What's wrong with my M2?

K

Kang Jung Soo

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Oct 1, 2014
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Hi guys

my M2 was CLA serviced, a few days ago but after that something weird lines in viewfinder (looks like prism)
actually any marks when look through back side, can taking photos. What is this?
and rewind knob grease is still overflow
Thank you for your reading and reply
 

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http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145015

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145015

Think separation of viewfinder!
I don't like all that grease on rewind knob.
Was the Technician familiar with Leica..?
 
Thanks

Thanks

leicapixie said:
Think separation of viewfinder!
I don't like all that grease on rewind knob.
Was the Technician familiar with Leica..?
Click to expand...

Separation? what's that means?
Is this not a crack or scratch? repairable?
Technician was very famous about old Leica repair in Korea. i will go again next weekend.
Thank you for your reply
 
The glue used to cement the two parts of the prism in the VF in the M2, M3, M4 (older), M5 is Canada Balsam, which gets brittle with time due to oxidation (air) or dissolved in certain organic solvents. If the repair person let some aggressive solvent (to remove old lubricants and dirt) let come close to the surfaces of that prism and not immediately wiped it clean it could have started dissolving the Canada Balsam.

The process might have stopped but it might also continue and at some point the prism will separate leaving you with a black VF. This can be repaired, though.
 
Thanks

Thanks

maddoc said:
The glue used to cement the two parts of the prism in the VF in the M2, M3, M4 (older), M5 is Canada Balsam, which gets brittle with time due to oxidation (air) or dissolved in certain organic solvents. If the repair person let some aggressive solvent (to remove old lubricants and dirt) let come close to the surfaces of that prism and not immediately wiped it clean it could have started dissolving the Canada Balsam.

The process might have stopped but it might also continue and at some point the prism will separate leaving you with a black VF. This can be repaired, though.
Click to expand...


Thanks! I was seen VF balsam separation before, but many of that cases are spread from the edge of VF like a fungus. but in my case, this is straight lines in VF so i didn't think this is Balsam separation.

Thank you for your reply. very helpful!
 
Now that is a lousy CLA, you need to ask the person who performed the service what he did. Never seen the vertical lines before.
 
Was it like that before you sent it? I doubt the cla did that, more like the rf was swapped. It's the start of separation. It could be fine for years like that.
As for the grease, I'd ask why it's been greased on the outside? The Bush is on the inside of the rewind knob.
 
All that grease on the rewind knob is making me queezy!

Looks like your repairman took you for a ride.
 
My 1960 M2 is doing the same thing around the edges. Balsam just does that. I've owned several vintage view camera lenses that have done the same thing. I bought this M2 almost 20 years ago and it hadn't been used since the 70's. It worked fine so I used it without a CLA. The seal was still intact. A couple of years ago I noticed some deterioration and sent it to Koh Camera for a CLA. It was there before the cleaning and hadn't changed in several years. I can't see any effect so at this point I'm not concerned. If it gets to be a problem I'll get it recemented.

It's just a fact of life with balsam. I'm guessing it had nothing to do with the CLA. Just use it till there's a problem if one ever occurs.
 
Nothing to add, I agree with everybody else, the grease is symptomatic of an awful CLA, and if that is what you can see on the outside I hate to think where it is all going on the inside.

V
 
As for the grease, that seems overdone, but I wouldn't worry too much about the viewfinder. This type of balsam oxidation at the edges of the glued mirror prism is typical for these old cameras. My M2 has shown the same for years and it still functions excellently. I guess it has become more apparent after cleaning of the viewfinder.
 
Hi guys, Sorry for my absent.

2 weeks ago, I've go to the Leica Korea Repair store, and they said this is not a crack, just balsam in VF.
They think when i dropped my camera, VF prism has some impacted on a copula.
and they said this trouble can be solve by replacing RF. 'I said how much is it? i think that would be more expensive thank my whole camera' , They said 'Yes.'

anyway when i return from technician, he think this is crack on prism. but LEICA STORE said separation. i trust LEICA STORE.
Taking picture is all about OK. Love this camera
 
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