Thanks! Glad it worked for you. Use the video with care as i'm not a repair expert and another guy said he tried to force the screw on his and then had to send for repair. It's just what worked for me.
Nice video Matt. One point: Be sure to adjust the vertical alignment first. If you do the horizontal first after doing the vertical the horizontal will need to be redone. 2- trial and error for horizontal alignment is suboptimal. In the M2/ M3/M4-2 that I have tried the horizontal adjustment can be done with a lens mounted on the camera. Remove the baseplate and the plate that shows the loading diagram. Beneath it is an easily removable plug blocking an opening through which you can insert a screwdriver and access the roller slot with a lens mounted. RF adjustment for Barnack cameras and their brethren is even easier…
Thanks Adam! Good to hear from you. On my M3 my horizontal was OK so I only needed to do the vertical. Thankfully it didn't change the horizontal so I was lucky I guess. Thanks for the info and re Barnacks. (Tonight's video is Barnacks!)
Something to keep in mind is that the focus distance is to the film plane, not to the front of the camera. So when calibrating make sure you set up your ruler to account for the extra distance to the film plane. I couldn't find any specs on this, but I personally measured 25mm from the front of the camera (very close to the back), so I just set some clear printed text (like a box with letters on it) 97.5 cm from the front edge of the camera.
The focus distance is actually from the back of the lens to the film plane. Are you a camera repairman? What experience do you have with Leica M-mount lenes and camera bodies? I thought flange focal distance was only important to lens/body compatibility. Is it not so that a properly calibrated lens takes care of the final focus to the film plane? I don't see how this relatively small measurement relates to the M3 image patch unless one is OCD about using the near-focusing attatchment (goggles) that is often used with the Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 lens. Ken Rockwell has a nice review and user guide on the Leica M3. I recomment everyone to trust but verify before acting on any advice coming from strangers on the internet. I believe you mean well but I repecrfully disagree.
Fine point about the horizontal adjustment: You'll notice (at about 0:33) that it looks as if Matt has filed the tip of his screwdriver on a slight slant - this makes it easier to turn the screw, as you have to reach in through the lens mount at a slight angle and the slanted tip helps the screwdriver engage the slot squarely.
Another super vid. I fell and landed on my back and camera.... As such i knocked my M9 alignment . Horizontal calibration now great after watching your vid + 2mm Allan key
I’ve done the horizontal alignment on my m8 and it worked a treat. I focussed to infinity however to calibrate as this was easier than being precise to 0.7m. It would be the same as the M240 and is a 2mm Allen key.
Hello, Thanks again for a very useful video. Could it be that the "dotless" Leica M cameras (ie: just the flat head screw appearing without the red Leica logo) are named "P" for professional beacause as a pro, you would need to have full and quick access to the horizontal and vertical alignement screws in the field...without waiting for the camera to be sent to a Leica dealer?? Just a thought
This is good, thanks Matt. What I struggle with is the binoculars 'goggles' for the DR Summicron. The camera rangefinder is good, but the DR goggles are so far out that they are useless.
Matt! Regarding your hands-on approach to Leica fettling, I am concerned that anyone who can change the spark plug on his lawnmower may well wade into an M3 and butcher it. An unwelcome addition to future ebay listing will be mangled M3s.
Question from the floor… When I shoot portrait my M8/40mm Voigtlander Nokton Classic f/1.4 image is off centre to the right. What does this mean? Is it a vertical alignment issue rather than a horizontal one? I don’t want to keep cropping. Thanks Matt, love your work✌️🌹🇦🇺
Hi Matt, thanks for the video, think I’ll give it a go! so when you mention checking with a lens at .7m where do you take the measurements from? From the the front of the camera or the curtain? cheers
Hi Stephen, read some of the comments as others say it is better to adjust the horizontal at infinity rather than up close. That is easier too as you just focus on a distance tree!
You said you made your rangefinder adjustments based on the lens' minimum focus distance. I've always read that these adjustments should be done at infinity using an object way off in the distance like telephone poles etc. The idea being that if alignment is spot on at infinity, then it should hold true throughout the focusing range. I wonder if there is any difference in the methods. I appreciate these types of videos as I think DIY repair skills for vintage camera gear is increasingly important.
I agree it's usually better to adjust at infinity. The focusing scale on a lens - even a Leica lens - isn't individually calibrated, it's just set to an average… so when you set the scale to 0.7 meters, you can't be sure it's EXACTLY 0.7 meters. (An exception is a true cinema lens; these do have individually calibrated focusing scales, as this is needed for accurate “focus pulls” during filming. That's one reason cinema lenses are so much more expensive than regular photo lenses!) Once you set your rangefinder to line up at infinity, it should be right for closer distances too, unless your camera has been banged around severely (in which case you'll need a technician to sort it out.) Of course Matt is primarily a portrait photographer, so it makes sense that he's more interested in accuracy at close distances and would want to set up his RF at 0.7m, even if it means the infinity position is slightly out of whack. All I'd say is if you're going to do likewise, make sure you do a careful test ON FILM (in the case of film Leicas) before taking any important photos, just in case your lens' focusing scale was not exactly perfect as noted above. Having the rangefinder be “off” by even a few cm can be catastrophic in portrait photography at close distances and wide apertures - you may think you're focusing on your subject's eyes and have it turn out the camera actually focused on the tip of the nose or the ears!
Thank you Justin, yes sorry I shared what I had done personally but i'm now told by others that like you say it is better to test at infinity and just check close up after to see if it looks OK. I also agree the repair of these old cameras is a dying art with many of the skilled repair guys been near retirement age or older.
Thanks JL, I appreciate your understanding, support and wisdom. Yes correct I was testing for myself which is close up but I should have thought about the wider viewership instead. Many have got it touch to confirm that infinity testing is the way to do it not up close. I shot a test roll on the M3 yesterday so I will try to develop this week. I only shot up close so hopefully they'll be OK.
But what should count as infinity? Cloud is difficult to use as reference point and it's not feasible to have a telephone pole far far away visible anywhere.
The early screw mount Leica bodies have only one adjustment point, the infinity. The Leica M bodies have two adjustment points, the infinity and 1 m. You were talking about the screw mount cameras, and those bodies are notoriously inaccurate if a photo is taken at 1 m with the lens wide open (out of focus). Those bodies have a fixed-length rangefinder arm and a fixed-sized contact roller radius. But for M bodies, because both the rangefinder arm and the roller radius are adjustable, it is possible to get both infinity and 1 m accurate. Of course, a rangefinder is never as accurate as a mirrorless digital body today.
What size tool are you using? I just picked up an M4 and the horizontal plane is off at anything above 5 meters. I haven't been able to get the screw to budge with any of my tools, and I don't want to risk stripping it.
I would use a proper repair guy just to be safe. Mine wasn’t tight as had been adjusted in the last few years. I used a tiny tool as seen in the thumbnail.
What screwdriver did you use for the horizontal adjustment, I can't seem to find a flathead screw driver that will fit into the screw at that angle. Is the blade of the screwdriver slanted?
Hi Trigg, I was a watch screwdriver, you sometimes see sets for sale in supermarkets etc. Please note i'm not a repair expert so you might be better looking for other videos or sending it away. (It's easier to move the focus so accurate at say 1m or infinity but less easy to get both perfect (which I failed to mention).
Hi Matt! I bought my M3 in 1987 for several hundred USD. I have never felt the need to realign the rangefinder, given that the treasure is carefully cosseted. Is it common for M3s to need this procedure?
I shoot almost always close up so for me 0.7m is the most important. Yes normally it's tested at infinity too but in theory you set one and the other is also correct.
Thanx for the video, Matt! When I try to focus with my summicron 50mm on an Leica m3, the horizontal focusing movement glides SLOWLY into place. Do you know how fix that?
Ohhh!!! I have spent fortunes fixing the rangefinders on my M3 cameras on callibrating through special repair men! The last time it came back without a functioning rangefander - it had faded totally even in daylight. Do You know if there is a fix for a faded rangefinder image? It was perfect before I left it to the repair man but now it is completely faded making it useless.
Sorry to hear, sounds like a dodgy guy, maybe they left something out when the repaired it or their is a blockage inside.. i'm not a smart repair guy so you might need to seek help on that, sorry
I tried doing what you suggested and ended up fucking up the screw on the guide roller. It is very tight. In future I'll be very careful where I get this kind of information from. If you care to look at the Leica M3 service manual there's a lot more to it than just sticking a screwdriver in...Now i've got to send in to get repaired. Thanks for that :(
Hi Mike, sorry to hear that. Mine turned easily as has been adjusted before. I guess cameras that haven't been touch for 50s will be really tight. Sorry I only shared what worked for me.
I keep telling people to trust but verify! Back in the olden days when lost I would stop to ask for directions. I always tried to get a second and maybe a third confirmation from locals before driving off into the unkown. LOL
Hey Matt, I've been trying to get my TTartisan 50mm 1.4 calibrated. I've used the calibration chart and the images are generally pretty sharp at close to mid distances. At infinity the image lines up nicely with the rangefinder patch but unfortunately the resulting photo is out of focus (if I compensate about 3mm to the left the image will be sharp). I have a 40mm Voigtlander lens and that focuses perfectly at infinity and close focus so I'm assuming the rangefinder is working accurately and it's the TTArtisan that is still not calibrated properly. I'm worried if I calibrate it to work at infinity it'll be way off at the close focus distances... any thoughts?
Hey Travis, sorry to hear. Hi f you read my detailed MrLeica.com blog post on the 50 0.95 and 35 1.4 I say they are less ideal for film users as have to calibrate and waste film trying. I’ve only used TTA lenses on the SL & CL so haven’t needed to adjust mine for RF use. Not at all helpful to you I know. I did calibrate my M3 to nail focus wide open at 0.7m but now it’s not sharp at infinity. That’s fine for my portraits. I’d calibrate got close up and stop down if doing infinity .
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Thanks Matt! I actually have an M9 Monochrom so not using it on film. Would love to get the lens to focus accurately as the images are surprisingly good when focused. I'll keep faffing around with it. Really enjoy your content on flickr and youtube :)
@@miskgkdlss thanks Travis. One of my loyal Patreons love Chinese glass and has this lens on his M9. He says he gets great results so it is possible, it might just take more faffing. Sorry I can’t help more.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Hey Matt, I got the focusing sorted! I faffed around with the calibration again and got it bang on. The only thing is I can't rely on the infinity hard stop as its out by about 1mm. Otherwise the lens is killer for the price and really works well with the M9 Monochrom, not too contrasty, beautiful blacks and smooth bokeh. It has a really nice signature wide open and surprisingly sharp in the corners :)
Do not use a razor blade.... the red Leica emblem is stuck on with a light adhesive, so all you need to do is press your thumb on it, and just keep twisting back and forth. Eventually it will loosen from the heat of your thumb and the twisting force.
Interesting point - M4-P onwards the vertical alignment is not a screwdriver or Allen key. It’s with a Leica proprietary tool that must be used so vertical can’t be done on these without it. Annoyingly…
Ah thanks Andrew, great info! I saw a guy on TH-cam that had made a tool (I think) to do this. Another reason to stick with older cameras (see tonights post!) :)
I suspect that 98 % of people who own these Leica N cameras know nothing about the importance of CALIBRATION to fix focusing problems. Thank you RS. Canada
This is honestly a bit of bad advice Matt. First of all, horizontal rangefinder adjustments should be done for infinity, then checked to make sure the close focus is correct. And if you care less about infinity and only want to calibrate your close focus, you NEED to do it while checking the actual film plane with a ground glass on the back of the shutter. Going by vague measurements based off barrel distances and rulers/measuring tapes will never give you precise calibration.
Hi Jacob thank you, yes sorry to mis-inform. I just shared what had worked for me. A Leica friend contacted me and said like you that he does horizontal at infinity and before vertical and then check up close after. I will check mine again in daylight when I get chance but I shot a test roll too so I we see on those images. Thanks for the pointer.
Adjustment must be done with the lens focused at INFINITY. Place a GROUND GLASS at the back of the camera, the place where the film will be exposed. Focus the lens at infinty. ( you might change the position of the focusing ring of he lens by unscrwing it). Adjust the vertical and horizontal alignment for infinity. I might be wrong but I doubt it The same way must be done for SLR lenses. Open the window of your studio. Camera on a tripod. DO NOT POINT AT THE GIRL NEXT DOOR FOCUS AT SOMETHING AT THE HORIZON The sick lens on the camera body. Ground screen at the film plane. A 5 x magnifier for sharp focusing at infinty. You might adjust the focusing ring at infinty Check the image in the vieuwfinder to be sharp as well. * The gound glass under the pentaprisma could be in a wrong position. Too high or too low or even upside down ( Hasselblad 500 C/M ). Caused by tinkering fools by turning screws or loosing washers under the ground glass. Sometimes the Asian lens adapters are too fat or too slim.
RF lenses usually have a hard stop at infinity, so you don't need to bother with the ground glass during a quick “tune-up” as long as you know your camera or lens hasn't been damaged. Definitely a good idea to check with ground glass before you set up a newly-acquired camera or lens, though!
SLR lenses do also have a hard stop at infinity and at closest focus. The focusing ring is fixed to the multi threaded tube of the lens with +/- 3 tiny screws. If unscrewed the focusing and the focus point can both be placed ' before or beyond infinity, So first focus on the screen of the film plane. Second check infinty in the viewfinder of the SLR Third turn the the free focusing ring to its stop. Fix the focusing ring with the 3 tiny screws. Jaco van Lith @@jlwilliams
Thanks Jaco! Sorry to say it wrong. I just shared what I had done myself. A few others corrected me on using infinity so thanks for that. Yes I had the Hassy issue in the past with the upsidedown GG! Disaster ha. So glad to finally work out that issue.
Thanks, not all RF lenses have an accurate hard stop. 2 new Voigtlander lenses I tested went beyond infinity so you had to critically focus (annoyingly)
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Don't usually comment on videos these days, but appreciate the video. Saved me a completely unnecessary bill and a lot of time.
Thanks! Glad it worked for you. Use the video with care as i'm not a repair expert and another guy said he tried to force the screw on his and then had to send for repair. It's just what worked for me.
Nice video Matt. One point:
Be sure to adjust the vertical alignment first. If you do the horizontal first after doing the vertical the horizontal will need to be redone.
2- trial and error for horizontal alignment is suboptimal. In the M2/
M3/M4-2 that I have tried the horizontal adjustment can be done with a lens mounted on the camera. Remove the baseplate and the plate that shows the loading diagram. Beneath it is an easily removable plug blocking an opening through which you can insert a screwdriver and access the roller slot with a lens mounted.
RF adjustment for Barnack cameras and their brethren is even easier…
Thanks Adam! Good to hear from you. On my M3 my horizontal was OK so I only needed to do the vertical. Thankfully it didn't change the horizontal so I was lucky I guess. Thanks for the info and re Barnacks. (Tonight's video is Barnacks!)
Something to keep in mind is that the focus distance is to the film plane, not to the front of the camera. So when calibrating make sure you set up your ruler to account for the extra distance to the film plane. I couldn't find any specs on this, but I personally measured 25mm from the front of the camera (very close to the back), so I just set some clear printed text (like a box with letters on it) 97.5 cm from the front edge of the camera.
Thanks Peter, great tip for people reading these comments.
The focus distance is actually from the back of the lens to the film plane. Are you a camera repairman? What experience do you have with Leica M-mount lenes and camera bodies? I thought flange focal distance was only important to lens/body compatibility. Is it not so that a properly calibrated lens takes care of the final focus to the film plane? I don't see how this relatively small measurement relates to the M3 image patch unless one is OCD about using the near-focusing attatchment (goggles) that is often used with the Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 lens. Ken Rockwell has a nice review and user guide on the Leica M3. I recomment everyone to trust but verify before acting on any advice coming from strangers on the internet. I believe you mean well but I repecrfully disagree.
Fine point about the horizontal adjustment: You'll notice (at about 0:33) that it looks as if Matt has filed the tip of his screwdriver on a slight slant - this makes it easier to turn the screw, as you have to reach in through the lens mount at a slight angle and the slanted tip helps the screwdriver engage the slot squarely.
Thanks, i'll love to agree and say I was that smart ha but sadly no, a normally screwdriver worked OK for me.
Another genious VIdeo !! YOU ARE THE REAL DEAL MATTI !! Thank you soooo much !Stay healthy and protected!!
Thank you Karl! :)
Another super vid. I fell and landed on my back and camera.... As such i knocked my M9 alignment . Horizontal calibration now great after watching your vid + 2mm Allan key
Thanks Philip! Sorry to hear you fell. Yes just be careful with my basic advice as i'm not a trained repair guy (but it works for me).
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Cheers Matt, it appears to have worked for me also
All I had to do was *breath* on that vertical alignment screw to get this M3 back happy. Thanks for the video!
Glad to hear you got yours aligned too!
I’ve done the horizontal alignment on my m8 and it worked a treat. I focussed to infinity however to calibrate as this was easier than being precise to 0.7m. It would be the same as the M240 and is a 2mm Allen key.
Thanks Paul, keep doing what you do as a few others told me that at infinity is a better way to do it.
Hello Matt. Just discovered your channel and I like what I see. Cheers!
Thanks Johnny! I'm just uploading the next one!
Hi Matt, Thank you for this!
Thanks no problem, visit MrLeica.com for more info / resources
Excellent! Great to have options since like you said service appointments take soooo long and cost quid. Great video and info Matt. Thanks!
Thanks no problem! Yes great to be self sufficient :)
Hello, Thanks again for a very useful video. Could it be that the "dotless" Leica M cameras (ie: just the flat head screw appearing without the red Leica logo) are named "P" for professional beacause as a pro, you would need to have full and quick access to the horizontal and vertical alignement screws in the field...without waiting for the camera to be sent to a Leica dealer?? Just a thought
Thanks! Ha yes nice idea. It is easier to access for sure!
That M3 looks like new hehehe, great buy !!
Thanks! I bought it before they were cool
This is good, thanks Matt. What I struggle with is the binoculars 'goggles' for the DR Summicron. The camera rangefinder is good, but the DR goggles are so far out that they are useless.
Thank you! Hmm sorry to hear this.. are they clipping in fully etc?
Matt! Regarding your hands-on approach to Leica fettling, I am concerned that anyone who can change the spark plug on his lawnmower may well wade into an M3 and butcher it. An unwelcome addition to future ebay listing will be mangled M3s.
@@jeremykeller211 thanks Jeremy, hopefully not but I fully understand your concern.
Great vid Matt. 😀👍
Thanks Pete!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻 A nice surprise to see you’re comment.
Very informative. Thank you Matt, this was a very useful video.
Thanks Lucy!
Great Video!!! Thank you a lot Matt!!!
Love your Channel👍
Thanks Gene, happy I could help!
Love this kind of content 👏🏼
Thank you! I will try to do more like this (posted another one tonight)
Question from the floor…
When I shoot portrait my M8/40mm Voigtlander Nokton Classic f/1.4 image is off centre to the right. What does this mean? Is it a vertical alignment issue rather than a horizontal one? I don’t want to keep cropping. Thanks Matt, love your work✌️🌹🇦🇺
If it’s only to the right it’s horizontal. I forget sometimes myself so just think logically if you forget.
Hi Matt, thanks for the video, think I’ll give it a go! so when you mention checking with a lens at .7m where do you take the measurements from? From the the front of the camera or the curtain? cheers
Hi Stephen, read some of the comments as others say it is better to adjust the horizontal at infinity rather than up close. That is easier too as you just focus on a distance tree!
Any tips on how to adjust vertical alignement on barnacks? Specificlly IIIf? The horizontal aligment on mine is ok but vertical is a bit high.
Hi! Ah sorry I don’t. I’m sure they’ll be something on Google but mine either have no RF or are ok
You said you made your rangefinder adjustments based on the lens' minimum focus distance. I've always read that these adjustments should be done at infinity using an object way off in the distance like telephone poles etc. The idea being that if alignment is spot on at infinity, then it should hold true throughout the focusing range. I wonder if there is any difference in the methods. I appreciate these types of videos as I think DIY repair skills for vintage camera gear is increasingly important.
I agree it's usually better to adjust at infinity. The focusing scale on a lens - even a Leica lens - isn't individually calibrated, it's just set to an average… so when you set the scale to 0.7 meters, you can't be sure it's EXACTLY 0.7 meters. (An exception is a true cinema lens; these do have individually calibrated focusing scales, as this is needed for accurate “focus pulls” during filming. That's one reason cinema lenses are so much more expensive than regular photo lenses!) Once you set your rangefinder to line up at infinity, it should be right for closer distances too, unless your camera has been banged around severely (in which case you'll need a technician to sort it out.)
Of course Matt is primarily a portrait photographer, so it makes sense that he's more interested in accuracy at close distances and would want to set up his RF at 0.7m, even if it means the infinity position is slightly out of whack. All I'd say is if you're going to do likewise, make sure you do a careful test ON FILM (in the case of film Leicas) before taking any important photos, just in case your lens' focusing scale was not exactly perfect as noted above. Having the rangefinder be “off” by even a few cm can be catastrophic in portrait photography at close distances and wide apertures - you may think you're focusing on your subject's eyes and have it turn out the camera actually focused on the tip of the nose or the ears!
Thank you Justin, yes sorry I shared what I had done personally but i'm now told by others that like you say it is better to test at infinity and just check close up after to see if it looks OK. I also agree the repair of these old cameras is a dying art with many of the skilled repair guys been near retirement age or older.
Thanks JL, I appreciate your understanding, support and wisdom. Yes correct I was testing for myself which is close up but I should have thought about the wider viewership instead. Many have got it touch to confirm that infinity testing is the way to do it not up close. I shot a test roll on the M3 yesterday so I will try to develop this week. I only shot up close so hopefully they'll be OK.
But what should count as infinity? Cloud is difficult to use as reference point and it's not feasible to have a telephone pole far far away visible anywhere.
The early screw mount Leica bodies have only one adjustment point, the infinity. The Leica M bodies have two adjustment points, the infinity and 1 m. You were talking about the screw mount cameras, and those bodies are notoriously inaccurate if a photo is taken at 1 m with the lens wide open (out of focus). Those bodies have a fixed-length rangefinder arm and a fixed-sized contact roller radius. But for M bodies, because both the rangefinder arm and the roller radius are adjustable, it is possible to get both infinity and 1 m accurate. Of course, a rangefinder is never as accurate as a mirrorless digital body today.
Thanks for share a great video, may i ask it's mp (film) same as m3? and speical tools need for adjust vertical alignment need?? thanks
Thanks, no the MP is probably like the M6 so yes designed to require a special tool. (I think)
Well done ... Instructive ...:-) On the M10 no Leica logo but a big screw so I assume it is same as M2 /M3 / M4 🙂
Thanks Jerome! Ah yes, I think so but the newer cameas might need a special angled tool for the vertical.
What size tool are you using? I just picked up an M4 and the horizontal plane is off at anything above 5 meters. I haven't been able to get the screw to budge with any of my tools, and I don't want to risk stripping it.
I would use a proper repair guy just to be safe. Mine wasn’t tight as had been adjusted in the last few years. I used a tiny tool as seen in the thumbnail.
I had asked this in a reddit for my IIIB
I've not really looked at my Leica iii cameras as they all work but if I find something I can make a future video.
What screwdriver did you use for the horizontal adjustment, I can't seem to find a flathead screw driver that will fit into the screw at that angle. Is the blade of the screwdriver slanted?
Hi Trigg, I was a watch screwdriver, you sometimes see sets for sale in supermarkets etc. Please note i'm not a repair expert so you might be better looking for other videos or sending it away. (It's easier to move the focus so accurate at say 1m or infinity but less easy to get both perfect (which I failed to mention).
Hi Matt! I bought my M3 in 1987 for several hundred USD. I have never felt the need to realign the rangefinder, given that the treasure is carefully cosseted. Is it common for M3s to need this procedure?
Hi, if you use them and travel with them a lot like me then eventually you will need to. If you keep it safe at home then it's unlikely.
Interesting, but I always thought the RFs needed to be calibrated at infinity.
I shoot almost always close up so for me 0.7m is the most important. Yes normally it's tested at infinity too but in theory you set one and the other is also correct.
I doubt it@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom
Thanx for the video, Matt! When I try to focus with my summicron 50mm on an Leica m3, the horizontal focusing movement glides SLOWLY into place. Do you know how fix that?
Thanks! Hmm i've not seen this before..maybe see if any info on Google?
Most probably lubricants dried out and it’s stocky to follow the movement - needs a CLA (=
@@Stanlyok thanks yes that makes sense.
@@Stanlyok thx, u just made me a little poorer :-)
@@MrGrindstugan yeah mate, sure. Cuz I’m the time itself :D
My M3 viewfinder got all black after a fall, any idea what it is and if it's bad? Thanks!
If a big fall/drop I think the VF mirror moved or smashed so there is no light in the VF.. is my guess. Yes bad, you’ll need to find repair guy.
Ohhh!!! I have spent fortunes fixing the rangefinders on my M3 cameras on callibrating through special repair men! The last time it came back without a functioning rangefander - it had faded totally even in daylight. Do You know if there is a fix for a faded rangefinder image? It was perfect before I left it to the repair man but now it is completely faded making it useless.
Sorry to hear, sounds like a dodgy guy, maybe they left something out when the repaired it or their is a blockage inside.. i'm not a smart repair guy so you might need to seek help on that, sorry
How does the rangefinder get out of alignment ? By changing lens too often? Or by just normal usage? All Ms look really robustly built.
Hi, no when they get banged/knocked/dropped etc (my M240 needed annual fix from normal use)
I tried doing what you suggested and ended up fucking up the screw on the guide roller. It is very tight. In future I'll be very careful where I get this kind of information from. If you care to look at the Leica M3 service manual there's a lot more to it than just sticking a screwdriver in...Now i've got to send in to get repaired. Thanks for that :(
Hi Mike, sorry to hear that. Mine turned easily as has been adjusted before. I guess cameras that haven't been touch for 50s will be really tight. Sorry I only shared what worked for me.
I keep telling people to trust but verify! Back in the olden days when lost I would stop to ask for directions. I always tried to get a second and maybe a third confirmation from locals before driving off into the unkown. LOL
Brilliant, life saver
Thanks! Pass it on to your Leica friends :)
For information. The M5 has the same screw head cover as the M2 and M3.
We need more love for the M5 😊 - and I checked my Canon 7, it has the same screws as well 😁
Plus MP, M1, M4 and M4-2.
Thanks re. M5!
Sorry Kim, it's only as I done use one :) .. thanks re. Canon!
Thank you!!!!
Just go careful as i'm not an expert but it can work / did for me
Excellent
Thanks, I'll try to do more of these short vids.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Nothing to do with short.... I appreciated your informational explanation.. To the fasts and no filler time (b roll)_
I wonder if a similar method is possible on an m5…
Hi Ivan, the adjustment inside the lens mount will be the same but the vertical alignment probably need a special tool like the later models.
The only issue with calibration on the others is the red dot. Has to be affixed correctly again
Also, some of the newer ones need a special “stepped” screwdriver blade, right?
Yes
I've seem someone use something like this yes for some models (newer models I think)
Hey Matt, I've been trying to get my TTartisan 50mm 1.4 calibrated. I've used the calibration chart and the images are generally pretty sharp at close to mid distances. At infinity the image lines up nicely with the rangefinder patch but unfortunately the resulting photo is out of focus (if I compensate about 3mm to the left the image will be sharp). I have a 40mm Voigtlander lens and that focuses perfectly at infinity and close focus so I'm assuming the rangefinder is working accurately and it's the TTArtisan that is still not calibrated properly. I'm worried if I calibrate it to work at infinity it'll be way off at the close focus distances... any thoughts?
Hey Travis, sorry to hear. Hi f you read my detailed MrLeica.com blog post on the 50 0.95 and 35 1.4 I say they are less ideal for film users as have to calibrate and waste film trying. I’ve only used TTA lenses on the SL & CL so haven’t needed to adjust mine for RF use. Not at all helpful to you I know. I did calibrate my M3 to nail focus wide open at 0.7m but now it’s not sharp at infinity. That’s fine for my portraits. I’d calibrate got close up and stop down if doing infinity .
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Thanks Matt! I actually have an M9 Monochrom so not using it on film. Would love to get the lens to focus accurately as the images are surprisingly good when focused. I'll keep faffing around with it. Really enjoy your content on flickr and youtube :)
@@miskgkdlss thanks Travis. One of my loyal Patreons love Chinese glass and has this lens on his M9. He says he gets great results so it is possible, it might just take more faffing. Sorry I can’t help more.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Hey Matt, I got the focusing sorted! I faffed around with the calibration again and got it bang on. The only thing is I can't rely on the infinity hard stop as its out by about 1mm. Otherwise the lens is killer for the price and really works well with the M9 Monochrom, not too contrasty, beautiful blacks and smooth bokeh. It has a really nice signature wide open and surprisingly sharp in the corners :)
@@miskgkdlss great to hear Travis! I reviewed a Monochrom last night!
Top tip ! Leica MP, M1, M4, M5 and M4-2 are also without red dot.
Thanks, sorry I should have included that.
What is the best way to remove Leica M6 red logo?
Repair guys take the top off and push it from inside but I think from outside a razor blade or similar perhaps
Do not use a razor blade.... the red Leica emblem is stuck on with a light adhesive, so all you need to do is press your thumb on it, and just keep twisting back and forth. Eventually it will loosen from the heat of your thumb and the twisting force.
@@godscola thanks Jacob
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom anytime!
Sell your Leica M6 and buy an M3. Just kidding. LOL
Interesting point - M4-P onwards the vertical alignment is not a screwdriver or Allen key. It’s with a Leica proprietary tool that must be used so vertical can’t be done on these without it. Annoyingly…
Ah thanks Andrew, great info! I saw a guy on TH-cam that had made a tool (I think) to do this. Another reason to stick with older cameras (see tonights post!) :)
Note to Matt with his M6 in the video @ 4:16 - As Andrew stated above, this 'Special Tool' is also required for the M6 models...
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thanks! Pass it on to your Leica friends :)
I suspect that 98 % of people who own these Leica N cameras know nothing about the importance of CALIBRATION to fix focusing problems. Thank you
RS. Canada
Thanks Richard, yes possibly!
This is honestly a bit of bad advice Matt. First of all, horizontal rangefinder adjustments should be done for infinity, then checked to make sure the close focus is correct. And if you care less about infinity and only want to calibrate your close focus, you NEED to do it while checking the actual film plane with a ground glass on the back of the shutter. Going by vague measurements based off barrel distances and rulers/measuring tapes will never give you precise calibration.
Hi Jacob thank you, yes sorry to mis-inform. I just shared what had worked for me. A Leica friend contacted me and said like you that he does horizontal at infinity and before vertical and then check up close after. I will check mine again in daylight when I get chance but I shot a test roll too so I we see on those images. Thanks for the pointer.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaComhi, was your infinity also spot on with the calibration at one meter?
Did you know that you can get a black dot logo for Leica M !?
Where from exactly?
I assumed so but never really thought about it. (I've seenblack dot cameras before)
Google it there's plenty available online - stealth dot :)
I blackened mine with acrylic paint. For "half stealth" you can then rub off the paint (with paper) from the silver "Leica" lettering.
Adjustment must be done with the lens focused at INFINITY.
Place a GROUND GLASS at the back of the camera,
the place where the film will be exposed.
Focus the lens at infinty.
( you might change the position of the focusing ring of he lens by unscrwing it).
Adjust the vertical and horizontal alignment for infinity.
I might be wrong but I doubt it
The same way must be done for SLR lenses.
Open the window of your studio.
Camera on a tripod.
DO NOT POINT AT THE GIRL NEXT DOOR
FOCUS AT SOMETHING AT THE HORIZON
The sick lens on the camera body.
Ground screen at the film plane.
A 5 x magnifier for sharp focusing at infinty.
You might adjust the focusing ring at infinty
Check the image in the vieuwfinder to be sharp as well.
* The gound glass under the pentaprisma could be in a wrong position.
Too high or too low or even upside down ( Hasselblad 500 C/M ).
Caused by tinkering fools by turning screws or loosing washers under
the ground glass.
Sometimes the Asian lens adapters are too fat or too slim.
RF lenses usually have a hard stop at infinity, so you don't need to bother with the ground glass during a quick “tune-up” as long as you know your camera or lens hasn't been damaged. Definitely a good idea to check with ground glass before you set up a newly-acquired camera or lens, though!
SLR lenses do also have a hard stop at infinity and at closest focus.
The focusing ring is fixed to the multi threaded tube of the lens with
+/- 3 tiny screws.
If unscrewed the focusing and the focus point can both be placed '
before or beyond infinity,
So first focus on the screen of the film plane.
Second check infinty in the viewfinder of the SLR
Third turn the the free focusing ring to its stop.
Fix the focusing ring with the 3 tiny screws.
Jaco van Lith
@@jlwilliams
Thanks Jaco! Sorry to say it wrong. I just shared what I had done myself. A few others corrected me on using infinity so thanks for that. Yes I had the Hassy issue in the past with the upsidedown GG! Disaster ha. So glad to finally work out that issue.
Thanks, not all RF lenses have an accurate hard stop. 2 new Voigtlander lenses I tested went beyond infinity so you had to critically focus (annoyingly)
Thanks Jaco!