Well, first scars are the worst

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As I pulled my briefcase, camera bag, and about 100 essays on European Absolutism in the 18th century to grade from my car last night I saw my chrome M6TTL sailing in a beautiful arc from about eye level to the concrete. Shock, disbelief, despair, and then... relief. Only a tiny few marks on the base plate, rangefinder looks ok, etc. Looks like the grip took the worst of it. Now that the first one is out of the way, I can quit babying this thing. My question is, I wouldnt mind picking up a new baseplate to put away in case I should decide to sell or trade in the future. Where should I look for one? What is the going price? thanks,

-- Marke Gilbert (Bohdi137@aol.com), January 11, 2002

Answers

ebay has them sometime. You'll need M4 or newer; M2 and M3 won't work. They have no "basket" for the bidy's take-up spool.

$200

-- Chris Chen (chrischen@msn.com), January 11, 2002.


Here is a link to several. Pricing is in $CAN so I have a included a link to a currancy conversion site as well:

http://www.vintagevisuals.com/leica.htm

http://www.oanda.com/converter/classic?user=mcbain&lang=en" > http://www.oanda.com/converter/classic?user=mcbain&lang=en

Leica also sells them.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), January 11, 2002.


Sorry about the dead link. Here it is again:

http://www.oanda.com/converter/classic?user=mcbain&lang=en

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), January 11, 2002.


Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Leica fix/replace such things if they are under warranty?

-- Sikaan (Sikaan4@aol.com), January 11, 2002.

yeah, i think this is covered by the passport warranty...

-- Dexter Legaspi (dalegaspi@hotmail.com), January 11, 2002.


Mine isnt under warranty, but thats not the issue-- if I were to have it fixed under warranty, wouldnt they keep the initial baseplate anyway? Im actually looking for a spare one. Anyone else done this kind of thing? There is nothing like the sight of your camera in mid flight. Best,

-- Marke Gilbert (Bohdi137@aol.com), January 11, 2002.

Well, I hope you knocked the little monster's grades down a notch or two for causing this (yes, college kids are monsters too)!

I agree, after the first blemish you feel liberated. You can start using the camera as the tool that it is, not as an object of fine art.

Sorry it happened,

-- JDR (jrivera@vapop.ucsd.edu), January 11, 2002.


Marke:

Welcome to the rub-club! Trust me on this one, in time you will come to cherish the bumps and bruises on your equipment! It is only the initial big one (like you just had) that is difficult to get over. (Of course, so is a really big one that permanently damage the camera.) Anyway, my advice is to not bother about a new baseplate unless the current one is no longer light-tight. Allow your M to wear the scuffs and scars it acquires as a badge of honor -- the honor being proof that it actually gets used, and not left on a shelf somewhere to live out its life in non-use...

;-) Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), January 11, 2002.


Call Leica service in New Jersey, 201-767-8303. I called for a replacement part, got a return call within an hour, and got the part within a week after providing credit card info over the phone.

-- Peter B. Goldstein (peter.goldstein@us.cgeyc.com), January 11, 2002.

If you decide to sell the camera a few years later, wouldn't it look funny that the baseplate is new while the body shows signs of use? Kinda like a used car with brand new tires. This isn't meant to be a criticism in any way, just an observation.

-- Fred Sun (redsky3@yahoo.com), January 11, 2002.


Buy film.

-- jeff voorhees (debontekou@yahoo.com), January 11, 2002.

relax! time will make that scar looks smaller and smaller, you´re lucky, my first drop needed mechanical pinzers to take the lens shade out of my summicron DR.

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), January 11, 2002.

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