stump4545 Posted August 12, 2013 Share #1 Posted August 12, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have been messing around with a Leica 50mm 2.8 M Elmar Collapsible and noticed that compared to my 90mm elmar f4 macro, once my 90mm locks into the extended position is stays there without having to worry about it accidentally folding down. my 90mm just seems to function better extending and folding. Is there a problem with my copy of the 50mm M- elmar or is that how they are made? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 12, 2013 Posted August 12, 2013 Hi stump4545, Take a look here Leica 50mm M 2.8 Elmar. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
01af Posted August 12, 2013 Share #2 Posted August 12, 2013 In the extended position, any collapsible Leitz or Leica lens can and must be firmly locked. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted August 12, 2013 Share #3 Posted August 12, 2013 They obviously aren't made so they don't lock in place, so it may need some adjusting. If you can't feel a slight increase in resistance as you turn the barrel into the locked position then it definitely does. The friction only needs to be enough to stop the aperture ring turning the barrel as it is rotated, so the alternative way to look at it may be to consider if your aperture ring is too tight. But there is no 'click' or detent with the 50mm Elmar. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen.w Posted August 12, 2013 Share #4 Posted August 12, 2013 I've never used the 90 so can't compare the two, and this advice may be so obvious as not to be worth mentioning, but I also struggled with my 50 Elmar-M at first: When you collapse the lens, line the white dot on the outside of the aperture ring up with the red bubble at the bottom of the lens. When you extend it, extend it fully at that position, and then rotate it to the centre marking on the lens. It should lock firmly into place -- at least mine does. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted August 12, 2013 Share #5 Posted August 12, 2013 My 90/4 macro locks better in place than one my Elmar 50/2.8 as well. I'm using the latter much more though so i dropped a drop of loctite on its barrel to prevent collapsing for good. Don't do it yourself if you don't want to avoid the warranty. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen.w Posted August 12, 2013 Share #6 Posted August 12, 2013 i dropped a drop of loctite on its barrel to prevent collapsing for good. Don't do it yourself if you don't want to avoid the warranty. Being able to collapse it was why I got one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted August 12, 2013 Share #7 Posted August 12, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) Same for me but i was using film then. I've kept an untouched sample with my M6J though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 12, 2013 Share #8 Posted August 12, 2013 The Elmar M is not the best-made leica lens mechanically, unfortunately. The extending mechanism, the focussing ring and aperture ring have a bit of a "cheap" feel. It is a lovely little lens optically though, so we can forgive it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted August 12, 2013 Share #9 Posted August 12, 2013 None of my samples has this feeling i must say. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
honcho Posted August 12, 2013 Share #10 Posted August 12, 2013 The Elmar M is not the best-made leica lens mechanically, unfortunately. The extending mechanism, the focussing ring and aperture ring have a bit of a "cheap" feel..... Apart from being utter drivel, how is that supposed to help the OP? The Elmar-M 50mm should positively lock into place when extending it. Half-stop detents on the aperture ring from f2.8-f8 and full stop detents from f8-f16 are clearly felt and heard and the focussing ring feel is fast & precise on mine. If adjusting the aperture ring causes the lens extension to disengage, the OP's lens needs some attention. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philcycles Posted August 12, 2013 Share #11 Posted August 12, 2013 I have been messing around with a Leica 50mm 2.8 M Elmar Collapsible and noticed that compared to my 90mm elmar f4 macro, once my 90mm locks into the extended position is stays there without having to worry about it accidentally folding down. my 90mm just seems to function better extending and folding.Is there a problem with my copy of the 50mm M- elmar or is that how they are made? As I remember there is a threaded ring that can be tightened to make the dogs on the tube engage more firmly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stein K S Posted August 12, 2013 Share #12 Posted August 12, 2013 They obviously aren't made so they don't lock in place, so it may need some adjusting. If you can't feel a slight increase in resistance as you turn the barrel into the locked position then it definitely does. The friction only needs to be enough to stop the aperture ring turning the barrel as it is rotated, so the alternative way to look at it may be to consider if your aperture ring is too tight. But there is no 'click' or detent with the 50mm Elmar. Steve Exactly! There are two small "something" at the back of the lens tube to be extended and the "bend" of these are supposed to provide this resistance when "locked" (sorry about my english). Read something about how to do this yourself once, but I did this tightening with great success in Solms. Lovely lens. Have the silver one which gives a true qualty feel. However, the focussing barrel have become somewhat loose a couple of times. Stein Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 12, 2013 Share #13 Posted August 12, 2013 Apart from being utter drivel, how is that supposed to help the OP? The Elmar-M 50mm should positively lock into place when extending it. Half-stop detents on the aperture ring from f2.8-f8 and full stop detents from f8-f16 are clearly felt and heard and the focussing ring feel is fast & precise on mine. If adjusting the aperture ring causes the lens extension to disengage, the OP's lens needs some attention. If that were drivel, how come it describes mine, bought new and pronounced "Konstruktionsbedingt" by Leica exactly? Which I find a bit of a lame excuse as my Elmar 2.8/50 is far better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted August 12, 2013 Share #14 Posted August 12, 2013 I think I can shed some hope that the solution is just at your finger's tip. This very helpful information was given in the German forum, though unfortunately I can't find the original posting anymore; but I am certain that it works, since it "cured" my Elmar which was going to develop the problem described in the original posting as well as a collapsible 50mm Summicron, which certainly had this problem for long. If you look at the end of retractable tube of you Elmar, you see a slit in the tube. See my example here: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! There are three such slits around the tube. Now use your fingernail (I really mean this!) to uplift the metal part above the slit. It should be very slightly higher than the rest of the tube. When I did it, it was easy to lift it slightly with my fingernail. Do this with all three slits at your tube. Afterwards try to lock you lens: it should work. The Elmar to which I applied the cure is just right now, the Summicron, which was very loose, is almost too tight now, but it locks as it is supposed to do. If you fingernails happen to be too short for the purpose, you may try with a wooden toothpick. In any case do not , not try to do this with a metal tool - screwdriver or anything similar! You might damage the tiny metal part above the slit, since it is rather soft (aluminium or brass). Older lenses e.g. the 3.5/cm Elmar don't have this slit, but just a ground elevation at the tube's end. This is more stabile, but the "new" design (my Summicron is older than I am) can be easily set right by the method described above. Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! There are three such slits around the tube. Now use your fingernail (I really mean this!) to uplift the metal part above the slit. It should be very slightly higher than the rest of the tube. When I did it, it was easy to lift it slightly with my fingernail. Do this with all three slits at your tube. Afterwards try to lock you lens: it should work. The Elmar to which I applied the cure is just right now, the Summicron, which was very loose, is almost too tight now, but it locks as it is supposed to do. If you fingernails happen to be too short for the purpose, you may try with a wooden toothpick. In any case do not , not try to do this with a metal tool - screwdriver or anything similar! You might damage the tiny metal part above the slit, since it is rather soft (aluminium or brass). Older lenses e.g. the 3.5/cm Elmar don't have this slit, but just a ground elevation at the tube's end. This is more stabile, but the "new" design (my Summicron is older than I am) can be easily set right by the method described above. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/210601-leica-50mm-m-28-elmar/?do=findComment&comment=2396091'>More sharing options...
120 Posted August 12, 2013 Share #15 Posted August 12, 2013 I had the same problem except with the 90 macro, which Leica NJ put right. Now my 90 has the same feel as the 50 Elmar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 12, 2013 Share #16 Posted August 12, 2013 When I check my lens, two of the three springs are missing. As I bought it and returned it for poor mechanical quality in the early spring of 2007, when the company was at the absolute nadir of its fortunes and as close to bankruptcy as any company can be and not collapse, I guess I should send it in again and have it put right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otto.f Posted August 13, 2013 Share #17 Posted August 13, 2013 I have had no problems with my copy in that respect. I must say that I formerly owned another copy, from the time the M6J came out, I now own a newer version, and that there was a very big difference optically between the two. My actual copy is astoundingly good, the mechanics too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stump4545 Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share #18 Posted August 13, 2013 thanks for all the info. to clarify my problem when my 50mm elmar is in the locked extended position it too easily falls out of the locked position. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted August 13, 2013 Share #19 Posted August 13, 2013 ...I formerly owned another copy, from the time the M6J came out, I now own a newer version, and that there was a very big difference optically between the two... I don't see any difference on my pics i must say but i don't use much the M6J's any more. Would you have any information about an optical difference? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otto.f Posted August 13, 2013 Share #20 Posted August 13, 2013 I don't see any difference on my pics i must say but i don't use much the M6J's any more. Would you have any information about an optical difference? My second copy gave much sharper and more brilliant results, maybe it was a coincidence Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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