I've seen refrence to M3's that have had their close focusing distance changed from 1.0 to 0.7 meter. Is this easy to do? Has anyone out there had it done and by who?

-- Adam G. Lang (aglang@hotmail.com), May 31, 2002

Answers

If you look up inside the body behind the (removed) lens, you'll see the big roller that contacts the RF cam on the back of the lens. The roller is mounted on an arm, and the arm on a mess of stuff back a bit and towards the right. Sticking out back at an angle from the "mess of stuff" is a little strip of metal with a quarter twist in it that moves with everything else and when you're not touching anything comes to rest against another small roller. This is the limit for the close focusing, and the trick is to bend the little strip of metal a bit so it lets the main (big) roller come farther forward (but not too far) to achieve the closer focusing you want. I wouldn't have the guts to bend it, myself, and I'm pretty reckless-- there's not too much room to work in, there. I'd pay someone, and let him fix what he breaks trying. :-)

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), May 31, 2002.

Its not hard to do. The trick is to use one finger to press on the piviting point to support it while bending the limiting tab, else you can throw the rangefinder slightly out of adjustment. I did mine and it works great with the new 50's.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 31, 2002.