Rotated M4-P Bayonet Mount Spring

[RoryBarr]

Hello,

I purchased my first Leica body last month from a reputable eBay seller in Japan (details excluded) and two Voigtlander lenses acquired locally to start a interchangeable lens rangefinder kit. The excitement was real when I unboxed the freshly CLA'd and re-covered M4-P, as was the disappointment when I tried and tried unsuccessfully to mount the 50mm Nokton f/1.5

Despite the lens cap fitting into the mounting tabs (with careful effort), I could not engage all parts of the lens in order to rotate and lock the mount. Eventually it became clear that the spring itself was in the way, having been somehow moved out of place.

The seller offered different options to resolve the situation... I opted to have it repaired back in Japan rather than take chances with the local repair shops. The engineer suggest that the spring could slip if the lens is rotated while not sitting flush with the body.

I have checked the original auction photos which show that nothing moved during shipping and I tried my best to nudge the spring back into position with the tip of a chopstick but stopped before causing any harm. It was absolutely tight and wouldn't budge.

Searching around online doesn't bring up any relevant information for me about this type of issue. Has anyone ever experienced the bayonet spring moving out of position over time? (I still can't figure out how the seller and the engineer both claimed to have mounted lenses with no trouble unless Leica lenses have smaller tabs than Voigtlander lenses)

Thanks!

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Can you return it for a full refund? That spring should be held in with the flange screws and can't "slip" unless someone took the flange off and didn't know what they were doing. It looks like it may be 90 degrees or more off because the spring is contacting the cam follower. The wax seal isn't intact as well. Send it back. It isn't a big deal to fix the spring issue, but it points to the fact that an inexperienced person took the camera apart, so you don't know what other surprises are in store.

Phil Forrest

 

[farlymac]

One thing is it might be possible to get it back in position by loosening the mount screws, then rotating the spring until it clicks into place. But still it appears the spring will continue to foul the rangefinder coupling. The paint inside the light box seems to have been damaged, and the shutter curtain condition might be an issue (check it for light leakage).

So I'd send it back for a refund because the same hack who worked on it the first time doesn't deserve a second go at it.

PF

 

[1joel1]

Yes, definitely send it back.
As for the wax seal, that depends on when your camera was manufactured. I believe that they stopped doing that around 1981. My M4-P is later so doesn't have a wax seal even though mine was unused.
Good Luck,
Joel

 

[Rob-F]

Yes, definitely send it back.

Joel

+1. it doesn't even look like they bothered to try a lens on it before selling it.