Lens rangefinder adjustment

[Geolux]

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Hello:

From time to time, cameras need rangefinder adjustment, whether caused by ordinary use or other events.

But, a question of equal importance, and one I have rarely seen discussed, much less resolved, is whether lenses need routine focusing adjustment.

I present 2 questions: Assuming Leica lenses can be adjusted for focusing accuracy, is it necessary to be done regularly; and, do lenses need to be specifically adjusted for digital cameras?

 

If adjustment is desirable, should it be performed by Leitz, or do independent shops have the same equipment as Leitz, and are they able to obtain the same result as Leitz?

            Geolux

[lct]

You will find several posts here about lens calibration. The later is sometimes needed for lenses w/o 6 bit coding which have no been made for digital. Independent shops can indeed do the job, DAG in the USA for instance. I have no experience with the later though. 

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[thighslapper]

I don't think many lenses 'go out of calibration' except through very advanced age and usage or getting severely knocked about.

 

The main reason seems to be that Leica didn't do it right in the first place.

 

Anecdotally, and from personal experience, second hand lenses are generally more reliable as most of the duff ones have already had a holiday in Germany for remediable treatment already. 

 

As no doubt others will tell you the cameras and lenses are adjusted to a fixed specification so they should all work interchangeably with no issues....... but with the additional demands of a much shallower sensor focal plane (film construction and the way it functions allows a bit more leeway) Leica have at times struggled with QC on both lenses and cameras in the recent past due to these less forgiving parameters. 

 

If you have lenses that work fine with your camera and are not so ancient that the lubricating grease has either disappeared or become like glue then do nothing .......

Edited June 29, 2015 by thighslapper