The left side is where capping of the shutter normally occurs. (The second curtain catches up with the first.) Partial capping will cause shorter exposures at the left relative to the right side. Since auto reset is activated by the light hitting the light sensor, if total capping occurs, the tester will not be triggered at all, thus the reading will not change. (If you're not sure why the reading doesn't change, switch to another shutter speed, or turn the tester off then on again to reset the readout. Then try again.) To correct capping, a complete cleaning and lubrication to the shutter mechanism is desirable, but a simple adjustment to the curtain tension often helps. Put more tension (one full turn is usually sufficient) on the first curtain. If you need more help with Leica repairs, a good book to read is the Leica Camera Repair Manual by Thomas Tomosy, published by Amherst Media. When finished testing, don't forget to remove the mirrorized plastic sheet from the camera before replacing the bottom cover. |
Leica adapter |
Leica adapter |
The screw-mount Leica models, their copies and many other similar RF collectibles have no back door to open, and thus the film gate is inaccessible for the light sensor. Up till now, the only way to test shutter speeds on these models had been by first removing the body sleeve. This can be done, but it takes tools, time and skills. And even then, you still can't test the slow speeds. The Leica adapter, developed by Camlogix Instruments, solves this problem. |
How to use the adapter |
The left side is where capping of the shutter normally occurs. (The second curtain catches up with the first.) Partial capping will cause shorter exposures at the left relative to the right side. Since auto reset is activated by the light hitting the light sensor, if total capping occurs, the tester will not be triggered at all, thus the reading will not change. (If you're not sure why the reading doesn't change, switch to another shutter speed, or turn the tester off then on again to reset the readout. Then try again.) To correct capping, a complete cleaning and lubrication to the shutter mechanism is desirable, but a simple adjustment to the curtain tension often helps. Put more tension (one full turn is usually sufficient) on the first curtain. If you need more help with Leica repairs, a good book to read is the Leica Camera Repair Manual by Thomas Tomosy, published by Amherst Media. When finished testing, don't forget to remove the mirrorized plastic sheet from the camera before replacing the bottom cover. |
Works in conjunction with the Camlogix SH-T2, Delta SH-T1, SH-T2, SH-TB shutter speed testers. |
The New |
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Before using the Adapter, you must be familiar with your shutter speed tester and know how to use it. First examine the adapter. Notice that the high intensity red LED is at the bottom of the adapter, the CR2032 lithium battery is on top and the push switch is over the battery. Press the switch and check that the light comes on at the bottom. |
Remove the bottom plate from the camera. Slip the mirrorized plastic sheet (provided) into the focal plane where the film normally goes. Insert the bottom end of the adapter into the camera through the lens opening. (The top rim of the adapter sits on the lens flange.) Place the sensor panel from the tester into the cradle on the top end of the adapter. Turn on the tester. Open the shutter on settings B, T, or Z. Press the front of the sensor panel to activate the switch to turn on the red light. When the shutter is open, the light is reflected from the Mylar mirror into the light guide and from there to the photo tansistor at the center of the sensor panel. |
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Adjust the sensor bias With the shutter open, start from #1, turn the bias knob on the tester clockwise slowly. At one point the numbers on the display start running. Keep on turning the knob until the green correct bias indicator lights up. With a fresh battery, the green light comes on somewhere between #2 and #4 on the dial. As the battery ages, the dial should be turned more and more clockwise to light up the green LED. As long as the green LED comes on the shutter speed readings will be accurate. When the green bias light does not come on any longer, the battery is depleted and should be replaced. (See below.) |
Replacing the battery Before replacing the battery, remember that Lithium batteries have an ucanny ability to recover. Depletion of the battery is not linear, intermittent usage allows the battery to recover and thus it will last unproportionally longer than when used continuously. Remove the two screws that secure the battery holder/switch strip. Shake out the spacer ring and the battery. Examine the battery contacts and clean them if necessary. Insert the new battery (CR2032) with the + side up. Replace the spacer ring and the hoder/swithch strip on top of it. |
After adjusting the sensor bias, the camera is ready for testing. Set the shutter speed. Make sure you're pressing the top of the sensor panel to turn on the red LED. (Since you cannot see it, if you have doubts whether the light is on or not, pull out the adapter and take a look.) Trigger the camera. Compare the reading with the table at the front of the instrument or those in the manual. Notice that the light guide assembly is offset from the center by 12mm. This allows to take a reading at one side of the frame or the other. Just turn the adapter around to test the other side of the frame. This way, uneven exposure or capping revieals itself. |
When inserting the screws, use a small Phillips screwdriver that fits into the slot perfectly. Be careful not to cross thread the screws. Too many cross threading will eventually strip the threads in the plastic. Notice also that the switch contact is offset from the center of the strip. Place the strip so that the switch contact (push button) falls at the center of the battery. Notice also that the resistor wire makes contact with the strip and that the screw should be inside the loop the resistor wire forms. The screw should be tightened on that side sufficiently to make good contact with the wire. Do not over-tighten! |
