My M6 has a long and jerky shutter release. If I press it down and up once without releasing the shutter it then becomes quite smooth to release. I have ordered a Abrahamsson soft release, however that won't shorten the travel. I have read somewhere, the LUG I think, that it is possible to adjust the travel length of the shutter release. Can someone enlighten me on how exactly does one go about this? I don't want to send my little baby away again to Leica for another few weeks wait.

Thanks in advance.

-- terry ashton (mahv@xtra.co.nz), November 05, 2000

Answers

How old is your camera? The fact that the shutter is jerky in its travel would seem to indicate that it is time for a CLA.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), November 06, 2000.

John, the camera is an early 95. It was sitting on the dealers shelf for a couple of years before I bought it. The shutter release is nowhere near as smooth as the M6 TTL 0.85 I recently bought. It's due for CLA and I should be getting this done. As far as adjusting the shutter release travel is concerned I think it is too long on the M6 TTL as well and I would like to know how to adjust it myself if possible.

-- terry ashton (mahv@xtra.co.nz), November 06, 2000.

Well, you could get a Dremel Moto Tool, with a metal grinding bit, and ............

-- Alec (alecj@bellsouth.net), November 07, 2000.

Well I am not a repair technician and I would consult one before doing anything myself. If it needs a CLA, see if they can adjust it then.

The shutter release "knob" moves a "release rod" pushing against a flat spring that actuates arresting lever "A" (first curtain away, Captain), and through another series of linkages, arresting lever "B" (second curtain held until further orders from timing mechanism, Sir) to start the whole shabang working. This flat spring is located by the mainshutter rollar assembly in the bottom of the camera. It seems to me that the flat spring could be bent to adjust the release point of the shutter release knob. How this would affect the meter "on" switching I cannot say.

Cheers

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), November 07, 2000.

I've just got my M6 back from a CLA and the shutter release is as smooth as silk so is the the film advance lever operation. I asked the technician to adjust the travel length and it seems shorter and it's definately lighter as well. I'm a happy Leicaphile once again.

-- terry ashton (mahv@xtra.co.nz), November 09, 2000.

You got all that done in 4 or 5 days? Wow, who did the CLA that quickly?

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), November 11, 2000.

Had it done by Leica, New Zealand. They did it quickly as a special favor. I noticed the other day however that the shutter release collar has had a tiny amount of black paint applied in a very thin line for about 1/3 of it's circumference. I assume the repairman marked the collar while removing it. I'm not going to complain about it because it really is hard to spot (need a loupe to see it although my finger can detect it) and the camera is as sweet as now even better than the new TTL I bought.

-- terry (mahv@xtra.co.nz), November 11, 2000.