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Thanks Jamie! I'll post some high contrast samples once it's looked over by Leica again. I'm softening my stance on the sharpness issue, but there's definitely value in Leica looking at it, if they are open to it. Sounds like they are willing to. I'm hoping to use this as my primary lens, so I'm willing to invest some more time even if it offers only marginal improvement. Thanks all!

Hi Guys, Leica has agreed to take a look at the lens again. Even if my lens is within tolerances, it doesn't hurt being looked at again. I'll post the results when it comes back. Thanks for the help!

Thanks guys! I'll try a few pictures out in the sun - unfortunately not a sunny day out here to try it. I'd rather not shoot against the test charts - I'm just trying to get the optimal real life performance. DFV - The exact think occurred to me when I took these pictures. The Bokeh doesn't seem right. There seems to be some kind of smearing/painterly effect going on and that's what made me wonder if the lens is behaving within tolerances. Jamie - I'll send you a couple of RAW files. Thanks for offering to take a look. I've also send these pictures over to Leica. I may have to send the lens back again.

....and another example:

Thanks a lot! You guys are extremely helpful! Here's an example of what I'm getting. I'm thinking of sending back to Leica again.

Thanks for the response. Maybe I should put it a different way. What I am trying to understand is the standard for this lens on M9. I have no reference point right now. The images on the web are either sharpened or not at 100% crop. I do think the lens focuses fine after I got it back, but I'm wondering if the sharpness (right out of the camera) is within the tolerances allowed for this lens.

Hi Guys, I recently sent off my M9/50 Lux ASPH to Leica for RF Calibration & CLA. It's back, but I do not have a reference to judge the performance of my 50 Lux. Could you guys please post a few 100% crops of the 50 Lux images (without any extra sharpening)? I have to use an amount of 50 in Lightroom to get tack sharp images @ 1.4. I'm fine doing it, but since it's supposed to be the sharpest lens available, I am wondering if i even have to do it. I'm also trying to identify it the lens is within tolerances so I can send it back to Leica if I don't believe it is. Thanks!

Jamie - if you find a right tool, let me know. I'm in the GTA too and stuck in exactly your situation. The lenses are front focusing by a couple of inches but infinity is right. And, I have made enough marks on the screw that any Leica technician would know I've messed around with it. I don't want to use a non-functioning screwdriver and make the situation worse.

For some strange reason, I bypassed sending it to Leica and decided to try it myself (probably voided my warranty in the process). I guess maybe my inability to part with the camera for weeks. I get the idea now, but I think I have messed it up a bit because I don't have the right screwdriver. I can't move the cam screw too much clockwise and the more i tried, i left more marks on the screw. Julian - what would you suggest at the right tool? now that I have jumped in, I intend to finish the process. Thanks.

Wow, this is a thread to bookmark! Thanks a lot guys - I'm sure I'll try this on my own once the M9 is off warranty, but I'm feeling a bit uneasy to try right now. Thanks for all the sketches - the procedure is very clear.

Thanks a lot guys! I'll talk to my dealer first, Kindermann as another possible option. I hope the whole thing takes a short time - I can't live without the M9 even for a few days!

Hi, I have established that the rangefinder on my M9 needs realignment. I'm a bit nervous to try it myself, so I'd rather send it to Leica. I'm in Canada and not sure how this process works. Do I contact my dealer ? or, should I get in touch with NJ or Solms? Anyone with prior experience, please advise. Thanks!

Hi Guys, Thanks for the replies. I did a few tests - The sharpness at close distances (to about 10 ft) seems to be fine. However focusing beyond 10 ft seems hit and miss. More often than not the images are back focused. Would this confirm that the rangefinder needs to be realigned? Thanks!

Hi Guys, I tried to focus on a cellphone tower (a few kilometers away) on my M9/50 Lux ASPH to test for rangefinder misalignment. At infinity on the Lens, the double images are ever so slightly off. I have to work hard to see the fact - for all purposes the tower seems like a slightly fuzzy line in the focus area. At closer distances the images coincide just fine. My question is, how much should I be worried about this? I'm a rangefinder newbie, so I'm not sure how much it would affect shots that are taken at about 6-25 feet away. I usually work in this range, mostly wide open at 1.4. I'm wondering this because lately the 50 Lux shots don't seem to be bitingly sharp as I'd hope @ 1.4 and I'm wondering if the rangefinder might be off. Thanks!

Ended up getting it for around 2200. Lovely lens, looks pretty much unused. Thanks to the forum for helping save some $$$ Time to test it out!