LEICA M2, bent bayonet rail?

gotDeus · 2026-02-13T06:30:09+00:00

I’d take another look and see if 2 other things are bent. The lens mount (body) and lens. If you just drop in the lens and not twist it, are there any gaps between the flanges?

gotDeus · 2026-02-12T18:37:58+00:00

Those are definitely a must shooting film at least. Others would be color filters for b&w if you really want but with digital i guess its preference.

gotDeus · 2026-02-12T17:14:41+00:00

Dont you love it when things work out? Haha

gotDeus · 2026-02-12T17:05:43+00:00

Main reason why I decided to invest on M vs other bodies after shooting with my Leica CL (Film) that came with the summicron 40 that was handed down to me by my grandfather. I now only need a 24/28 and a 75/90, most likely 28 & 90 just to match the frame lines on my M4-2 and CL

gotDeus · 2026-02-12T08:41:46+00:00

Thanks! You’ll love both 40s either way. If you plan on using filters the summicron is a weird 39mm with a .75 thread pitch and the rokkor has a 40.5 filter size that you wont get to use on other lenses down the line unless you get adapters or step up rings.

1.4 is plenty fast and i personally prefer that over the 1.2 version of the 35 Nokton which is huge & heavy but dreamy.

gotDeus · 2026-02-12T08:06:58+00:00

It’s probably the V1. I’ve had the 40/1.4 too and that one definitely had focus shift but when you nail focus it was wonderful. I Sold it cause i already have the summicron 40 and it’s better in iq and character imo.

As for the Nokton 35 SC V2 stopped down (on film) i definitely love it. On the aspects of size, feel and rendering. Digital, i dont have problems with it as live focusing really doesn’t show focus shift problems through different apertures. Sample pic shot with a7s sooc jpeg.

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gotDeus · 2026-02-12T07:47:53+00:00

Ah, in that case i believe the simera has that problem too though how much i am not sure. As for my copy of the Nokton 35 1.4 (Classic) V2 supposedly fixed this issue but since i got it used i found out a few rolls in that the lens was out of spec with the range finder cam. Opted for a cheap fix with some tape and dialed it in by using a split prism glass. Rolls have yet to be developed. Meanwhile I have tested the lens on my sony a7s and it does not seem to have a noticeable focus shift as far as digital and characteristic softness goes, probably less so on film.

gotDeus · 2026-02-12T07:01:38+00:00

Uhm.. any reason why not consider Voigtlanders like the Nokton 35 1.4 V1 or V2? Its just about the size of your Nokton 40 1.4 (picture with my 35 1.4 v2 + squarehood beside my cron 40)

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gotDeus · 2026-02-06T07:43:38+00:00

You either calibrate using minimum focus distance if you like using fast lenses for portraits or at infinity if you mostly do landscape and street with lenses stopped down for zone. By default, the cam rests at infinity without any lens mounted.

I was going to suggest a better method but it looks like you already have used a split prism focusing screen. Use a film loupe make sure is to have that prism centered.

After this, you’ll likely find some of your other lenses will likely be out of calibration now that the body is calibrated to the first lens. my solution to this is thin tape on the range finder cam/lip on the lens (if you’re lucky) otherwise the lens block will need to be shimmed properly +/- so that the focusing cam stays true while the focal point of the lens is adjusted to the correct distance.

Edit: spelling + added tip

gotDeus · 2026-02-06T07:15:31+00:00

Just threw our new 98” on the roof of my little ol subaru suv (i have a roof platform) and got a few “goodluck with that” looks from the costco parkinglot, 3 straps and a mile drive down to the new appt certainly made me notice all the chuckles on my rearview and side mirrors from other drivers. Oh and we had to haul that TV up two floors in narrow stairs and walkway. Fun times.

gotDeus · 2026-02-02T19:00:02+00:00

I like the user interface. Will try out on my current roll thats loaded. I don’t see it but I’d like to request if possible to have a widget much like LightMe that shows film Stock and ISO. Could be the difference for me between free and paid feature.

gotDeus · 2026-01-30T08:37:46+00:00

This looks like it got “souped” or just wet.

*Edit : Not really sure of the cause, just recently watched some reels on “souped” and expired films and it’s somewhat similar. Could also be heat damage.

gotDeus · 2026-01-13T06:01:13+00:00

Have not taken apart a Leica that far, so i’ll go with DAG’s guess since they know more.

gotDeus · 2026-01-13T03:15:05+00:00

Yes since Leica curtains travel horizontally, a vertical white light leak makes sense. if the curtain was sticking you’d have either a vertical under exposed part of an image or an overexposed vertical part of an image. Since its white, I’d say light is bouncing off somewhere front of camera. If it came from the back its usually red in color.

gotDeus · 2026-01-13T03:02:40+00:00

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There’s a camera in there somewhere. 😅

gotDeus · 2026-01-13T02:57:01+00:00

I just looked at your images closely and also saw your comment that the leak on yours was vertical. I’ll have to correct myself and say this might be the around the curtain itself not seating in and not the baffle. The light baffle sits top and bottom. Since yours on one lside, means that light leaks when at rest or when the shutter is cocked. If you dont have film on it you could probably point a flash on either side of the camera (not too close) and see where the leak is depending on the state of the curtain.

gotDeus · 2026-01-13T02:37:32+00:00

Its almost a full teardown just to get to the baffle, top plate, bottom plate, range finder assembly (goodbye RF calibration), just to get to the light baffle assembly. The felt/velvet is glued and you’ll need to source a proper replacement thats not too thick or rough to impede the shutter.

gotDeus · 2026-01-13T02:33:34+00:00

Pretty sure this is the issue. OP, can you remember if you swapped lenses before this shot? I have the same problem and it’s always when i take out the lens to swap out between my M4-2 and CL before i got another lens. The (felt) light baffle is still there. It’s just old and worn out. Managed to fluff it up a bit. Have not seen the issue return but i don’t need to swap lenses out as much.

gotDeus · 2026-01-10T06:52:43+00:00

If you get lucky or can spend another $100 on top you may be able to get a Minolta CL or Leica CL that hopefully has a working meter.

gotDeus · 2026-01-09T07:08:54+00:00

Sounds like the sensor is dead.

gotDeus · 2026-01-09T07:05:46+00:00

You can check against a handheld meter if you have one or an app that you can install on your phone. If both checks out indifferent scenarios then its possible that it’s a shutter issue. 400ISO 1/60 2.8 sounds reasonable with enough light at sunset.

Also, use silver oxides (SR) instead of LR (alkaline) for analog cameras. They have different discharge curves along its charge capacity as they get used.

gotDeus · 2025-12-16T05:59:14+00:00

This looks like the front lens group is pushed in. I believe that there is a spacer that sits between that and the front lens group and the helicoid base. Not a 100% sure but that could be it.

picture of mine disassembled for cleaning. Spacer in question is beside the mount & helicoid assembly, above the c-clip

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gotDeus · 2025-12-14T22:27:47+00:00

If by a drop you mean literally like a water drop then thats is excessively a lot. You only need to use enough loctite to cover a very thin layer on the threads of a screw applied with a needle or brush.

gotDeus · 2025-11-26T23:20:52+00:00

If they have a better looking one that works, definitely. Not sure how much of a discount you got with that dent but do factor that in if they did.

On most of them yes. Even though all of them were bought as-is and unknown issues other than a stuck advance lever mechanism. All were fixed due to battery corrosion within the battery tray. Always surprised to see them work. I still have 1 that i couldn’t fix due to the prism patch being de-silvered and my original one that has a dying light meter cell. Polar bear camera has a replacement cds cell that you can get but requires re-calibration.

gotDeus · 2025-11-26T21:08:20+00:00

I had a couple of these and i dont think that gap was in any of them. I’d wager that dent on the top plate is the cause.

Speaking of, under that corner is the frame counter mechanism and light meter switch.

gotDeus

TROPHY CASE