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Leica Rangefinder Calibration - DIY

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Disclaimer - No technical or expert review found here! This video is a mix of entertainment and an introduction to this topic. Can you calibrate your rangefinder if your focus is out of whack?! Let's try!!!
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23 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 30

@marc-the-canadian6359 2 года назад

I've adjusted the focus throw and calibrated my M240 many times for different lenses and from my experience, if you look at the image at 8:58 in the video, the Phillips screw only secures the ''throw length'' adjustment piece, which is the part behind the tip of the red arrow. Long story short, you must always have your infinity right to see if you have a close focus issue. You use a 2mm hex key to match infinity with a far object (And by far I mean 3-4km away or the moon) Once your Infinity is good, you verify your close focus. If the close focus test photos (at aperture wide open) don't match what you see in your rangefinder, then you loosen the Phillips screw, use a flat screwdriver to move slightly clockwise or counter-clockwise (depending if you have front or back focus) the ''half-moon'' metal plate that sits behind the Phillips screw. This will adjust the ''throw length'' of the focus arm. Once this is done, tighten the Phillips screw back to secure your adjustments, re-adjust infinity again with the 2mm hex looking at a very far objet, then test your close focus to see if it improved or got worse... Re-adjust so on and so forth until you get satisfying results ! REMEMBER Infinity is your reference, it needs to be spot-on before judging the accuracy of your close focus. It's a lot of trial and error and if you live in a place where you don't see buildings far away, do it on a night with a clear sky with bright stars or a full moon. Hope this comment can be useful to someone !

@DrScottMcDonald007 2 года назад

That's some excellent input Marc!!! Thank you for that and for sharing with anyone else who may stumble upon this video! Cheers to a fellow Canadian!

@davidecapri Год назад

I just bought an M 240 to go beside my M 246 Monochrom. Well well, the seller told me "rangefinder is fine", guess what, it wasn't. Hex key was enough to make it work ok art 1.4 at nearly any distance (things might get fuzzy beyond 20/30 meters but my 1.4 lenses are not that crisp wide open so I'm not sure). I have a 35 1.4 II nokton and a nice canon 50 1.4 ltm, they both worked good since the first day on the Monochrom but they're always sharper at infinity slightly (like 1/4 of a millimiter) when the focus is a bit away from the "infinite symbol". So it may be that all my gear, lenses and cameras, are "ok" calibrated but not perfectly. One day I may send everything to Leica, but until I can take easy sharp photos at 1.4 I don't really care to spend a lot and to be without camera for such a long time. One weird thing on my M 240 is that even if the patch matches and the photos are in focus, it's kinda "unaligned" only vertically, like focusing on a plastic tube with sections, on the monochrom finder they appear sharp, on the M 240 I can't really see the sections, maybe I just didn't such a precise job on the hex key, since as far as I know vertical/horizontal alignment is basically the same thing: the HEX KEY! Waht do you think about this?

@marc-the-canadian6359 Год назад

@@davidecapri If you want to do an easy test for your vertical alignment, just draw a cross on a white piece of paper with a black permanent marker, tape it on a wall and set your focus on the cross from a distance of 6-7 feet (2 - 2,5m). When the vertical lines of the cross align, you know your focus is set, then verify if the horizontal lines of the cross are perfectly aligned or if they seem to be ''on top of each other'', like the = symbol. If it's the case, this means your vertical alignment is off, but the good news is it's even easier to fix than the horizontal alignment. You need to remove the red dot from the camera to access the adjustment screw. To remove it, I don't recommend you use a prying tool as you may scratch or bend the logo. I found it easy to firmly press against the red dot with my thumb and gently turn the logo, it will ''work'' the glue to a point you will just be able to pull it off. Once the red dot is off, there is a hole in which you will adjust the rangefinder vertical alignment by turning clockwise or counter-clockwise with a very thin flat screwdriver. Once you're satisfied with the result, just put a little drop of glue in the center of the ''red dot pit'', away from the adjustment hole, don't go too crazy on the amount of glue as you may want to adjust it again in the future. Hope this helps, good luck !

@davidecapri Год назад

@@marc-the-canadian6359 Thank you so much! Which kind of glue would you advise me to put back the red dot?

@marc-the-canadian6359 Год назад

@@davidecapri I used a tiny drop of rubber cement because it dries much slower than crazy glue so you have time to move the logo to the perfect angle. It will stream so I don't recommend using the brush inside the cap, I used a toothpick and applied a small amount, the size of a pencil tip directly on the top plate, not on the red dot because I wanted to avoid glue getting inside the adjustment hole. I used a pair of tweezers to put the red dot back in place, if you're afraid to scratch the logo you can put electric tape on both ends of the tweezers but I din't bother, my body already has some wear on it. Once the logo is in place, apply pressure on it for a few minutes and voilà ! If there's glue that leaked around the red dot, wait until it's fully dry and peel it off. Good luck :)

@iduvideo 2 года назад

Thanks for the video Dr. Scott. How do you determine the focus problem is coming from the Camera or whether it’s coming from the lens?

@DrScottMcDonald007 2 года назад

Hi Scott...you can't really unless you have the test equipment to do so. Since I cannot calibrate the lenses, I have no choice other than to adjust the camera. I must have guessed correctly because everything is in focus now...from my 21m to my 75mm and everything in between.

@iduvideo 2 года назад

@@DrScottMcDonald007 Dr. Scott, thanks for your fast reply. I took the lens to the Leica Store where I bought it and they are returning it to the factory in Germany, estimated time - 10 weeks…..but such is life…..no other options. Thanks again for your help!!!

@DrScottMcDonald007 2 года назад

@@iduvideo ...it's always best to have the professionals work their magic "just to be sure" it is done correctly. The only real downside of that is the long lead time and the cost of it all. That aside, you'll be getting as close to a NEW lens as you'll get without buying a new one! Keep yourself busy and these 10 weeks will pass soon enough. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!

@AndrejsZavadskis Год назад

how to understand is focus problems in the lens or in camera ?

@DrScottMcDonald007 Год назад

Hi Andrejs...great question. Unless you have your own Leica testing gear, you don't know for sure. BUT, if you have more than one body and lens to compare, you can determine which one is the guilty party. Adjusting a lens that is out of calibration is beyond my own skill level but the body can be adjusted to match the lens that might be out of calibration due to the fact that it is only a screw adjustment on the camera body...an easy adjustment as explained in the video. I hope that helps. Have a super day! Cheers, Scott

@chlky0001 10 месяцев назад

There seems to be some glue on the Phillips screw. Do you have to remove the glue first before adjusting? If so, with what

@DrScottMcDonald007 10 месяцев назад

Nail-polish remover (acetone) works for me...let it work its magic before expecting any results. If you don't have any, try rubbing alcohol or vinegar and if you don't have those, a little WD-40, but DO NOT spray it into your camera body! Then it should break away with your first turn of the screw. Good luck! Thanks for asking...cheers, Dr. Scott

@chlky0001 10 месяцев назад

Thank you! Then I guess after turning the screw and letting it set for a while, the glue just solidifies back again?

@DrScottMcDonald007 10 месяцев назад

@@chlky0001 ...I haven't tested that. It depends on the type of glue that they've used. But if not, then a single drop of Loctite would set it in place once again. Mine has not had a calibration issue since. Even when Dylan knocked my camera bag off the table and on the floor a few days ago containing both Leica cameras and my A7R2. Even though my hair is kept short, I felt it stand up! That's $10K in just camera bodies! I used the M9 that same evening and it was still working like a charm, so that jolt did not affect the screw at all...so, perhaps the glue solidified again or I was just lucky and the padding in the bag did its job.

@makusmeier1771 Год назад

Hey i had a back focus with every single lens. The back focus where everywhere the same. I adjusted the rangefinder. Now everything is perfect but the rangefinder isn’t allignet on infinity? How is this possible

@DrScottMcDonald007 Год назад

Hi Makus...thanks for the comment and sharing your story. This is how we all learn something new. Without your gear in front of me or the equipment to test it, we'd be guessing. If all of your lenses are now focusing as they should then it's certainly going to be the rangefinder mechanism in the camera itself. If you're a tech, you could take the top off of your camera and calibrate it by sight with the right screws adjusted. You may be better off taking it to your local dealer or qualified Leica repair service in your area and having them do it...they'd at least warranty their work if it needed further adjustments. If it was a lens or two then you could suspect them but if all of your lenses render the same results, then it is the camera itself. I know that didn't really solve your problem but that's my advice. Let me know what decision you make and how it turned out. Good luck and cheers, Scott

@deemdoubleu 9 месяцев назад

You know it's funny that the Leica is supposed to be the best camera in the world but there sure are a lot of people (including myself) complaining about infinity focus. You don't so much of that with Nikon users (or do you).

@DrScottMcDonald007 9 месяцев назад

Yes...I agree. The money we pay for these devices should give us a little more faith in the performance of the product. Now, as far as infinity focus in concerned, I have never used it in practice for my own photography as I tend to take more portrait shots so I have never bothered with infinity. The only time I really made use of it was in calibrating my M9...I've not heard of any of the other brands having such an issue but then again, they are not range finders either. Leica cameras are better classified as instruments than tools. Almost like a high-end microscope than needs adjustments from time to time after heavy use. Hey, thanks for adding to the conversation! Have a super day and cheers, Scott

@Channel_Yo Год назад

I was thinking about buying a new m. What a nightmare having to go through this.

@DrScottMcDonald007 Год назад

Hi Yo! Yes...this was not what I was expecting at all after spending a decent amount of money on this camera. It really does comes down to a bout of bad luck though. If this was a common occurrence, no one would pay this much for a camera. Thanks for the comment...go ahead and enjoy your own M if you decide to go down that road. They really are a treat to use. Cheers, Scott

@alexis.x 2 года назад

My m3 viewfinder got all black after a fall, any idea how to fix it and if it's bad? thanks!

@DrScottMcDonald007 2 года назад

Hi Ale...that sounds like some unfortunate bad luck! I'm assuming that you mean the focusing patch is black? The viewfinder itself is just a piece of glass to look through. The impact of the fall may have dislodged an inner part of the assembly that is either blocking the image or completely come loose and therefore could not possibly work right without a repair. The M3 had 3 versions of the rangefinder assembly that were physically different from one another. This certainly sounds like a case of having Leica or a qualified technician fix it for you and get that assembly back in alignment. This is the downside of older mechanical technology...the plus side is that it may be a simple fix because it is a physical part versus the digital cameras we have to day. My M10 had a sensor fail and is costing me $1500 USD to replace...no possibility of a simple adjustment like in your case. Best of luck with that!!! Cheers!

@alexis.x 2 года назад

@@DrScottMcDonald007 Thank you Dr. Scott. No it's just the viewfinder that is black, I can see clearly through the focusing little box patch in the middle. So I believe it's just an alignment issue. I will try to find a tutorial to remove the top part and fix it. That's the beauty of mechanicals ;)

@DrScottMcDonald007 2 года назад

@@alexis.x ...yes, something is outta whack! That is the beauty of mechanical devices over digital...they really are a DIY project if you've got the tools and the know-how! Good luck with that! You should record yourself fixing it and post it for others to learn from. Cheers!

@peteraxelsson5207 6 месяцев назад

Come on man ..... :-) !!!

@DrScottMcDonald007 6 месяцев назад

Hahaha...that's Thank You in Vietnamese! Spelled differently but sounds the same...then we say Khong co chi! Cheers, Scott

@philmtx3fr Год назад

Well , good things and informative items in this video but how difficult to follow you until the end… it s badly filmed (sorry you are probably a good photographer but you can improve your way of filming yourself) : same frame and too far , you are looking for your words, no real video editing in fact… so please improve this part because your knowledge really deserves better. PLse take this in the positive way to improve :).

@DrScottMcDonald007 Год назад

I gotcha philmtx3fr...I agree that I have much to learn still about creating videos. Once I've run through my collection of lenses and cameras, I plan to start over again and hopefully, incorporate what I've learned over time to make them a little more appealing to those seeking to watch them...not everyone of course, but if I can make at least one person happy then I'm good with that. My latest ones have been about capturing my son Dylan in his early years so we can watch them together and laugh about how dorky we were! Thanks for the input! Cheers, Scott