Leica Elmarit 28mm f2.8 ASPH problem

[JKphotography]

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Hi there!

 

Yesterday i was at a wedding, i mounted the hood on my Elmarit 28mm and suddenly the complete front of the lens started turning

 

Even the ring on the front with the text on it turned.

 

Don't know if it's a big problem or not (doesn't affect the image quality). But maybe there is a loose screw or something?

 

Any ideas?

 

Cheers JK

[jippiejee]

I have that same lens and just sent it off to Solms this week for repair after my lens head front element started to wobble as well. I just got the repair estimate today where they said they'd fix the front element and adjust all the parts. Good to see it'll be done for free as covered by the warrenty.

[adan]

Basically, all the glass, and the aperture ring, are a unit that screws into the focus ring. There is supposed to be a lock on the threads, but it comes loose sometimes. Also true for the 35 f/2 ASPH and pre-ASPH - and we have a customer's 35 Summilux ASPH in to Leica for a similar problem.

 

Because the glass is a unit, this won't affect the optical design (spacing between glass bits) and thus image quality directly. But it can affect the focus, since if the glass is forward of the correct position, the rangefinder is no longer accurately representing the actual location of the image plane.

 

What usually brings this on is using the rectangular clip-on lens shades as a grip when unmounting the lens. It is a very tempting handle - but applies torque to the front of the lens instead of directly to the lens mount. Which will eventually break the locking glue.

 

I've had a couple of 35 pre-ASPH lenses with unscrewable front parts, and lived with them for years with no focus problem, by simply training myself to reach OVER the shade and grip the back of the lens for mounting and unmounting.

[lct]

Basically, all the glass, and the aperture ring, are a unit that screws into the focus ring. There is supposed to be a lock on the threads, but it comes loose sometimes. Also true for the 35 f/2 ASPH and pre-ASPH...

+1 Not sure if there is a lock though. I would not worry too much as my 35/2 IV has been doing this for 30+ years with no focusing problems so far. Better refrain from using hoods to mount / unmount lenses BTW.

[Jsalvador74]

My 28mm Elmarit ASPH was bought brand new less than 1 year ago in 2017....as of today, the entire aperture ring came off. Btw, this lens has seen action a fee times only and like my other stuff, has been given immaculate care. 

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