User manual LEICA M2

[. . . ] Not For Resale ­ Free Download at http://homepage. ntlworld. com/joechan/manuals FULL INSTRUCTIONS This Instruction Book contains everything you should know about the LEICA M 2. Carry on until you know all the steps by heart without needing to refer to this manual. You will get the hang of it quicker than you thought possible - handling the LEICA is much simpler than reading about it. Not For Resale ­ Free Download at http://homepage. ntlworld. com/joechan/manuals Hold the First of all get used to holding the LEICA correctly. This is most important for quick and reliable shooting, and for high quality, pin-sharp pictures. [. . . ] You can therefore judge in advance which lens will produce the best result, without having to change the lens itself. Then, when you have made up your mind, it takes only a few seconds to fit the required lens. 10 Not For Resale ­ Free Download at http://homepage. ntlworld. com/joechan/manuals Lever pointing outwards: Field of view for 35mm lenses. Lever pointing inwards: Field of view for 90mm lenses. Not For Resale ­ Free Download at http://homepage. ntlworld. com/joechan/manuals The Distance can be set directly on the distance scale of the lens, or with the aid of the rangefinder. Some lenses lock in the infinity position. Depress the infinity catch to release this lock for focusing at closer distances. Remember also to extend and lock the barrel of collapsible lenses (see page 15). The old way of focusing by scale is, however, less important with the LEICA, as you set the distance much more rapidly and accurately with the built-in rangefinder. The LEICA'S . coupled rangefinder is the fastest, easiest and most efficient focusing method. It requires a little practice to master, but this is easily acquired and a great deal of fun. First set the lens to infinity. Watch the bright sharp rectangle in the center of the finder area: this is the rangefinder field. Hold the LEICA so that the vertical window bar cuts through the rangefinder field. Inside the field you will see a double image, in other words a second image of the window bar or edge which appears to the left of the main one. Now adjust the focus while still looking through the finder: the second image in the rangefinder field moves to the right, until it coincides with the stationary outline. You have now accurately set the distance by the coincidence method. 12 Not For Resale ­ Free Download at http://homepage. ntlworld. com/joechan/manuals With vertical lines it is often easier to set the distance by the splitimage method. Here you watch the displaced section of the vertical line in the rangefinder field. This section moves along the horizon- tal boundaries of the field as you turn the lens, until the image be- comes continuous down the whole finder area. At this point the lens is set exactly to the correct distance. The Optical Depth-of-Field Indicator in the Rangefinder The rangefinder of your LEICA M 2 also enables you to check whether a subject in front of, or behind, the point of sharpest focus will be acceptably sharp or not. For this you use the projections at the top and bottom edges of the rangefinder field rectangle. These projections show the depth-of-field for a standard 50 mm lens, the lower for the all-around aperture of f/5. 6, the upper for f/16. After focusing on the subject of major importance the appropriate projection is superimposed on other subjects before separation of the double image and/or behind the point of focus. If the outlines still lies within this Object outside depth-of-field projection the image will be The double image lies within the wide upper acceptably sharp. To use this mark: Object is still rendered sharp at f/16 special device most effectively it Plane of sharp focus is advisable to test only the edges of the foreground or background subjects. The double image lies within the narrow lower mark: Objects is still rendered sharp at f/5. 6 Changing Lenses To remove the lens, press the catch (13), turn the lens to the left, and lift it out of the bayonet mount. To insert the lens align the red dot on the lens mount opposite the red dot on the camera body and turn to the right until the bayonet lock engages with an audible click. Not For Resale ­ Free Download at http://homepage. ntlworld. com/joechan/manuals 14 Not For Resale ­ Free Download at http://homepage. ntlworld. com/joechan/manuals The Interchangeable Lenses of the LEICA M2 Your choice of focal lengths ranges from 21- to 400mm, with apertures as fast as f/1. 4. [. . . ] Stroke the transport lever gently to engage the teeth of the transport sprocket in the perforations of the film. The length of film between the cartridge and the take-up spool is, of course, already fogged and useless for taking pictures. It must therefore be wound on once the camera is closed to bring a fresh unexposed portion of the film into position. Pull the film transport lever once more as far as it will go: the film counter now indicates No. [. . . ]