Failed AFwith weird sounds on 35 and 120 lens?

[aCIDfire]

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Last week I realized AF failure on my S2 and Summarit-S 35 (nonCS). When I started the camera unusual sounds appeared when initializing the lens. I didn´t have much time till today when I pass through the FW update of S2 and all of my S lenses (35,70,120,180). Before the update I wanted to take some pictures of my son with S 125/2.5 (nonCS) and even more noisier sounds appeared and AF didn´t work and I can´t take any picture when set on "AF", shutter button didn´t fire:-(( I can only take pictures on MF mode. After FW update of S2 and lenses to last versions the problem with not working AF is still there

 

Here is a video when starting S2 and S-120,..the sound is louder and longer than with S-35.

 

I´am very disappointed what happened in one week with 2 lenses. I´am shooting with Nikon and Sony A7r systems and everything works OK for a long time. With Leica I had to replace H to S adapter in the past which was faulty but It takes more than one month till they replace it and now I´am afraid of attaching my other 2 Leica lenses which are still working OK. Tested AF on 70 and 180 and working normally.

 

What do you think.. Is there a failed AF mechanism of lenses or something wrong with S2? I´am going to write to Solms about this problem too.

 

Thanks,Mark

Edited November 23, 2014 by aCIDfire

[peterv]

Mark, sorry to hear this. From the sound of the youtube video, I've had exactly the same problem with my brand new 120mm CS. This summer it went to Wetzlar twice

 

I started a thread about this over at reddot forum and got quite few replies:

 

http://www.reddotforum.com/forums/topic/leica-120-mm-cs-af-not-working/

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[aCIDfire]

Thank you Peter for the link! The issue with faulty AF have many people as mentioned in that forum thread. It looks like we are paying a lot of money for top of the line lenses but with the highest failure rate Thats really bad..

[peterv]

Indeed, Mark. When everything works, the S system delivers very good IQ, but unfortunately there is something going on with the AF that effects some lenses. This kind of problem was also mentioned somewhere in the German section of the forum, but I can't find it right now.

 

I hope your dealer can assist you and that you'll get your lenses back ASAP.

 

Regards, Peter

[albertknappmd]

Sorry to hear about this.. I have had no trouble with any of the AF issues since 2011 and am indeed fortunate... My question is this: did the AF issues begin early on in the life of the lens or later on?

[aCIDfire]

Sorry to hear about this.. I have had no trouble with any of the AF issues since 2011 and am indeed fortunate... My question is this: did the AF issues begin early on in the life of the lens or later on?

 

Later on,.. I was shooting with S-35 and S-125 almost a year without problems... Next week I´ll send both lenses to Solms.

[rofri]

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I reported in June 2014 that the autofocus on my 120 mm lens failed. It has since been repaired in Wetzlar. Now the same thing happend with my 35 mm lens (all non-CS). This time the lens was returned from Wetzlar within about three weeks.

I wonder when my other lenses (70 and 180 mm) will go off line. The failure rate is very disturbing. How can you go out to far away places with this gear when you never know if it will function or not? The defective lenses did not even work in manual mode.

[ravinj]

Same thing happened with my 120MM Summarit-S. Was working fine and when I used it last week after a gap of 3 months, the AF did not work. I can hear the motor moving, but it seems like it is not "gripping" the surfaces to make the elements move to focus. Very strange to say the least.

[Karaminder]

Just throwing my hat in the ring.

 

My 120mm CS lens has the AF motor/gear broken. I could still change focus manually, but AF would whir up and rev but no movement in the lens. It is currently in Wetzlar.

[120]

Has anyone sent a lens back because the focus ring was too stiff? The ring on a 100/2 is way too stiff...and I want to use it as a manual-focus-only lens. The lens is auto-focussing normally. I turned the ring both on and off the camera for 45 minutes. A 70mm I tried was very stiff but not this stiff. Is this characteristic? Thanks...

[ravinj]

None of the 4 S lenses I have (35/70/120/180) suffered from a stiff zoom ring.

[Photoskeptic]

I was about to burn some plastic and get into a used S system until I began reading about the AF problems with the two lens I wished to start out with - the 35 and 120. These problems have convinced me that the S system is still not ready for prime time.

Edited December 29, 2014 by Photoskeptic
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[ravinj]

Your concern is certainly valid - the AF failures on the lenses is worrying to say the least. The AF on my Summarit-S 120MM just failed with no heavy usage.

 

On the other hand, there are "deals" to be had on the S and S lenses if you look around. I have seen mint condition 35/75/120 go for 50%-60% off retail prices. I was brave (foolish?) to buy a Summarit-S 35MM with broken AF for $1,000 from a photo studio in NYC. Got it repaired by Leica for $750. Pretty good deal for $1,750 total.

 

My only "problem" is that these damned lenses are so good optically that it is hard to get rid of them after you use them. Even the fit and fit and finish is like fine jewellery, though much heavier than a diamond necklace.

[peterv]

I was about to burn some plastic and get into a used S system until I began reading about the AF problems with the two lens I wished to start out with - the 35 and 120. These problems have convinced me that the S system is still not ready for prime time.

 

John, I'd say just go ahead and buy the S stuff you want. There's trouble like this in every system out there, pick your poison. There are thousands of S lenses and some of them have this malfunction. If it happens that's a big inconvenience but there's no guarantees things like this wouldn't happen with other brands.

 

The S system has so much going for it and the images it produces are just fabulous.

 

Best,

 

Peter

[albertknappmd]

I second Peter's astute and incisive comments.

Show me one manufacturer that doesn't have problems!

To paraphrase Bill Clinton's 1992 theme, "It's the OPTICS, stupid!"

Albert:):)

[Photoskeptic]

Albert, I'm certainly in agreement!

Speaking of failures in the field - Leica and Nikon, both 100% reliable. I did have a 6 x 17 which began tearing film (seriously, it started ripping the film in half!) so I disposed of it. Even when many were reporting problems with the M8 and and later the M9, I never had a problem with mine. But the S could represent quite a bit of money down the drain, so I will hold off for a few months. Carrying a big Leica plus lenses plus a Nikon and lenses for backup does not hold much appeal for me. I'm getting too old to put up with equipment failures.

[Dougg]

Fortunately I have not had any AF problems with my 35 Summarit-S. But it has been to Germany for an aperture problem, where it would not stop down beyond about f/5.6, leading to a puzzling mix of normal exposure and overexposure.

 

This was a used lens, "like new in box", and sold for 25+% off list, a much lower price than several other same-model used lenses they offered. It seems possible the original owner ran into this same problem and returned it for exchange.

[Constable]

My 120 CS just developed this fault. On its way to Solms!

 

Ed

[sortvitt]

Same problem with my 70mm CS. AF motors but didn't focus. Fixed by Leica.

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[albireo_double]

Same problem with my 70 CS last week - long whirring sound upon starting the camera, then no AF. Problem discovered while I was packing for a Tuscany trip. Meanwhile, my M240 has been away in Solms for the past two months, to fix unresponsive/delayed shutter (which of course had to happen in the middle of another major trip). The T is saving the day in Chianti now. Leica, please introduce a 'buy one, get the second free' program, to ensure that I have at least one working system at all times!