CaptainYooh Posted September 21, 2012 Share #1 Â Posted September 21, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello, my first post here, please be gentle. Â I own several Leica-R lenses that I use on my Nikon D800E and D3X via Leitax and Fotodiox adapters, because I really like the glass. I recently purchased a Leica R3 Mot body + Leitz Wetzlar Elmarit-R 28mm f/28 Lens combo. I didn't plan on using a body, just the lens. But it appears to be stuck. I cannot rotate focus ring or the aperture ring. Is there a "magic trick" or is this a known problem? Â If it's important, this is a 2-Cam version of the lens. Â Â Any helpful advice or assistance would be very much appreciated. Thank you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcentsale Posted September 21, 2012 Share #2 Â Posted September 21, 2012 I have nothing to add in terms of an answer, but I'm currently looking at either the Canon 5D Mark ii or a Nikon D600 myself. (I'd prefer the Nikon since I have access to F-mount glass.) I'm hesitant about modding my lenses for the Nikon, both due to the cost of Leitaxing each individual lens, and that I've heard some lenses manage to interfere with mirror travel. Â I currently own Leica R and M42 -> 4/3 fotodiox adapters and love them. Are the Leitax ones that much better that they cost 2x-3x as much? And have you had to sand down lens parts or "shave" your mirror in your 800? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmradman Posted September 21, 2012 Share #3 Â Posted September 21, 2012 Welcome to the forum. Â Can you remove lens from the camera? Can you see any damage on lens barrel - pinch on the lens barrel that would prevent rotation of the focusing ring? Â Sometimes old lens get stuck due to lack of use and grease used to lubricate focusing mechanism getting dried out. Â I am not particularly familiar with your specific R lens but generally prime lenses are very robust and simple mechanical construction and there is hardly anything to go wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainYooh Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share #4 Â Posted September 21, 2012 ... Are the Leitax ones that much better that they cost 2x-3x as much? And have you had to sand down lens parts or "shave" your mirror in your 800? Â I don't buy lenses that require significant modification to fit Nikon F-mount bodies and that can interfere with the mirrors. I also don't buy lenses that requjire irreversible modifications. I use several older Hasselblad Carl Zeiss lenses via Novoflex and Fotodiox adapters and love them. I do not have a lot of experience with Leica glass but I find it even sharper than Hasselblad. Â Canon bodies can accept Leica R glass easier than Nikon, via a simple adapter. But I don't use Canon at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmradman Posted September 21, 2012 Share #5  Posted September 21, 2012 I have nothing to add in terms of an answer, but I'm currently looking at either the Canon 5D Mark ii or a Nikon D600 myself. (I'd prefer the Nikon since I have access to F-mount glass.) I'm hesitant about modding my lenses for the Nikon, both due to the cost of Leitaxing each individual lens, and that I've heard some lenses manage to interfere with mirror travel. I currently own Leica R and M42 -> 4/3 fotodiox adapters and love them. Are the Leitax ones that much better that they cost 2x-3x as much? And have you had to sand down lens parts or "shave" your mirror in your 800?  Most R lenses fit to Nikon full frame without shaving, exceptions are Elmarit R19mm V2 and Summilux 35mm. Some like fisheye and 24mm want fit on FF.  If you need convincing check posts #221 to #224 on http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-r-leica-flex/161537-r-solution-more-details-12.html  Leitax is superior, I didn't try cheaper adaptors but others who did regret at times, never with Leitax. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainYooh Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share #6  Posted September 21, 2012 Welcome to the forum. Can you remove lens from the camera? Can you see any damage on lens barrel - pinch on the lens barrel that would prevent rotation of the focusing ring?  Sometimes old lens get stuck due to lack of use and grease used to lubricate focusing mechanism getting dried out.  I am not particularly familiar with your specific R lens but generally prime lenses are very robust and simple mechanical construction and there is hardly anything to go wrong. Thank you. Yes, I took the lens off the body easily, no problems, just a push of a button and a twist. No, there is no visible damage on the barrel at all. Lens looks in great shape. The lens doesn't look old and forgotten. I can feel that there's something holding the rings, as I am able to move them just a micron to the left and right. I remember having a similar issue with one Hasselblad Zeiss lens and I found that it simply needed to be "cocked" (funny term, I know). There was a screw head that needed to be half-turned releasing the lens rings. I was hoping this lens would have something similar to that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmradman Posted September 21, 2012 Share #7 Â Posted September 21, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Can you operate aperture ring ok? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larcomb Posted September 21, 2012 Share #8 Â Posted September 21, 2012 Hello, my first post here, please be gentle. Â I own several Leica-R lenses that I use on my Nikon D800E and D3X via Leitax and Fotodiox adapters, because I really like the glass. I recently purchased a Leica R3 Mot body + Leitz Wetzlar Elmarit-R 28mm f/28 Lens combo. I didn't plan on using a body, just the lens. But it appears to be stuck. I cannot rotate focus ring or the aperture ring. Is there a "magic trick" or is this a known problem? Â If it's important, this is a 2-Cam version of the lens. Â Â Any helpful advice or assistance would be very much appreciated. Thank you. Â The R-3 uses the 'third' cam. You need to have that cam added for the meter to couple for wide-open metering. That should not, however, cause the thing to jam. A trip to a service facility is in order. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcentsale Posted September 21, 2012 Share #9  Posted September 21, 2012 Most R lenses fit to Nikon full frame without shaving, exceptions are Elmarit R19mm V2 and Summilux 35mm. Some like fisheye and 24mm want  My shortest right now is an Elmarit 28. I'm not near my gear presently, and don't recall off-hand which variant it is, Yooh, but I've never experienced any issues with either focusing or aperture rings on the lens. :/  Looks like the market has made my choice for me. Nobody has the D600 in stock right now. Heh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainYooh Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share #10 Â Posted September 21, 2012 Can you operate aperture ring ok? No. Both rings are stuck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainYooh Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share #11 Â Posted September 21, 2012 The R-3 uses the 'third' cam. You need to have that cam added for the meter to couple for wide-open metering. That should not, however, cause the thing to jam. A trip to a service facility is in order. We don't have one here in Calgary. So, if there's no solution, I would have to initiate a return for refund procedure, which is a hassle, of course. I really like the exterior condition of the lens and glass, it looks like new, practically, despite its age. It's just hard to take that something serious is wrong with it inside. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larcomb Posted September 21, 2012 Share #12 Â Posted September 21, 2012 We don't have one here in Calgary. So, if there's no solution, I would have to initiate a return for refund procedure, which is a hassle, of course. I really like the exterior condition of the lens and glass, it looks like new, practically, despite its age. It's just hard to take that something serious is wrong with it inside. Â It looks like you'll have to send it away to Leica or an independent facility. You need the cam to be added anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmradman Posted September 21, 2012 Share #13 Â Posted September 21, 2012 No. Both rings are stuck. Â If lens looks sound i would hazard a guess lens was subject to Leitax conversion that was attempted but not completed and lens was re-assembled wrongly. Â Reason I say this is i have number of leitax conversions under my belt and at times things don't work fist time round and i am left with stuck aperture ring, can't recall stuck focussing, eventually i get things to work once i figure correct orientation of various parts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainYooh Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share #14 Â Posted September 21, 2012 If lens looks sound i would hazard a guess lens was subject to Leitax conversion that was attempted but not completed and lens was re-assembled wrongly. Â Reason I say this is i have number of leitax conversions under my belt and at times things don't work fist time round and i am left with stuck aperture ring, can't recall stuck focussing, eventually i get things to work once i figure correct orientation of various parts. I doubt it, Mladen. According to the seller, this camera and lens was from a devout Leica shooter, who had many Leica cameras and lenses. This body+lens combo was sold together right from his collection. The screws all look untouched. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmradman Posted September 21, 2012 Share #15 Â Posted September 21, 2012 I doubt it, Mladen. According to the seller, this camera and lens was from a devout Leica shooter, who had many Leica cameras and lenses. This body+lens combo was sold together right from his collection. The screws all look untouched. Â Can't offer further assistance, beyond my experience, as suggested above either checkup by qualified repairman or return/refund. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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