When installing lens-- simple advice/ caution

[hockey44]

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Pls forgive if you all know this. Very helpful Leica service tech in Singapore showed me the benefit of when fitting the lens to the M240 body it should always be set to the SHORTEST distance so it fits WITHOUT touching the cam. I always left lenses at infinity and wasn't aware there was a difference when installing. However, this simple "trick" I had not previously read about or heard. It makes perfect sense and wish I knew about it earlier. If I missed it in the instruction manual, please ignore. But I sure am happy I am now 'enlightened' and less likely to unintentionally touch the cam which is of course very sensitive.

 

I still struggle to fail to understand why after having my M240 and Lux 35 FLE and Lux 50 sent to Wetzlar for "adjustment' my focusing at infinity is slightly off. Only noticeable if you use the EVF and then look on computer screen and do 1% loop-- but I never realized that 'tack sharp' primes at infinity are in fact (or could be) slightly out of focus (after adjustment) and in my case to achieve 'perfect' clear focus I need to back off a tad. Am I the only one experiencing this? I fear now that I need to use the EVF to get confident focus. Whilst is works well, I prefer without the EVF. Of course you can use live view and 10x peek, but if you get the focus spot on this way and then move to your eye to reframe focus is off. I guess I don't like the frame shots looking at live view. Any thoughts welcome.

[paulsydaus]

I've also seen people demand that the lens is fully extended before mounting, but it is not written in the manual as a requirement and thus I assume this just an old habit that some people insist on but which makes no practical difference.

Note that there is also no requirement in the manual that you push the button while mounting a lens.

Regarding infinity focus, unfortunately I think it's quite common. One of my lenses, a 35/2, has horrible focus at infinity, but not yet had the chance to return it for adjustment.

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[LocalHero1953]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand why one should have to set the lens to shortest focus. The benefit is not obvious to me:confused:

I realise that one would minimise touching the cam follower by this practice, but the system is, I believe, sufficiently rugged for it not to matter. Touching the cam follower should not put the focus out.

Shooting with primes means that one pays the penalty by having to change lens rather than zoom, but I don't want to add another step to the changing process.

 

I had the same problem as you with infinity focus being off, but only with a Apo Summicron 90. In my case, sending it to Solms corrected the problem. It is disappointing that your errors were not corrected during service.

[MarkP]

I don't think your camera & lenses were calibrated properly. You should have complete confidence in the RF mechanism for focus.

 

You would not be the first frustrated Leica owner to have to send equipment back again.

 

I'll send you a pm with the email of the person in Leica to contact about this.

 

Kind regards,

Mark

[thighslapper]

I wouldn't worry much about the 35 ...... this is a common feature of W/A lenses with large DOF and the infinity setting is not as critical ..... and presumably a bit more difficult to get nominally perfect.

 

The 50/1.4 is very difficult to calibrate accurately for all distances due to the floating elements. There are plenty of posts about problems with this lens.

 

If both lenses show the same problem it is probably the infinity setting on the RF that is marginally off ....... a tiny nudge with an allen key on the roller may be enough to cure this ..... and you have very little to lose by trying ....

[250swb]

Pls forgive if you all know this..

 

Thank you I didn't know that. In forty years owning a Leica it just goes to show there is always scope to invent some new paranoid fantasy that you haven't come across before. It is amazing this comes directly from Leica, but then again they have recently shown how nervous and cack handed they are about offering sensor cleaning advice, so maybe there is a trend. If I were you I'd ignore it or you'll just end up getting worried about nothing.

 

Steve

[jaapv]

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This advice is most useful for users who studiously avoid high contrast photographs for fear of over stressing the lens coatings.

Seriously. This is a robust tool that is built to be used and not some Prima Donna that can only survive when pampered. Just slap your lens on as needed.

[thighslapper]

Just slap your lens on as needed.

 

..... but don't forget to put your white cotton gloves on first.......

[A Almulla]

Just slap your lens

 

When I do that my lens yells "YEAH BABY, slap me harder"

 

 

The only precaution I take is keeping my camera pointing downwards when removing or installing a lens to avoid dust particles falling into the camera body. Other than the slapping that is

[microview]

I think it's worth depressing the button while locating the lens, but then releaas as you click lock lens.

[Mr. Thompson]

Install the lens focused at infinity and then again at near focus while watching the cutout at the top of the lens where the cam contacts the roller. It should be obvious that focusing the lens once it's on the camera is fairly gentile compared to the impact on the roller from slapping the lens on while focused at infinity. Steer away from the pothole.

[jaapv]

In forty years of intensive rangefinder use I have seen not one arm bent through mounting a lens whichever way.

[hockey44]

Thanks for your thoughts and comments. However, common sense (remember what that used to be) is having the cut-out exposed in front of the roller when mounting (at shortest focal length) makes sense to me as it will not touch the roller. It is very easy to test (with the 35 Lux) and it certainly goes on smoother when at shortest (cut out exposed) rather than infinity. I will do it that way but don't mean to imply this is anything but a rugged instrument. I must say perhaps the focus issue at infinity is maybe just like learning to use the device to optimal way and I will have to "learn" to back it off a tad if I only use RF rather than EVF. Not a big deal, just irritating for a $5k lens that I naively assumed would be spot on after being sent back with body. Oh well...we are all human (sort of).

 

I also heard that using a blower to remove dust may not be a good idea as you can force just in areas that can be impossible to remove. So I will leave it to Leica service to clean periodically than risk making a mess of it.

[250swb]

It should be obvious that focusing the lens once it's on the camera is fairly gentile compared to the impact on the roller from slapping the lens on while focused at infinity. Steer away from the pothole.

 

I need to take my words back, I guess the advice of this one Leica technician may indeed apply for some people if mounting a lens involves 'impact' and 'slapping'.

 

For the majority who are just careful, who can line a lens up and have some mechanical sympathy, they can carry on as they always have and in the way the camera and lens was designed. The general advice to mount collapsible lenses in the extended position similarly applies to the people for whom impacts and slapping are a result. But for many people they don't need to bother and they can not only mount a collapsed lens in the collapsed position, but can even do it while watching the scene in front of them. It isn't bravado, anybody who can pass the test for Dysmetria and touch their nose with their finger should be able to do it.

 

 

Steve

[MarkP]

I always mount the lens with a finger on the red dot so I can align it on the camera with or without looking - never had a problem.

[colonel]

This advice is most useful for users who studiously avoid high contrast photographs for fear of over stressing the lens coatings.

.

 

wow. I didn't know that one, thanks .....

 

Other recommendations:

 

1. Always use the timer so that you don't need to depress the shutter button to lowest level. this saves it for 1000s of extra shots

2. Use a wifi SD card to never need to open the SD card door or take the SD card in and out. This prevents sparks, wear and stops breakage of these sensitive parts

3. Avoid taking pictures where there is alot of light to limit using up the glass and sensor. I would recommend everyone try black on black night photographs in a black bag, they have an amazingly high artistic value and stress the camera least.

4. Try to avoid using the RF, as the light rays back diffraction off your eyes can cause serious internal corrosion

5. Avoid using the rear LCD to stop it wearing out, and the heat it generates burning the camera over time.

6. Always wear a mask when shooting, so that droplets of your flem do not disturb the gentle paint balance and stop it dissolving over time

7. Never lend the camera to your partner to shoot

8. Finally, if you want to really ensure it lasts, taking it out of the box is a bad idea ....

[Bill W]

Just read this thread and again wonder why did I?....:confused:

[edwardkaraa]

Please do not bump the rear element of the lens with the roller when installing the lens as the lens coatings may be too hard on the RF arm and may discalibrate the RF.

[indergaard]

I've always mounted the lens with it focused at infinity. Cause that's what I read somewhere, some many years ago, that you should do. And eveytime I forgot abou it (most of the times) I totally hated myself for two seconds before I realized that everything was just fine. Oh well.

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Look here: Leica M

[dant]

I put the lenses on any way I want. So far all is fine.