Perceval Posted July 27, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 27, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have bought a fourth version 28mm f2.8 Elmarit-M lens, in excellent condition, according to the dealer who sold it to me. I find that the aperture setting ring, while it does indeed fit into place at every stop and half-stop, has a soft feel, lacking the positive and firm action of my 1958 Summicron. Is this a normal feature of modern lenses? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 Hi Perceval, Take a look here Aperture ring on 28mm Elmarit-M. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
luigi bertolotti Posted July 27, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 27, 2011 Yes, "modern" stop rings are "softer"... I do notice it with the Summarit 75, but also with the Summicron 35 asph vs. old Summicron of the '50s : nothing bad, and nothing less in precision of stops, full & half. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted July 27, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 27, 2011 They do vary with wear and usage. The settings should not change inadvertently; that is my test. I once rejected a 90 macro lens for an opposite reason. The lens unlocked before the aperture changed. Went back to Leica and returned with same fault. Rejected reluctantly because operation was not Leica-like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
akiralx Posted July 27, 2011 Share #4 Posted July 27, 2011 If you want firmer aperture rings on modern lenses, go for Zeiss. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbbonthemoon Posted July 27, 2011 Share #5 Posted July 27, 2011 yeah, apperture ring clicks much more precise and firm on my DR 50 summicron from 60s than on my new 50 lux. And my 35 cron asph, purcahsed new few months ago, got some play on apperture "edges", for example when set to 2, you still can move it littble bit farther. Shame. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted July 27, 2011 Share #6 Posted July 27, 2011 lacking the positive and firm action of my 1958 Summicron. Is this a normal feature of modern lenses? You shouldn't compare the mechanical quality of old and new lenses. In general, the modern stuff doesn't compare too favourably with the beautifully engineered stuff made pre-1970-ish. Loose and wobbly with bits falling off (e.g. 28 Summicron) is what you tend to find nowadays, though Leica seem (if you excuse the pun) to have have tightened things up more recently with their most expensive summilux lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nggalai Posted July 27, 2011 Share #7 Posted July 27, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have bought a fourth version 28mm f2.8 Elmarit-M lens, in excellent condition, according to the dealer who sold it to me. I find that the aperture setting ring, while it does indeed fit into place at every stop and half-stop, has a soft feel, lacking the positive and firm action of my 1958 Summicron. Is this a normal feature of modern lenses? My 28mm Elmarit-M (Version III) from 1990 has the same “issue”. It was quite disconcerting at first as my main lens is a 50mm Summicron rigid (name’s the game, also for the aperture ring), but then I became used to it. As the others above I think it’s a normal “feature” of more modern Leica lenses. My Summarit-M 50mm feels almost exactly the same. The Voigtländer Ultron 28mm though has the nice click I enjoy so much with the ’cron. Cheers, -Sascha Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perceval Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted July 27, 2011 Thanks everyone; It seems I do not have to send the lens off for maintenance. Incidentally, I also have a Canon 35mm f2 made in 1960, as solidly built and positive in action as it was when first made; but I will look more closely at contemporary Zeiss lenses in future. (Although I do not like everything clinically sharp......) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazeppa26 Posted November 11, 2011 Share #9 Posted November 11, 2011 Hi, just to revive this thread a little bit. So it is not abnormal for leica lens to have a little play - ie going slightly beyond the smallest and biggest aperture, just slightly beyond. How about if the aperture ring have a slight play axially - along the axis of the lens barrel? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonel Posted November 11, 2011 Share #10 Posted November 11, 2011 Hi, just to revive this thread a little bit.So it is not abnormal for leica lens to have a little play - ie going slightly beyond the smallest and biggest aperture, just slightly beyond. How about if the aperture ring have a slight play axially - along the axis of the lens barrel? all Leica lenses go slightly above and below the aperture range no I don't see any play on the axis of the lens barrel that on my Leica lenses. They are all perfectly lined up I have slight rattles when I shake them if my ear is to the lenses I would definitely exchange a lens that had any movements I wasn't happy with Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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