A rattling Summilux ASPH

[Suonio]

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I recently acquired a Summilux 35 ASPH, new type. Today I noticed that it makes a strange clinking sound if I turn it around in my hands.

 

Does anybody know if this is normal, or have I, as I suspect, got a faulty lens?

[hoppyman]

What you describe does not sound normal to me. Does the aperture adjustment work properly? Is there any looseness in the focus ring? I suggest that you show it to your dealer and describe what you feel is happening. Good luck !

[Clandrel]

The rattling is normal on ASPH lenses. At least on all I have owned. I guess it's the floating elements.

[hoppyman]

Ehh???

I can't understand what is being described here.

The 'floating elements' do not 'rattle' around inside the lens!

That part of the lens components are designed to move independently from the rest (at close distances) via an additional mechanism.

There should not be any' rattle' in that new lens nor any detectable play in the focus ring nor aperture ring.

[aesop]

The rattling is normal on ASPH lenses. At least on all I have owned. I guess it's the floating elements.

 

 

...this is waaaay too surreal, even for a Friday. Clandrel, would you care to expand on your comments?

[UliWer]

... Today I noticed that it makes a strange clinking sound if I turn it around in my hands.

 

...

 

Does it click when you move the aperture ring? This is normal with many types of lenses and makes it easier to recognize the stops even when you don't look at the aperture index.

 

If there were other sounds when you just move it without changing the apertures or if you moved the focussing ring, this would be not normal at all - especially floating element should move without giving any sounds at all!

[earleygallery]

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I suspect it's the aperture blades/ring, there has to be some tolerance with moving metal parts!

 

Floating elements LOL

[wizard]

Sometimes the aperture blades can indeed make a sort of clicking noise when the lens is moved back and forth. The aperture blades may have a certain play, slightly varying from lens to lens, so that some lenses make that noise and others do not. It should not be a cause of concern as long as everything functions as it should. Also, don't forget that materials expand with rising temperature, thus decreasing any play which therefore may exist for a good reason (e.g. so that the aperture blades are not too stiff when the lens gets hot).

 

Andy

 

P.S.: James was quicker (he typed less words:)), but had the same idea

[Suonio]

Thanks for the replies. This is a bit confusing, I have two ASPH lenses, the other one a 50 Summilux, which is perfectly silent. The rattling 35 mm has no play at all, and it feels very smooth, but there is definitely something moving freely inside the lens.

[scsambrook]

Suonio - if it makes a 'clinking' noise when you move it in your hand, then something is almost certainly not right.

 

Best to go back your supplier immediately and let him hear and see for himself.

[Clandrel]

Well,

 

All the ASPH lenses I've had was like that. The 50 Summarit was not like that...

That's my experience. Now what is the reason for this?

 

I've had the 28 2.8, 35 1.4, 75 2.0. They were all the same, with the clinging sound when turned.

 

I had my M9 calibrated with all my lenses in Solm three weeks ago, and I asked them to go over the lenses, and they still has the sound, so it must be normal.