I have just purchased a M-4P (thanks for the help chaps) and there is a very slight fogging or smear in the viewfinder, is there anyway I can do a surgical incision myself to remedy the problem, any help on the above problem would be most helpful.

Paul

-- paul (longrange@swipnet.se), March 04, 2001

Answers

Here is how to get the top plate off:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_i d=004Ccq

With an M4-P you will need to also take off the rewind crank which just screws off after you remove the lock screw on its side. This can be quite tight sometimes so hold the prongs from the inside. I have seen damaged prongs from this so be careful!

ARE YOU SURE YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THIS!!!!

The viewfinder is the most fragile and expensive part of the M camera. After you factor in the cost of the tools and the fact that it probably needs a CLA anyway (well over ten years old), I would just send it out to a Leica repair place myself.

You could just try removing the viewfinder eyepiece and cleaning what you can get at through there. You still have to buy or make the special tool though.

Please let us know how it goes as I am sure I will not sleep properly until it is all sorted out! :-)

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), March 04, 2001.

I agree that opening up the finder on an M has a good possibility for disaster. There are about 20 seperate glass surfaces in there that can have a light haze on them, and to do a good job requires the experience of a trained person. Sometimes the prism has damage to the coating and this can cause the fogging and can not be cleaned, but this is more common on the cameras from the 1950's. Send it to the best Leica person in your country and have a good tune up done.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), March 04, 2001.

I have the tools from www.microtools.com they sell to take off all the rings holding the top plate in place...all but two, which are the ring underneath the shutter speed dial, and one under the rewind crank, which require spanners, and they work very well. One extremely difficult operation is replacing that ring under the speed dial. The thread pitch is extremely fine, and there aren't many threads, and it is quite soft. It is very easy to cross-thread and strip this ring (guess how I know this!). Unless you are going to amass a collection of M bodies and attempt to service them yourself, the cost of all the tools for a one-time-use is already partway to a good CLA by Sherry or DAG, which if your M4-P has never been treated to one, is probably about due.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), March 05, 2001.

I had the same problem with an M4-P, I just ignore it and leave it under the sun for half an hour or under a semi-hot lamp, now I donīt have any haze, try to get into it can be very painful, specialy if you dont have new pieces to supply what ever you scratch, try the sunny side or send it to Mrs. Krauter, she is good.

-- R. Watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), March 05, 2001.

Thanks for the help, I tried the sun method after looking into the abyss while holding a screw driver and decided to be honest with myself (leave this to a pro).

I found the sun method clearing 60% of the fogginess, then thinking maybe a hairdryer would be a good idea and it cleared another 20%

I can live with the rest until I send her in for a CLA.

Thank you all

Paul

-- paul (longrange@swipnet.se), March 09, 2001.