WATE, uneven sharpness

[helged]

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Hi,

I have a WATE showing quite some softness, almost blur, along the right edge compared to the left edge of the image. I have added 100 % crops from a randomly picked image to illustrate the edge softness, plus a small image of the full scene for your information.

 

It would be good to hear the experience from other WATE-users: Whether this is within what's normal (I don't think so), or the lens needs to go to Solms for an overhaul.

 

Image info: M9, WATE on 16 mm, f8 (other apertures show similar softness to the right), ISO160, tripod, unprocessed crops.

 

The center sharpness is fine as far as my eyes can tell.

 

Thanks!

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Edited June 5, 2013 by helged

[jdlaing]

I haven't had anything like that with mine.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/architecture/287110-lee-county-courthouse.html

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[Ecar]

How does it look like at 18mm and 21mm?

Needs some adjustment anyway - possibly some slight de-centering, which would become very visible on such a wide lens.

Mine is sharp edge-to-edge (particularly so at f/5.6-F/8).

[helged]

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

 

The lens show pretty much the same softness towards the right edge at 21, 18 and 16 mm, see below (21 at top, 16 at bottom; all 100 % crops starting from right edge of the photo, f8, ISO160, on tripod, no processing except cropping). Sharpness is otherwise fine.

 

Off to Solms...

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[anabasis]

I shoot film, but my WATE is sharp across the frame at all focal lengths, even wide open. I usually use fine grained film and see nothing like your results with my images.

 

JCA

[ho_co]

helged--

My WATE seems sharp to the corners, though I haven't put it through the same test regimen as you have yours.

 

I think you should send the lens along with a couple example files to Leica for them to check out.

 

You shouldn't be having this problem IMO.

[helged]

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Lens sent - I will report back when I hear from Solms.

[helged]

This is long overdue, but nevertheless: The adjusted lens came back with uneven sharpness as is evident in the attached photo, showing a section towards the right edge of a test image. New shipment to Solms...

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[jankap]

Can this be explained? Field curvature?

Jan

Edited February 26, 2014 by jan_kappetijn

[helged]

Mis-alignment of some of the lens elements, I was told (by Leica). By closer inspection, the unsharp region consists of several images, each with a slight offset. I'm not into the details in optics and certainly not in the WATE-optics, so I have no additional explanation than that given by Leica.

[algrove]

It should maybe go to QC instead of CS.

[jdlaing]

I have a WATE and am not having any problems i can tell.

[helged]

Users are generally very satisfied with the WATE. The copy I have is therefore an exception rather than the rule. Hopefully the lens can/will be fixed!

[jankap]

Good luck.

Jan

[helged]

An update - of possible interest for those that have/may encounter sharpness problems with the WATE.

 

After adjustment at Solms, the above mentioned WATE now behaves very well. It is sharp into the corners, particularly at mid apertures (f8-f11). At 21 mm, it is actually not that far from the sharpness to the generally well-received 21SEM. Quite an achievement. And whereas 21SEM may have a touch of discolouring (reds) towards the edges as well as some colour fringing around highlights, WATE behaves very neutral. On the distortion side, 21SEM is overall better than WATE.

 

Anyway, this is not meant to be a review of the two lenses.

 

First a full-frame test shot, thereafter 200 percent crops from the upper-left edge of 21SEM and thereafter WATE at 21 mm. All photos made on tripod, both lenses at f8 and at infinity, and the camera is M240. No post-processing except cropping in LR. The crops cover the same region but are not identical since the lenses angle-of-view's are not identical (despite they are both 21 mm). In both cases, the crop extends to the left-most edge of the image. (Differences in sharpness may be hard to detect...).

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Edited August 21, 2014 by helged

[Ivar B]

Very interesting. Your persistence paid off in the end.

[CheshireCat]

Did you buy your WATE used ?

[helged]

Yes, the mentioned WATE was a used one. This is the only experience I have with uneven sharpness (or other issues with new/used Leica optics), but it is good to know that these issues can be fixed.

[Leicakillen]

Thanks for an interesting story. Did you have to send the lens twice to Solms before it was corrected? Did you ever consider van Manen as an alternative for Leica CS?

Hilsen

/Anders

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[jaapv]

I'm 100% sure he would not touch a job like this. Centering an übercomplicated design like this requires gear that he could not begin to afford, even if he should wish to.