50 Lux ASPH focus 'feel'

[Lord Fluff]

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I have the chance buy a used one of these, but during a quick inspection yesterday the focussing felt stiff and 'grabby' compared to my 35 Lux ASPH.

 

Is this in any way normal for this lens? Would this be due to lack of use, indicating it would improve, or does this lens need a CLA or other help? The price is good, but not amazing, so dooming myself to annoying focussing would be a little silly - unless as the saying going 'they all do that'

 

Thanks.

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[rea1412]

I've had my Summilux 50 for almost 3 months now and have the exact "problem" like you described. I was expecting it would "loosen out" a bit after some extensive use... but it hasn't happened yet... Other than that, I absolutely love this lens

[Lord Fluff]

I wonder why that should be? It's not like any of the modern Leica lenses I own behave this way - the 35 Lux ASPH for example is buttery smooth.

 

If even one I ordered new would be like this then I'll have to contemplate whether it's a compromise I feel I can make.

[lct]

Known issue of the 50/1.4 asph. Dropped a bit of WD-40 in mine a couple of years ago. Works fine since then but don't do the same folks or i decline all responsability.

[jaapv]

Mine is smooth enough, but not as smooth as some other Leica lenses A Leica technician at CS told me that was because it has to drag more moving parts around, being a lens with floating elements. Interesting question : does anybody notice a difference betwee the two versions of the Summilux 35 asph?

I think WD 40 is not the right oil to use; it contains solvents. If one wants to do something like this, which I personally would only do in an emergency, i.e. a lens getting stuck 5 minutes before the shoot of my life, i think I would use pure silicone lubricant.

The real danger is the oil getting on the aperture blades. Or lens elements of course, getting at the cement in between.

[wattsy]

Interesting question : does anybody notice a difference betwee the two versions of the Summilux 35 asph?

 

Yes.

 

The last 35 Summilux ASPH I owned had the best focussing action of any Leica lens I've owned. My recently bought new FLE version is smooth and consistent but does require more effort to turn the focussing ring.

[nick.edwards1]

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Mine was never good in this respect until I sent the lens to Solms for repair (for another reason) and asked them to 'look at the focusing stiffness'. It was returned and the focusing stiffness was much improved - acceptable, but no where near as good as my 28 Summicron Asph (which is brilliant). However, since then it seems to have improved slightly with further with use.

I just accept that it is the mechanical complexity of the lens that is the issue.

 

Best regards,

 

Nick.

[lars_bergquist]

The 50mm Summilux ASPH was the first M lens with floating elements. I got a real early one, and that one was so stiff that it was in fact impossible to focus it smoothly – and therefore, precisely. I sent it back to Solms and received it back considerably better. Now, six years later, it is perfectly OK, though the friction is still higher than average for a M lens. My 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE is silky smooth. My guess is simply that recent designs are further advanced along the learning curve.

 

And I love both lenses.

 

The old man

[McMax]

Hi,

After sending my 50 lux to Solms it came back with oli on aperture blades. Is this a problem. Could the oil stain the optics? Should I return it?

[luigi bertolotti]

Hi,

After sending my 50 lux to Solms it came back with oli on aperture blades. Is this a problem. Could the oil stain the optics? Should I return it?

 

It is not uncommon... and most of times not an issue in itself (difficult that oil "reaches" glass) : but some theories point on the fact that oil can favor a "microclimate" within the lenses'cell which, with the aid of certain temperatures, can lead to the birth of the famous and famed fungus... this, imho, depends also on oil's chemical composition... and one can hope that Leica lab pays attention to this potential issue : if I were you, I wouldn't return the item, but ask them something about.

[hoppyman]

Mine was firm initially (new in 2007) and I operated it full range back and forth excessively some hundreds of times in a attempt to 'loosen' it. You might recall feeling it some two years later when it has actually developed detectable play. Not good. Solms checked it and serviced it (for free) including checking calibration to the M8 standard right then in 2009.

 

It came back perfectly smooth and a single finger on the tab moves it readily and precisely with no 'play' or hesitation whatsoever. Two years later it is still perfect in operation.

Not as light action as the new 35 or my Summicron 28 ASPH but even, precise and just right really.

In my view it is madness to even contemplate adding any lubricant from the outside by yourself.

 

Mine is smooth enough, but not as smooth as some other Leica lenses A Leica technician at CS told me that was because it has to drag more moving parts around, being a lens with floating elements. Interesting question : does anybody notice a difference betwee the two versions of the Summilux 35 asph?

I think WD 40 is not the right oil to use; it contains solvents. If one wants to do something like this, which I personally would only do in an emergency, i.e. a lens getting stuck 5 minutes before the shoot of my life, i think I would use pure silicone lubricant.

The real danger is the oil getting on the aperture blades. Or lens elements of course, getting at the cement in between.

[bbbonthemoon]

Both my 50 asph and 35 asph fle luxes got pretty smooth focusing rings, at least nothing ever attracted my attention during focusing. Or maybe I'm just not that sensitive

[jaapv]

If you see in the factory that the focussing components are assembled entiredly by hand and the feel is adjusted by matching parts and checking by hand it is no big surprise that there is quite a bit of sample variation.

[Peter H]

My 50 Lux ASPH is perfectly smooth, buttery even, with just enough resistance never to feel loose. Perfect, in fact.

 

[euston]

My 50 Lux ASPH is perfectly smooth, buttery even, with just enough resistance never to feel loose. Perfect, in fact.

 

My experience exactly. Mine had to go back to Leica for a fault in the aperture ring but the focusing feel is perfect for me. Were it otherwise, it would be a constant annoyance.

[Jeff S]

Known issue and discussed in prior threads (try search). I sent mine to NJ and spoke directly to the technician who worked on my lens. He couldn't do much, as "loosening" it beyond some point could cause more issues. He said that despite measuring tolerances to a very small degree, it surprises even the technicians that seemingly comparable samples behave differently. He said that's just the nature of close tolerance, hand adjusted lenses, and that the 50 Summilux asph in particular is known to be tight for many folks. He also said that the chrome and black lenses are assembled on different lines and that introduces even more variables.

 

I've gotten used to it, and for fine focus adjustments I avoid using the tab. The lens is so good that I now ignore this aspect.

 

Jeff

[peter_n]

I've used two copies of the E43 LHSA version of this lens. The first was silver chrome and very smooth, the second is black paint and not smooth at all. I worked the lens very vigorously last summer and it's a lot better, but it's still nowhere near as smooth as my other ASPH lenses. My 75 Summicron also has a floating element but is perfectly smooth.

 

I'm keeping my BP 50 ASPH and will continue to work it. I'm otherwise very happy with the lens, it focuses perfectly and the output is great. I'm expecting the smoothness to get better over time and whether you want to be bothered assiduously working the lens is up to you; it might be a function of the alternatives which are scarce at the moment.

[250swb]

.

 

I've gotten used to it, and for fine focus adjustments I avoid using the tab. The lens is so good that I now ignore this aspect.

 

Jeff

 

I think its the tab that causes the sense of notchiness, the leverage offered by it makes the focusing over sensitive to the slightest movement and like you I try not to use the tab at all.

 

Otherwise my Summilux is fairly new and has been buttery smooth from new.

 

Steve

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[rsh]

I know that the focusing tab is liked by many of you, but for me, personally, I do not like it on the 50 Summilux Asph. 95 % of the time, I use the ribbed focusing ring and I have actually considered having the tab removed. It feels fine on the 35 Summicron Asph, the 28 Summicron Asph and the 21 Elmarit Asph.

 

Again, personal preference.

[BendixMC]

I really like the tab on my 50 Lux ASPH (black). And yes, smooth and perfect to focus.