[Leica] M3 question - 2d focusing image

[corkflor at iol.ie (Alex Hurst)]

Frank asked:

>I have a question about the 2d image in the viewfinder of my M3. 
>I've read a little about this and think I know the answer but would 
>like the input of the list.  Here goes:  The 2d image in my M3 
>viewfinder is much lighter than I would expect it to be.  It is 
>certainly lighter or fainter than the 2d image in my M6-TTL.  Does 
>this mean that the mirror needs to be cleaned somehow (via CLA)? 
>Are there other problems that could cause the 2d image to be faint? 
>I've also read about separation in the viewfinder being evident by 
>the rangefinder patch "blacking out."  I don't think this is the 
>problem, nothing is black in the viewfinder.  As always, thanks in 
>advance.


An M3 I looked at recently (an early d/s) has precisely this problem. 
The patch is nice and bright, but the secondary image is much fainter 
than it should be in low light and disappears entirely in bright 
light.

Turning the camera round and looking through the small rangefinder 
window against the light coming through the v/f eyepiece, I can see 
that the mirror (if that's what I'm seeing) appears to be 'foxed' - 
i.e. the silvering is mottled, and thus not reflecting all the light 
it should.

DAG maintains that in his experience, 90% of all rangefinder problems 
of this type can be solved by a good clean. I have a feeling this 
probably falls within the other 10%, and is not surprising in a 
camera coming up to 50 years old. That said, it's the first time I've 
ever come across this problem with any M.

It's possible to have the mirror re-silvered as part of a CLA. In the UK see:

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/Leica/page10.html

I would imagine someone in the US offers a similar service.

Best

Alex
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