# my Leica wants to be cleaner



## syaudi (Jun 16, 2015)

hi all!

recently I bought myself a Leica M5 in absolutely beautiful condition. everything is clean, nothing is wonky or out of sorts, except...

in the rangefinder focusing patch, there appears to be a hair follicle attached to a strand of hair. it's not a huge thing (a bit to the right and in the corner) but I'd like my focusing patch clean all the same. I'd really rather not have to send in the camera for something so small, but there's also no way to open the camera just to wipe the screen clean. does anyone have some advice short of slapping the body and hopefully dislodging the hair?

will update with pic as soon as I edit it.

EDIT: here it is


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## Derrel (Jun 16, 2015)

Boy...that is a heck of a pickle you have found yourself in!!! Perhaps this photo will help. I hope so.



Just a crazy thought...is it possible to rub an inflated balloon on your hair for like three or four minutes, to create a big static charge, and then bring the balloon right up to the rangefinder window, and maybe, just maybe, pull that hair off of where it is right now?


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## syaudi (Jun 16, 2015)

Derrel said:


> Boy...that is a heck of a pickle you have found yourself in!!! Perhaps this photo will help. I hope so.
> 
> View attachment 103571
> 
> Just a crazy thought...is it possible to rub an inflated balloon on your hair for like three or four minutes, to create a big static charge, and then bring the balloon right up to the rangefinder window, and maybe, just maybe, pull that hair off of where it is right now?


that could possibly work, although the hair appears to be _inside the camera. _but I'll try it and see if I can get some results. thanks!


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## vintagesnaps (Jun 17, 2015)

I don't know if it would work but maybe try a rocket blower to see if blowing some air would move it (but I don't know if that could make things worse or better - it could move it to an even worse location like the middle). If anything I have old cameras with dark specks in the viewfinders and I just ignore them or look past or thru them!

Supposedly Leica will service any camera they ever made but I don't know if it would be worth it for this.


Now I have a mental image of Derrel rubbing his head with a balloon...
(and what that would accomplish I'm not sure! lol).


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