Distressing Problem with Summilux 50 ASPH Hood

[colint544]

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Wow. Glued on parts, nylon posts. I have the 50 Summilux ASPH myself, and it's a stellar performer. I bought it new in 2012. But the aperture ring spins around in a loose and sloppy manner, and the hood is wobbly.

 

Conversely, my battered and scuffed 1959 copy of the 35mm Summaron F2.8 feels built. The aperture ring snicks positively and smoothly, and the tab is solid brass, not plastic, like on the Summilux.

 

I'd bet that there's nothing glued, or plastic, on the Summaron.

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[tobey bilek]

Wow. Glued on parts, nylon posts. I have the 50 Summilux ASPH myself, and it's a stellar performer. I bought it new in 2012. But the aperture ring spins around in a loose and sloppy manner, and the hood is wobbly.

 

Conversely, my battered and scuffed 1959 copy of the 35mm Summaron F2.8 feels built. The aperture ring snicks positively and smoothly, and the tab is solid brass, not plastic, like on the Summilux.

 

I'd bet that there's nothing glued, or plastic, on the Summaron.

 

I had a original 35 Summicron and the optics would spin in the focus mount if moderate force was applied.

 

It seems anything we buy today is of less quality than before and so complicated that repair is difficult to get done properly.

 

I would caution against picking up the camera by lens+ shade. Naturally I have no idea if that was done in this case.

[Joshua Lowe]

The nylon posts are actually pretty clever and elegant. As long as the hood is secured to the lens barrel they're perfect. But that tiny screw seems to be a real weakness. I suspect it's sensitive to backing out due to vibrations since it's metal on metal without any sort of thread locker in place.

[rscheffler]

The exact thing happened to me in early 2012 with my chrome 50 Lux ASPH. Coincidentally, it happened while wandering around about an hour after picking it up from service by Leica (via a Leica store), though the servicing was to recalibrate it. While crossing a bridge I heard a metallic jingle on the sidewalk, only to look down and see the front assembly and name ring on the ground. Perhaps it was luck it didn't fall off while over a muddy section.

 

To be fair, I purchased the lens used and have no idea how the previous owner used it. But my feeling is the tiny set screw is the weak link and being someone who habitually handles M lenses by the lens hood, it probably hastened the failure. In my case, after immediately going back to the Leica store where an apologetic staff member tried to reassemble it, only to find that the screw socket was stripped, I modded the lens and lived with the filter thread portion of the assembly gaffer-taped to the body and a 3rd party hood screwed in. Only a few months ago did I finally part with it long enough to let Leica NJ repair it, but that was because the entire lens had become loose and wobbly enough that focus would shift dramatically depending on how I pressed the lens against the camera... I wonder if the chrome version, being heavier, is more susceptible to loosening?

[semi-ambivalent]

But that tiny screw seems to be a real weakness. I suspect it's sensitive to backing out due to vibrations since it's metal on metal without any sort of thread locker in place.

 

I had this problem once on a 105mm Nikkor hood assembly. Fixed it by putting a very small amount of light oil on that tiny screw. I had some thread lock but couldn't remember its breaking torque and the screw was very small and aluminum. Didn't want to blow out the slot later trying to remove it. The oil worked. (Thanks Singer!)

 

s-a

[steadivision]

Yes,

 

My brand-new 50 ASPH Lux fell apart too. The whole bayonet mount came right off the end of the lens, rolled across the Highline in NYC, and fell a few stories to the street, where it hit a car and broke into two further pieces. I just screwed the first part back on and put it down to experience. The lens looks quite distinctive now, and let's face it, that retractible lens hood was too true to its name—always retracting.

 

The optics, in comparison, are stellar.

 

Chris

[jaapv]

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You never figured out that one can lock it with a little twist when extended? Not that it is much use... Took me some time to figure out too. I guess you should return it to Leica ASAP, if this is not a case for guaranty nothing is.

[Joshua Lowe]

I sent my lens to New Jersey this week for the hood to be replaced.  The screw was starting to back out again and the edge of the hood was slightly dented from the first time it came off.

 

Great lens, though.