filing LTM adapter for M5 meter deactivation...any hints/tips

[yossarian123]

I was thinking a good project for this weekend would be to file away the lugs on my 50mm LTM adapter so the M5 meter arm isn't activated. I really want to be able to collapse my elmar and summitar (that way I can collapse and store the camera+lens in my bag).

Has anyone done this before - if so what kind of tools will I need to do the filing? I recently purchased a pretty nice Dremel set - any idea on what kind of bit could be used to file the metal in the adapter (I'm assuming brass and/or copper)?

Thanks!

[rxmd]

I have. It's a fairly minimal operation. I used a small half-round file. If you have a Dremel, pretty much any carbide grinding bit will do as long as the shape fits.

[yossarian123]

Thanks rxmd!

[thaung]

I am really interested in doing this as well but unlike you guys I really don´t know what part of the adapter to grind down. Could anyone post a photo of the work in progress? That would be really helpful. Thanks!

[rxmd]

I can't take a picture here, but the idea is that the meter mechanism is activated through a lever at the bottom of the bayonet whenever a lens is on the camera.

You can take a look at the M5's bayonet throat and play with the lever there a bit with a small screwdriver (carefully, of course). If you look at the adapter, it's easy to find out which lug it is that activates the lever - if you look at the adapter from the rear, it's the one opposite the center notch in the flange.

You have to file down the side of the lug which faces forward in the direction of rotation when you put the adapter on the camera - that is, if you look at the adapter from the rear and the lug in question is at the bottom, the right side.

You don't have to take much off, on my adapter it was maybe 2mm.

[thaung]

Thank you for the informative reply, I think I know how to do this myself now. Really want to be able to collapse my old Summitar and also mount a Jupiter-12 at some point and this will make it possible.

[yossarian123]

I got around to doing this yesterday. Like rxmd said, it was pretty easy (guess I was expecting the metal to be harder to file). My old uncoated, nickel, no serial elmar and summitar both collapse with no problem. If you try this be sure to make sure the meter stays COMPLETELY recessed - if the little guy pokes his head up the tiniest bit your lens will still hit it.