farnz Posted April 18, 2010 Share #21 Posted April 18, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) To add a little balance, I haven't had this problem with my 50 Summilux asph (although I feel sorry for those who have:( ). Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 18, 2010 Posted April 18, 2010 Hi farnz, Take a look here 50mm Summilux problem. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wilfredo Posted April 18, 2010 Share #22 Posted April 18, 2010 It looks like most people haven't had any issues with this lens but it doesn't hurt to ask . I did notice the one for sale in the Buy and Sell section. I am still gathering the cash for this purchase so I'm going to miss this opportunity. I sense it will only be a matter of time before I gather the funds and take the plunge for what will be the most extravagant lens purchase of my life to date. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyIII Posted April 19, 2010 Author Share #23 Posted April 19, 2010 The one for sale in the Buy & Sell section was mine. I actually sold it this morning, and then before packing it up decided to check the aperture ring one last time. I have not had any trouble with it since Leica repaired it, but as luck would have it, now all of a sudden the aperture blades are doing the same thing again! I refunded the buyer and I'll be contacting Leica tomorrow. I think this time instead of "adjusting" it like they did before maybe they need to replace something. What a hassle, but it's a good thing I checked it again. I am glad I didn't ship it to the buyer and have him receive it in this condition. Rocky Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted April 19, 2010 Share #24 Posted April 19, 2010 The one for sale in the Buy & Sell section was mine. I actually sold it this morning, and then before packing it up decided to check the aperture ring one last time. I have not had any trouble with it since Leica repaired it, but as luck would have it, now all of a sudden the aperture blades are doing the same thing again! I refunded the buyer and I'll be contacting Leica tomorrow. I think this time instead of "adjusting" it like they did before maybe they need to replace something. What a hassle, but it's a good thing I checked it again. I am glad I didn't ship it to the buyer and have him receive it in this condition. Rocky That was an honorable thing you did. Good luck with your dealings with Leica. Keep us posted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamey Posted April 22, 2010 Share #25 Posted April 22, 2010 I remember when I tried two 50mm 1.4 a while back I didn't like the stiffness on the focus mechanism Compered to my 35mm f2 asph which is so smooth. Ken. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
euston Posted April 29, 2010 Share #26 Posted April 29, 2010 I bought a new 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH last month to use with my M9. Yesterday, I noticed that it felt "crunchy" when opening up the last half stop to 1.4. Looking at the aperture blades, they are not all in the same position wide open -- three of them stick out a little. Due to the current scarcity of the lens, David Farkas at Dale Photo & Digital advised having it repaired rather than replaced. He made arrangements, and I shipped it off to Allendale today. Hopefully it will be a quick turnaround. Has anybody else experienced this problem? Rocky The new Summilux 50 ASPH I’ve had since November 2009 has this issue. There’s an imprecision or mushiness at the wide open end of the aperture ring - just like yours. I’m not sure whether it’s got progressively worse or whether it’s been like that all along and my excitement at getting one of these rarities blinded me to the fault. I could always get it to the 1.4 setting and optically it performed perfectly. I couldn’t see any misaligned aperture blades but they must be binding, which makes them resist getting to the fully open position. It’s on its way to Germany now. I'm confident that Leica will make a good job of the repair (though your experience is alarming) but I’m disappointed that it should be necessary. In the meantime I’ll be using an old Summicron 50mm, a lens built with exceptional solidity and precision and still mechanically faultless 45 years after it was made. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 29, 2010 Share #27 Posted April 29, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) This does not sound if it is just a manufacturing defect for a single lens. This never would have happened in the 1960`s. There must be an over abundance of cost accountants working at Leica today. Well, it was in the 1970ies that I got factory-new lens sealed in plastic that was severely scratched by cleaning all over the front element.....It is of all times - I cannot see I have seen much of an increase - or decrease over the decades. The main difference is the amplification created by the internet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyIII Posted April 29, 2010 Author Share #28 Posted April 29, 2010 The main difference is the amplification created by the internet. Good point, Jaap, and one bad experience tends to stick out even if there are 999 good ones to offset it. I sent my 50mm Summilux with faulty aperture blades to David Farkas at Dale Photo & Digital, who is kindly dealing with Leica over the repair, and then he will sell it for me. I am quite pleased and content with my new 50mm Summicron. Rocky Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyIII Posted June 11, 2010 Author Share #29 Posted June 11, 2010 My 50mm Summilux was returned to me yesterday, by mistake actually, as Leica had been instructed to ship it back to Dale Photo & Digital. The aperture blades once again work as they should, although Leica did not say how they fixed it (new parts, adjustment, etc.). Today I shipped it to David, and he will be selling it as used. Leica had the lens for about six weeks. Rocky Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted June 13, 2010 Share #30 Posted June 13, 2010 Rocky, I am sorry this turned into a bit of a Saga for you. I'm still on a waiting list for this lens and don't know how long I will wait before I finally give-up on it. I have no 50mm to work with at this time. Sounds like a Quality Control issue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppyman Posted June 13, 2010 Share #31 Posted June 13, 2010 Rocky I was sorry to read that you have encountered this fault and doubly so that it reappeared after repair. You deserve to be congratulated for reporting the problems calmly, objectively and honestly here. That is very much to your credit as a Forum member and Leica customer. I hope that you were not too out of pocket after deciding to sell your lens. Of course you have chosen another fine fifty in its stead. My (3-4 yr old)Summilux developed detectable play in the focus after I mis-handled it in a mistaken attempt to loosen the focus movement. The Customer Service Division Head in Solms and his technician took one look and said that we must fix this. They calibrated it perfectly for my M8 on its upgrade and serviced and adjusted it to perfection. All for no charge. Now it is on my M9 and continues to deliver superb results. Do enjoy your Summicron and be sure to post some results. Touch wood that you have used up all of your bad Leica luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
holmes Posted June 17, 2010 Share #32 Posted June 17, 2010 Quality control (like Toyota). When you start to see the same or similar problems you have to wonder about Leica's sterling QC. It is not the follow up service, it's the fact that the lens should not be in New Jersey, or Solms or Mali for after sale repair. Five or ten ten years, yes, not a week later. This should tell all potential buyers to try the lens before taking possession. I for one am very satisfied with the lens I own. My latest addition was my f2.5/f2.8 50m. The design is an old one and because it is circular all the blades must be right on......they are. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyIII Posted July 2, 2010 Author Share #33 Posted July 2, 2010 Thanks Geoff. Dale Photo & Digital is still working on a sale. I'm not sure how I'll come out financially, but it shouldn't be too bad. If I had thought about it more, I probably would have bought a Summicron first. Rocky Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppyman Posted July 2, 2010 Share #34 Posted July 2, 2010 Rocky, I think that you were just extremely unlucky actually. I consider that Summilx to be the best 50 on the planet . But you've ended up with the Summicron which has long been considered the benchmark if you like, especially for its accuracy of reproduction. I can't imagine that your Summilux will sit around for long. They are very much in demand and nearly unobtainable. One report quoted Stefan Daniel as saying some of the glass is hard to source and the last batch of (a few?) hundred was all sold out right away. The main thing is that you have something that you are confident with and will make superb photos. That's what it's all about of course. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted July 2, 2010 Share #35 Posted July 2, 2010 I've seen used 50mm Summilux ASPH lenses on E-bay going for only a couple of hundred dollars less than the price of a new one, so demand remains high for this lens. After a two month wait my 50mm Silver Lux ASPH arrived at Samy's camera in Southern California. I've had the lens now for about two weeks. Everything is working as it should, I'm in love with this lens. Before leaving the store, I checked the aperture blades, and took a bunch of shots to make sure the focus was spot on. My dealer must of thought I was a bit crazy but he was a good sport (Ken in Orange County). Focusing is a bit on the stiff side (similar to my former 90mm Elmarit M) but that's not an issue for me, and it seems to be getting better with use. The build on this len is simply awesome. I hope to be shooting with it for decades. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted July 2, 2010 Share #36 Posted July 2, 2010 My 50 Lux ASPH has been bought used and was a bit stiff focussing. I worked it in and gave it into service after detecting focussing issues with it a few weeks a go. 2 or 3 weeks ago Schmidt Marketing contacted me for a cost estimation after Solms had inspected the lens. I am now eagerly awaiting a CLAd lens back - can't wait much longer ;-) How long are turnaround times from Solms these days? Is there a usual warranty on the lens regarding adjustments after the CLA has been performed by Leica Solms? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomele Posted July 3, 2010 Share #37 Posted July 3, 2010 Exact same aperture blades problem here with a 50mm Lux Asph. Heading to Solms soon enough... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppyman Posted July 3, 2010 Share #38 Posted July 3, 2010 Different folks report different experiences regarding the firmness of the focus action. You would know I guess, that there is a more complicated mechanism with 'floating' element which keeps the quality very high even at the closest distances. Control of focus shift is the biggest benefit. I suggest that you be very wary regarding 'working it in' as you may actually be accelerating wear in the mechanism. Both a Leica Camera technician and the Customer Service division head in Solms looked at my lens after I had originally mis-handled it (about 2000 full travel cycles in succession) for that reason as well. He explained that any play whatsoever in the action may cause inaccuracy. For example turning the ring to the same position from different directions (near to far or vice versa) may give different results. They serviced my lens for me and calibrated it to the M8 standard, both under warranty. It is firmer now again but is superbly accurate on both my M8 and now M9. The key is you need absolutely no backlash nor imprecision in the ring movement and may need to accept a little more firm action to achieve that. Interestingly LFI has recently mentioned that the newest designs with this floating element system have improved mechanisms in that regard. Maybe an owner of the new Nocti could comment there? Or send it to me and I promise to compare it carefully. Any repair done is guaranteed of course. You may like to contact Customer Service for the details if you are uncertain. My 50 Lux ASPH has been bought used and was a bit stiff focussing. I worked it in and gave it into service after detecting focussing issues with it a few weeks a go. 2 or 3 weeks ago Schmidt Marketing contacted me for a cost estimation after Solms had inspected the lens.I am now eagerly awaiting a CLAd lens back - can't wait much longer ;-) How long are turnaround times from Solms these days? Is there a usual warranty on the lens regarding adjustments after the CLA has been performed by Leica Solms? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted July 3, 2010 Share #39 Posted July 3, 2010 Thanks for the comments Geoff! With "working it in", I referred to using it everyday over a few months. I suppose, it had a little play, when I bought it and didn't recognize per the lack of a reference. I am looking forward to the serviced lens - can't wait, to use it again ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
euston Posted July 3, 2010 Share #40 Posted July 3, 2010 Exact same aperture blades problem here with a 50mm Lux Asph. Heading to Solms soon enough... Bad luck, Tomele! Mine is back with me now restored to full working order. It took six weeks but I’m pleased the problem has been fixed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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