Leica C non-functioning zoom control lever

[dkCambridgeshire]

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Last week the zoom lever surrounding the shutter release on my Leica C became increasingly erratic in operation. The lever moved freely and sprung back to its centre position but the lens ceased to zoom and the zoom indicator on the monitor was stuck at the wide 'W' end. The anomaly was remedied by sliding a small thin piece of paper between the top plate and the bottom of the zoom control ring and then pulling the paper back and forth around the circumference. There was no visible dirt on the paper after the cleaning action but it has remedied the problem and the zoom action has been restored. The problem did not affect the 'step zoom' function.

 

Best wishes

 

dunk

[wlaidlaw]

Dunk,

 

I have had the same issue. In my case a small squirt of Servisol switch cleaning fluid restored function. I just wish getting wifi to work consistently was as easy. Sometimes my iPad will find it but more often it will not. If you are using an Apple network like I am, the WPS will not work. The direct connection virtually never works. The wifi connection to my Olympus EP-5 works first time every time.

 

The other thing I cannot get to work is that setting to manual focus should change the control ring from step zoom to MF. Mine stays as step zoom, which means I cannot MF.

 

Wilson

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[dkCambridgeshire]

Dunk,

 

I have had the same issue. In my case a small squirt of Servisol switch cleaning fluid restored function. I just wish getting wifi to work consistently was as easy. Sometimes my iPad will find it but more often it will not. If you are using an Apple network like I am, the WPS will not work. The direct connection virtually never works. The wifi connection to my Olympus EP-5 works first time every time.

 

The other thing I cannot get to work is that setting to manual focus should change the control ring from step zoom to MF. Mine stays as step zoom, which means I cannot MF.

 

Wilson

 

HI Wilson, Being something of a Luddite I've yet to try my C's WiFi function … something I need to address … have an iPad Mini but its main use is with astronomy apps.

 

Regarding the slip of paper remedy for the zoom control malfunction - I'd read that malfunctioning/stuck compact camera zoom lenses respond when a slip of paper is slid into the lens' mount - so tried same on the C's top plate zoom control. I guess paper does have a cleaning effect.

 

Just tried the MF function on my C for the first time and it seems to work OK but have not read the instructions. When commenced turning the bezel the monitor magnified the focus area thus enabling more accurate focus. The bezel 'clicks' through the lens' manually set points of focus as the image goes into and out of focus … and actual focus distance is indicated on a scale superimposed onto the monitor image. The scale also indicates DOF by means of 'in focus' bar length - dependent on set aperture (only tried it in aperture priority). But it's not a function I'd use; being 'stepped' rather than 'stepless', its jerky action makes the camera and thus the monitor image wobble. Would be OK on a tripod.

 

Best wishes

 

dunk

[wlaidlaw]

Dunk,

 

Are you getting any dust inside the lens? Considering how little this C112 camera has been used and it always sits with the Leica Swing cover on, when not in use, it is worrying just how much dust I can see right behind the front element. I wonder if my lens has faulty sealing. I can foresee a trip to Wetzlar for it when I get back to the UK. My wife has had problems with the lens retraction and zoom mechanisms failing on her Leica compacts and they have ended up either replacing the whole camera, when it happened on a ten day old one or replacing the entire lens and motors.

 

Wilson

[dkCambridgeshire]

Dunk,

 

Are you getting any dust inside the lens? Considering how little this C112 camera has been used and it always sits with the Leica Swing cover on, when not in use, it is worrying just how much dust I can see right behind the front element. I wonder if my lens has faulty sealing. I can foresee a trip to Wetzlar for it when I get back to the UK. My wife has had problems with the lens retraction and zoom mechanisms failing on her Leica compacts and they have ended up either replacing the whole camera, when it happened on a ten day old one or replacing the entire lens and motors.

 

Wilson

 

Wilson, Just checked my C's lens and no dust visible - but it has not been used in a dusty environment. I was lucky to win the C in The Leica Society AGM raffle; it has been back to Leica Mayfair to remedy the lack of EVF diopter adjustment - it's fine now.

 

Best wishes

 

dunk

[wda]

Lucky boy!