I have heard that changes were made to the rangefinder on the M2 roughly half way through production. Can anyone tell me what changes were made and the serial number of the change?

Was the change anything more than the addition of the DoF "tabs"?

Thanks in advance,

-- Nick Hillyer (nhillyer@fhcrc.org), April 15, 2002

Answers

Nick,

Don't believe DOF RF tabs were added. They were there from start of production. Not aware of any finder changes throughout production.

The M3 added them in '58.

Best,

Jerry

-- Jerome R. Pfile, Jr. (JerryPfile@msn.com), April 15, 2002.

The only changes I know of for the M2 were:

1. The early button rewind release was replaced with the lever type;

2. Addition of the self-timer;

3. Incorporation of the rapid loading system later on (M2-R).

AFAIK the tabs were there from the beginning.

There may also have been some motor drive issues, up with which I haven't kept.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), April 15, 2002.

I used to have the exact serial number of the change as it was published on the old Leica web site but they got rid of that page in the redesign.

In the 1 05x xxx range the viewfinder was redesigned and the frameline masks were relocated. The new design was carried forward to the M4 and so on. Practically all it means is that the old finder cannot have a six frameline mask set put in.

While the new finder can have the six frame mask set put in, you have to remove a condenser lens to fit the mask assembly in. (Yes this is that condenser lens so much has been blamed on!) It does not cause viewfinder flare (as has been widely asserted) but it may cause the focus patch to drift as your eye moves off center; some do ans some do not. This will cause inaccurate focus.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), April 15, 2002.