m6 frame counter resets

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i posted a question about this problem a few months ago... hasn't happened again until yesterday and i caught it in action. m6 (1 year old) on tripod, moved camera (should have used tripod head to move, i know) and zzzit - the baseplate has enough movement to trigger a reset! has anyone else had this happen? should i part with my m6 for 8 weeks for this to be repaired?

-- charles curry-hyde (charles@chho.com.au), May 12, 2001

Answers

I've owned a lot of Ms and I've never seen that happen, Charles. Sounds like something in the reset or baseplate is out of tolerance. If it bugs you, get it fixed. Don't let something like that interfere with your enjoyment of the camera. Gawd knows you paid enough to enjoy it.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), May 13, 2001.

I insist, the base plate is a very sensitive part of an M body. I think what hapened, was a twist of the baseplate wile screwed to the tripod. Check on what holds a base plate in itīs place, enough to keep it in itīs place, but may not to suport a tripod or a lens holder, or a knock on the floor.

-- R Watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), May 13, 2001.

Well I guess the obvious first question is, "How heavy is your tripod?" The M camera's baseplate is not particularly strong and it is very common to see baseplates that are bent or have the mark of the tripod head in them. It is only a thin piece of pressed brass so it will flex under load. Do not carry a tripod by the M camera attached to it. Having said that, it maybe that your counter reset needs adjusting.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), May 14, 2001.


seems that the reset needs adjusting and baseplate checked. i just can't bear to send my camera in for the 8 weeks it will take... tripod is a manfroto 051 (?) pro which is relatively heavy. BTW my baseplate does have a ding from the tripod too so may have been bent at the same time. thanks for the comments.

-- charles (charles@chho.com.au), May 20, 2001.

Charles,

One other thing to think about... Have you looked at the "penetration" of your tripod's mounting screw? Most tripods allow you to lengthen or shorten your screw's size to make sure it doesn't press too hard into the camera's threaded socket. If the length is too long, the bottom plate might be distorted by tightening of the tripod mount.

Several years ago I saw an article in a photo magazine in which a person's camera stopped working electrically when mounted on the tripod. The mount screw was pressing so hard into the bottom of the camera that it broke the circuit, by pulling the camera bottom away from the main camera body, the same action that would reset the counter on the M body.

My Bogen tripod allow me to adjust the screw's penetration, and I would imagine yours does also... take a look. I won't cost anything. Good luck!

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), May 20, 2001.



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