What's This Black Stuff in My M3's Finder?

[wgerrard]

Putting film in my M3 this morning, my eye caught something in the finder that ought not to be there: A roughly triangular black mark in the upper right corner. It isn't solid black, more of a mesh. It resembles a piece of a fingerprint someone might leave after touching a finger to a black ink pad. It's not noticeable when I actually use the finder at my eye, but it is clearly visible otherwise. I can't be certain, but I think it is on the prism.

I'm reasonably sure that it wasn't there a few days ago.

[MartinP]

Sorry to say it, but Google for prism-separation and compare the notes/pictures with what you see on your camera.

[wgerrard]

I bought the camera in late July from Youxin Ye, after he had done a CLA and repaired a separation issue. I've contacted him and he's said to return the camera to him for a full refund.

Can't ask for more than that. I like people who stand behind their work.

[Ken Ford]

Youxin Ye is a real treasure!

[mike kim]

Good to hear that. Does anybody have pictures of what prism separation looks like? I could never find them in Google, for some reason.

[seifadiaz]

http://www.google.com/search?q=leica+prism+separation&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t

[ferider]

If it looks like a finger print it could be one, left behind when the top plate was put back on.

[wgerrard]

If it looks like a finger print it could be one, left behind when the top plate was put back on.

Nah, it wasn't there before. :) It resembles a fingerprint in that it's a network of fine lines, but a fingerprint made by some who put black enamel on the ink pad.

[ferider]

Just saying. Been there, done that :)

Youxin will fix it. He is great.