gpwhite Posted July 16, 2014 Share #1 Posted July 16, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) I recently purchased an Elmarit-M 90mm in silver finish as a portrait companion for my silver MM. I paid quite high to purchase a mint kit with all papers, etc., and the lens arrived in condition that suggested to me that it had never been used... absolutely flawless. Except that it front-focused quite a bit at all distances. OK, I had planned to update with six-bit coding anyways, so I sent the lens off to Leica NJ for a six-bit ring, adjustment of the focus action (I think the lube had solidified in the years of sitting in a box) and calibration of focus for my M240 and MM. I am fortunate to have a silver MM and very early M240 (bad lugs and all) that have the same focus calibration across my lenses . Just got the "new" 90mm Elmarit back today, and it was an interesting find checking things out. The good news is that the focus calibration is perfect... razor sharp where you focus it with either RF or EVF. Superb! The other news is that the technician scratched the flocking behind the rear element pretty badly, and some of the rings that hold the lens together are not quite set right in that you can see gaps now where gunk will accumulate over use. Also, the technician left a nice smear of lube all over the lens! I have stared cleaning this off, and in time the immaculate condition of the silver finish will return. Overall, I am happy that the focus with RF is perfect, so if I have to absorb scratching my lens's innards a bit and not quite re-assembling it perfectly, OK. But here is why I write this post... if you are still interested after the detailed lead in. The notes on the repair history indicate REPAIR FOCUS MOUNT and include two SHIM, 2/90 APO M. Hmmm. And then there is CLEAN OPTICS MOUNT; MTF; TEST SHOTS W/ DIGITAL M TO CONFIRM FOCUS ACCURACY. So, it seems Leica did an extensive mechanical overhaul and calibration test for my lens, and the result shows an optimum result in terms of image quality. My inference is that my 1999 production lens can be brought into better tolerances with current era parts (i.e., APO 90 shims stuck into an Elmarit-M 90 focus mechanism)... I wonder what Leica can do with my R lenses, What does this learned forum think about all of this? Comments? Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 Hi gpwhite, Take a look here CLA story, Leica always interesting. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Fgcm Posted July 16, 2014 Share #2 Posted July 16, 2014 Peter, as you wrote, the lens works fine. About scratches on internal rings, we'll let me say that unscrewing a ring 20 years after first assembly can be challenging. A new ring costs nothing, but we cannot asses if they had a spare one or not. Maybe they didn't put a new one to return the lens to you quickly instead of waiting 2 weeks for the part to arrive from Germany. Scratches on rings do not affect the quality of the lens, so, i would not care about it. A minimum amount of lube helps to preserve the chrome finish. If you want to keep chrome lenses like new for decades, you can buy a patch for cleaning firearms. It leaves a very thin layer of silicon on the chrome surface. This is not necessary on black lenses. It's a different finish which never oxidize due to fingerprints. About tolerances, Leica guys made miracles on my Elmarit M 90 too :-) No idea about what they can do on R lenses. But for sure they bring to "digital life" old M lenses. Franco Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpwhite Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted July 16, 2014 Peter, as you wrote, the lens works fine. About scratches on internal rings, we'll let me say that unscrewing a ring 20 years after first assembly can be challenging. A new ring costs nothing, but we cannot asses if they had a spare one or not. Maybe they didn't put a new one to return the lens to you quickly instead of waiting 2 weeks for the part to arrive from Germany. Scratches on rings do not affect the quality of the lens, so, i would not care about it. A minimum amount of lube helps to preserve the chrome finish. If you want to keep chrome lenses like new for decades, you can buy a patch for cleaning firearms. It leaves a very thin layer of silicon on the chrome surface. This is not necessary on black lenses. It's a different finish which never oxidize due to fingerprints. About tolerances, Leica guys made miracles on my Elmarit M 90 too :-) No idea about what they can do on R lenses. But for sure they bring to "digital life" old M lenses. Franco Franco, thank you so much for all of the information! More than I expected, as you explained the lube smears, the flocking scratch and confirmed your similar experience with an Elmarit-M 90. I note you are in Milano. I will visit next month and planned to drop by NewOld Camera. Is it nice? I know that Thorsten recommends the store. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fgcm Posted July 16, 2014 Share #4 Posted July 16, 2014 I PM you. Franco Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheshireCat Posted July 25, 2014 Share #5 Posted July 25, 2014 How much was the total cost for the Leica NJ service ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted July 25, 2014 Share #6 Posted July 25, 2014 ...I note you are in Milano. I will visit next month and planned to drop by NewOld Camera. Is it nice? ... If you'll be in Milano next month, meaning the weeks around mid August, that is the most typical vacation period all over Italy... most of shops are closed.. and NewOldCamera (though belonging to a Japanese guy...) is no exception... (*) (*) See their site : "FERIE da 03 Agosto fino a 29 Agosto 2014 - Staff NOC" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted July 25, 2014 Share #7 Posted July 25, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) How much was the total cost for the Leica NJ service ? Don't know who you are asking, but I will try to help. A couple of years ago when I would do a 6 bit coding with NJ they included the CLA. Parts were always extra. 6 bit coding went up I believe last year to like around $300. I have just had an R 180/2.8 sent in (APO have to go to Germany so NJ tells me) and it will cost $315. Not near my paperwork right now, Just figure on $300 minimum. Flanges for 6 bit coding will cost you extra, but if not 6 bit coded, why not do it will they have it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpwhite Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted July 25, 2014 How much was the total cost for the Leica NJ service ? The total price was $300, including the return 2-day shipping, just as Lou mentions. The previous time I had six-bit conversions installed on my M6-era lenses, Leica charged only $125 in 2009, if my memory is clear. No CLA was included, however. Again, for my Elmarit-M 90, the focus calibration is now perfecto. So the Adjustment made a dramatic difference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpwhite Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted July 25, 2014 If you'll be in Milano next month, meaning the weeks around mid August, that is the most typical vacation period all over Italy... most of shops are closed.. and NewOldCamera (though belonging to a Japanese guy...) is no exception... (*) (*) See their site : "FERIE da 03 Agosto fino a 29 Agosto 2014 - Staff NOC" Oh No!! Well, I will e-mail both shops mentioned by Franco to see of they will be open. I already learned that three of his five recommended restaurants are closed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpwhite Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted July 25, 2014 Don't know who you are asking, but I will try to help. A couple of years ago when I would do a 6 bit coding with NJ they included the CLA. Parts were always extra. 6 bit coding went up I believe last year to like around $300. I have just had an R 180/2.8 sent in (APO have to go to Germany so NJ tells me) and it will cost $315. Not near my paperwork right now, Just figure on $300 minimum. Flanges for 6 bit coding will cost you extra, but if not 6 bit coded, why not do it will they have it. Lou, please give me your advice from experience about CLA. I related my experience above (substantial improvement in optical performance, but clanky treatment of the metal parts of the lens), and I am now wrestling with what to do about my APO 180/ 2.8 and Summilux-R 80? Both lenses are a bit dusty, focus action sometimes sticky and have odd (to me) jumps in micro-contrast... just closing down to f/3.4 and f/1.7, respectively, makes for very noticeable improvement in center image detail and 3D. I imagine both of these speed demons would need to go to Wetzlar. But I just wonder if CLA will address the issue that concerns me the most = why does performance jump for just a 1/2 stop at maximum aperture? Also, does the dustiness internally matter? Do all of those specks (some of it looks like it could be from the diaphragm because a particles seem to sparkle) eventually damage the lens coating? Thanks .... Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheshireCat Posted July 25, 2014 Share #11 Posted July 25, 2014 I am now wrestling with what to do about my APO 180/ 2.8 and Summilux-R 80? The APO 180 should be amazingly sharp wide open. Stopping down may be hiding focusing errors. Are you nailing focus with LiveView ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpwhite Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share #12 Posted July 25, 2014 The APO 180 should be amazingly sharp wide open. Stopping down may be hiding focusing errors. Are you nailing focus with LiveView ? Well, yes, it is sharp at f/2.8. But f/3.4 brings in another level of micro-contrast and illusion of 3D. I have not tried reducing exposure yet, which sometimes renders the most fine detail with bright lenses. I did not think the 180 has a vignetting issue that could throw off the M lightmeter, but perhaps I should experiment with this. But I understand your point to confirm that f/2.8 and f/4 should be equally crispy with this lens (as I had expected when I bought it). I will do another set of formal tests on a tripod with more exposure bracketing to see if the difference I mentioned earlier persists. If it does, then it sounds like my APO Elmarit 180 needs adjustment. Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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