Somehow the film pressure plate was bent on my M6 - and also the lens mounting flange! It's properly had a hard life in the hands of a previous owner I guess. I have bent the plate and the ring back to nearly true (RF and focusing checks out on carefull test film images now) but I would still like to replace them. I have just tried to order some new ones from Leica UK but was refused! - I can understand the reason for the flange as I was told it was machined to fit but the pressure plate just screws on so what's their problem. Anyone else had any success or faliure at ordering parts?

-- John Griffin (john.griffin@millerhare.com), April 17, 2002

Answers

John, they are usually quite helpful - what was the reason for refusal? A friendly deal may be able to liase for you.

On the subject of the damage, it sounds a bit worrying - the flange and it's support surface are mighty strong - if an impact has damaged this area AND dented the plate (how?) I would be concerned for the more delicate RF/optics/gear train.

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), April 17, 2002.

I know you are trying to save money and with the pressure plate I agree. However, with the lens flange, you need to send it in to a very good M tech to have the camera checked out carefully. It is very easy to to just tweak it back into place but the damage may be more extensive than you realize and cause niggling problems unless fixed properly.

The M lens flange is very carefully calibrated to each indiviual body and requires specialized tools to do. Can it be done at home? Maybe but only if you regularly service your own Rolex at home and fabricate your own spare parts for it too.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), April 17, 2002.

I have just got a reply back from Solms and they are going to try to get Leica UK to supply the pressure plate - nice! The flange, as you have both pointed out, is more problematic. There is a high spot at 5 O'clock where the brass is showing through -I reckon a lens has been pulled up somehow (dropped or hit)as this part of the flange is unsupported by a screw into the body and is easy to distort. The flange itself is machined on the back face ( the only place where the brass is bare) to give the correct flange to film rail distance (27.95mm to outer rails) - assuming there is no damage to the internal body It should be possible to give the thickness of the flange ( via my micrometer) and get one as a replacement this way? I know the 'right' thing to do is to get it to a tech but I bought it cheap and with my DIY adjustments it now aligns with infinity (stars) and at 1,3,5 and 10 m distances when I do a carefull fine grain film test. I guess however it could be right on axis but have a slight tilt.....?

-- John Griffin (john.griffin@millerhare.com), April 17, 2002.

john -- i remember when you posted about this last time. you really need to have the work done by a pro who has access to a columnator and/or other specialized tools for assuring that the pressure plate is in excatly the right place. in view of the tiny margin for error with a 35mm camera, it is simply impossible for you to have bent the plate back into correct alignment by eye and using your hands. just bite the bullet and take it into a good tech. you don't have to send it to leica. the guy across from pied bull yard near the brit museum does good work (the people in jessops classics or rare camera can direct you).

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), April 17, 2002.

Typo - "A friendly dealER".

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), April 17, 2002.

Hi John,

Good show for getting Leica UK to give you proper service. It is very easy to change pressure plates and they do not have to aligned.

However the lens mounting flange is much more complicated. I would absolutely send it to Leica to repair. Having said that, if the negs look good then why not put off changing the flange until you can afford it. As long as it is smooth it wil not damage the lenses. I would sooner you did that than tackle the replacement and alignment yourself.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), April 17, 2002.