stump4545 Posted August 24, 2012 Share #1 Posted August 24, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) are m lenses fragile at all? my m lenses just came back from service for a check up and some that i do not use often and i thought worked perfect, but i had to change the focus mount on (2) of them. ( what is the focus mount anyway?) are m lenses built like tanks or does one still have to be very careful when changing lenses? thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 24, 2012 Posted August 24, 2012 Hi stump4545, Take a look here m lenses endurance. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
tobey bilek Posted August 24, 2012 Share #2 Posted August 24, 2012 You mean the mounting flange so it was coded to current standards or the focus helical which moves the lens in and out to focus? They last forever unless you drop them or you let them sit unused and then the lub goes stiff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stump4545 Posted August 25, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted August 25, 2012 not the mounting flange i dont think since they were 6 bit coded already. any idea then what is the "focus mount" and did i break it? thanks a lot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Messsucherkamera Posted August 25, 2012 Share #4 Posted August 25, 2012 are m lenses fragile at all? Awhile back, a friend picked up my camera bag that had not been properly buttoned up. Somehow the strap became tangled and the bag ended up horizontal in midair, top open. Out hopped my 50 Summilux, which fell about 3-3.5 feet, smacking on a tile hard tile floor that was laid over concrete slab. The 'lux looked okay and seemed to function properly. It was still under warranty so I sent it to LEICA NJ to be checked. There was no damage. Either I was very lucky or Leica lenses are as tough as nails, or maybe a bit of both is the case. Rangefinder mechanisms are vulnerable to impact, though. My M4-P was in a camera bag which was dropped about two feet. I had to send it off to have the rangefinder mechanism recalibrated - the impact had knocked it out of alignment (when focused at infinity distant objects appeared as a slight double image rather than as a single sharp image as they should have) . Maybe the outcome of such mishaps is all in how a dropped camera or lens happens to land. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted August 28, 2012 Share #5 Posted August 28, 2012 I dropped a 50mm non-asph lens about 3 feet to a wooden floor some time ago, with no damage. It landed on it's side and that probably prevented dinging the front. I also have a 50mm cron DR that was recently CLA'd, It's from 1968 and is not only a very special lens, but is working perfectly. Regards, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchout72 Posted September 2, 2012 Share #6 Posted September 2, 2012 I think they are built to last. But I won't suggest treating them rough, dropping them on hard floors (accidentally of course) or exposing them to rain, putting them under the sun, etc, are best, best avoided. At the same time, they are meant to be used and using them actually protects them, the lubrication will be distributed evenly (somewhat), no fungi or funny things growing on the lens and best of all, you get good value (use) from the heavy cash outlay for the ownership of each lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelRabern Posted September 2, 2012 Share #7 Posted September 2, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have a few lenses. I had a very weird issue, and mind you I am kind to my kit. I gently put my camera (mounted with a 2 month old 35luxfle) down on the table after taking a shot, then picked it back up to quickly take another and the focus ring was loose--considerably. I was so confused. Well, Leica NJ was AWESOME and I feel this might be a better testimony to Leica. The lenses are repairable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizard Posted September 5, 2012 Share #8 Posted September 5, 2012 When you send used lenses to Leica, they often find some play in the focus mount, a.k.a. the helicoil. Their aim is to bring the lens back to factory spec, and that may mean a new focus mount or at least some repair work. However, as a normal user you will often not notice the play they are able to measure, so I don't have a problem with play as long as I am not able to detect it. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted September 14, 2012 Share #9 Posted September 14, 2012 One lens which is extremely fragile is the 28-35-50 Tri-Elmar, also called the MATE. It has the most complex focussing mount of any M lens. I dropped mine 18 inches onto ground, well protected in my camera bag and the three rings - aperture, focal length, focussing - locked up solid. There was no cosmetic damage at all and it cost something like £350 for Leica to rebuild the mount. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted September 18, 2012 Share #10 Posted September 18, 2012 no, they, M lenses, are bomb proof Leica M cameras might be a concern - only for the rangefinder mechanism. Having said I misuse my stuff regularly and it all works just fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_g_wolf ✝ Posted September 18, 2012 Share #11 Posted September 18, 2012 One lens which is extremely fragile is the 28-35-50 Tri-Elmar, also called the MATE. It has the most complex focussing mount of any M lens. I dropped mine 18 inches onto ground, well protected in my camera bag and the three rings - aperture, focal length, focussing - locked up solid. There was no cosmetic damage at all and it cost something like £350 for Leica to rebuild the mount. Thx for this, Mark, from, now on I will look after the thing with even more special care. I had sent it in for coding a while ago and they had to charge a bit more than a bit on top to rectify it. Worked great afterwards and I´am VERY pleased with the technical quality of the photographs and with the lens. So far it´s working fine, it never fell. Best GEORG Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted September 21, 2012 Share #12 Posted September 21, 2012 One other point with the MATE is to go easy on the focal length ring. Turn the ring gently and evenly, not as fast as you might a normal zoom lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted September 21, 2012 Share #13 Posted September 21, 2012 They are mostly superbly built with the ultimate (But not lightest) materials and all can be repaired and replaced. A good clean, regrease and check can be well worth it. My 50 Elmar-M that is over 10 years old went away without a 6bit code and a little play (Bur worked perfectly) and now talks to my camera and is perfectly smooth, clean and the play has gone. The concept of servicing for items that last 50+ years is fine by me. My 1968 Summaron is on the fron of my M9-P as I type Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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