides with extended rear elements on it though.
 
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ah. ok.

the click is kind of bothersome to me. I kind of didn't expect something like that when they talk about leica-smooth. (not that mine was described as such!) I gotta take it apart to replace (!) a curtain anyways, so I'll see what I can do about it.

thanks!
 
dragunov said:
got my M2 in the mail today. heehee...
the wind lever has a little 'click' at the end of the travel. is that supposed to be there?
cheers!
Click to expand...

Congrats. enjoy.
Both my M2s "click" at the end of travel and one is 6 months back from a Leica service. My M6 doesn't click- it clunks 🙄 That's the M2 smoothness 🙂
 
I have a fair number of M2's - about half have a click at the end of the wind (top lever) - the others dont. I suspect that it is the gear train that does it. It also can go away - usually just before you decided that it needs a CLA!!!! So far I have never found it affecting performance in any way.
 
OK, I don't have an M-Leica to know but I have a few cameras that make a click at the end of the winding. It's caused by a latch that holds the shutter mechanism cocked so I'd take a guess the M2 has such a latch. Hope that helps...
 
yup- that's what I think it is too, a latch that keeps the shutter cocked. I looked at one of them repair manuals...

well, I guess it doesn't affect performance, but it's kind of noisy. I wanted a quiet camera... (and that ratchet on the way back! augh!)


this is going to be one awesome travel camera.
(when it works...)
(when I get a lens...)
and if this is a 'cheapened' M3, the M3 must have been mechanical perfection. but the M2's finder is just perfect...


anyone know where to get aluminum sheet stock? I got some flexiclamps to make.
 
a few pics for y'all...

someone really liked flash sync.
IMGP1273.jpg


this is what your shutter should NOT look like.
IMGP1274.jpg


Leica= very cool! Dragunov= very broke!
IMGP1272.jpg


cheers!
 
Dragunov, the "tell tale" on the shutter speed dial makes me think it was used for either a cruise camera or press camera. It has a substantial dent in the dial. Should be smooth and nice by now - a couple of 10's of 1000's shot later.
The curtains are shot - but once they are replaced - it should be good for another 5-10 000 rolls.
As for lens, on budget, go for one of the Jupiter 35f2.8 - they are not bad at all and you should be able to nail one down for $50-60 + the adapter. Talk to our own Brian Sweeney as to which version to get and what to look out for. The key is to get the camera serviced, a lens stuck on it and load up with films and shoot it.
 
'cruise camera'?

well, it's got a big dent at flash synch, but it's got dents for pretty much every single speed. just smaller dents...

it's not really smooth and nice, actually. strange.

I prefer 50mm... I'm looking for a J-8. adapters are kinda pricy.

thanks!
 
The "cruise" camera is one that was used on cruise ships to take pictures of passengers. Vancouver is a big cruise port and pre-digital these kind of cameras would be traded in for new M's after the season. Usually a small fill flash and 100 000's of exposures. Some of these cameras did 50-60 rolls/day for month on end! Usually looked good - but rattled when shaken as all the bearings were worn out. Lots of M4-2's and M4P's as the set up was pretty fixed, 1/50s, f8.0 and pop the flash, No need for built in meters etc.
 
They must have made better cameras in the old days...LOL. I worked at a studio at a Miami Beach hotel for a couple of years in the sixties. We shot 120 roll film in Rolleis, Autocords, and Yashicamats. I'd guess forty to fifty rolls a week was average and those cameras just kept on churning out the pictures.

The Univex Mercury II was a piece of crap half frame camera but those little keychain "telescope" viewers were a popular resort item, and Anscochrome was cheap and easy to process.
 
Keep looking in the classifieds, Dragunov, and you should soon find a J-8. I can also recommend the Industar-61 L/D. It is a stop slower but should cost substantially less.
 
payasam said:
Keep looking in the classifieds, Dragunov, and you should soon find a J-8. I can also recommend the Industar-61 L/D. It is a stop slower but should cost substantially less.
Click to expand...

+1.

the Industar is a great lens, should do fine on any M camera!

Adapter, just get a cheap Chinese brass adapter, check it for cutting residues before mounting the first time and you're fine!
 
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