viramati Posted April 27, 2015 Share #1  Posted April 27, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) My lux 50 asph which I bought new about 6 years ago keeps going out of calibration at infinity. What I mean by this is that  when at the infinity stop it doesn't line up in the focus  patchwhen focused on a very distant object. I had the problem when I had the M9 and now with the M. With all my other lenses the patch lines up fine at infinity but  the Lux 50 has had to go back to SOLMS 3 times for this problem and keeps going out and I have no idea why. In fact I hardly use the lens anymore and took it out of the safe the other day and hey once again it doesn't line up at infinity. To add to the mystery it actually seems to focus correctly at all distances but the focus patch just doesn't line up. Any ideas why this keeps happening even when the lens hasn't even been used!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 27, 2015 Posted April 27, 2015 Hi viramati, Take a look here Lux 50 asph infinity calibration. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted April 28, 2015 Share #2 Â Posted April 28, 2015 If it focuses correctly what does it matter? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted April 28, 2015 Share #3  Posted April 28, 2015 It sounds like a truly bizarre fault if it keeps going wrong.  As Jaap says if it focuses at all other distances accurately what does it matter? As for infinity I just reminded myself what my own 50mm Summilux does, and if I focus half a mile away the focus patch doesn't line up, if I focus one mile away it does. So half a mile isn't infinity even if the last engraving on the barrel before the infinity mark is only 25 feet. But in either case to all intents and purposes both pictures would have been in focus even with the lens at f/1.4 as the with the lens set to infinity the DOF wide open is around 300 feet to infinity.  Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted April 28, 2015 Share #4  Posted April 28, 2015 Make a proper focusing test and probably it will look similar to mine: 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! My road of suffering (had 2 lenses, which were both x-times at CS) ended with selling the Summilux 50 ASPH.  No such behavior with Noctilux 0.95, Cron 50 and APO 50, only Lux 50. My first Lux I had about 6 years and my second Lux I had about 2 years. Both lenses began to develop stiff focus and ended with going out of calibration. The only two lenses I've  had this experience are the Lux 50 ASPH and the APO Cron 75 (first generation of FLE-lenses).  Instead of the APO 75 I now have a APO 90 without FLE and so far could not be happier. At 50 mm lens I stay now with my Nocti and my APO (both are spot on). APO 50 and APO 90 exact focused, are both razor-sharp and I have to be careful that I do not hurt the sensor Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! My road of suffering (had 2 lenses, which were both x-times at CS) ended with selling the Summilux 50 ASPH.  No such behavior with Noctilux 0.95, Cron 50 and APO 50, only Lux 50. My first Lux I had about 6 years and my second Lux I had about 2 years. Both lenses began to develop stiff focus and ended with going out of calibration. The only two lenses I've  had this experience are the Lux 50 ASPH and the APO Cron 75 (first generation of FLE-lenses).  Instead of the APO 75 I now have a APO 90 without FLE and so far could not be happier. At 50 mm lens I stay now with my Nocti and my APO (both are spot on). APO 50 and APO 90 exact focused, are both razor-sharp and I have to be careful that I do not hurt the sensor ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244311-lux-50-asph-infinity-calibration/?do=findComment&comment=2806114'>More sharing options...
viramati Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share #5  Posted April 28, 2015 As I said focus is within the tolerances I would expect it is just bizarre the way it keeps going out even when the lens hasn't been used. So really it is just annoying Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted April 28, 2015 Share #6 Â Posted April 28, 2015 Could you please check if it is the same, if you focus your lens at infinity before you mount the lens to your camera. Would be very interesting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
indergaard Posted April 28, 2015 Share #7 Â Posted April 28, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) I think I'm having the same issue with my 50 Lux ASPH. Infinity does not line up perfectly on my M240. It's close, but still not perfect. On my MP (film) however it is a lot more noticeable for some reason (maybe due to the slightly higher magnification ratio of 0.72 vs 0.68). Â With my 35 FLE this is a non-issue on both cameras. My 35 FLE sits very loose (rotational, up and downwards play) on the MP's mount though, but not on the M240's mount. Very strange! But the 50 Lux sits perfectly on my MP's mount. And the 35 FLE sits perfectly on my M240's mount. Yes, it's very confusing! And Leica is not getting back to me via email regarding this... Â What I find is that anything in the focus area from 10m distance to infinity is also affected by this issue with the 50 Lux. My 50 Lux ASPH is the smoothest lens I've ever handled. The focus barrel turns so easily. The 35 FLE is extremely stiff and hard compared. Â I kept sending my M240 in for calibration based on my tests with the 50 Lux. I guess it must be the lens and not the camera(s). Â I guess it's time to just ship everything to Wetzlar. But summer is almost here... Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted April 28, 2015 Share #8  Posted April 28, 2015 3 different 50/1.4's and multiple trips to Solms before I got one that worked reliably at all distances ..... and then I got a 50/2 apo and never use it anymore......  It IS a problem ......... if you want a quick shot at infinity you expect to be able to just turn the focus ring to the infinity stop and shoot ....... and it is pain if you can't  The same issue occurs with the Leica T adapter for M lenses ...... it is made so that ALL M lenses focus on infinity before the lens is at the infinity stop ....... presumably to accommodate variations etc. I have half a days worth of out of focus shots thanks to this decision by Leica . Have now fitted 0.9mm shims in the adapter and now all my M lenses work perfectly on the T. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
viramati Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share #9  Posted April 28, 2015 Could you please check if it is the same, if you focus your lens at infinity before you mount the lens to your camera. Would be very interesting. just tried this and it makes no difference Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
viramati Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share #10  Posted April 28, 2015 3 different 50/1.4's and multiple trips to Solms before I got one that worked reliably at all distances ..... and then I got a 50/2 apo and never use it anymore......  It IS a problem ......... if you want a quick shot at infinity you expect to be able to just turn the focus ring to the infinity stop and shoot ....... and it is pain if you can't  The same issue occurs with the Leica T adapter for M lenses ...... it is made so that ALL M lenses focus on infinity before the lens is at the infinity stop ....... presumably to accommodate variations etc. I have half a days worth of out of focus shots thanks to this decision by Leica . Have now fitted 0.9mm shims in the adapter and now all my M lenses work perfectly on the T. Interesting. As much as I like the way the 50 lux renders I have all but give up on it as it has been back to SOLMS for so many different issues over the years and I just don't trust it. Nowadays I use the A7II and FE55/1.8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted April 28, 2015 Share #11  Posted April 28, 2015 ... I have all but give up on it ...  wellcome in the club   Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrh68uk Posted April 28, 2015 Share #12  Posted April 28, 2015 Mine doesn't change but it's consistently as yours: at the infinity stop the RF patch does not quite align for very distant objects.  When I received it (ex-demo) it was front-focusing a tad and the actual region of sharpness did not extend to distant objects, although stopping down a bit was a work-around. Following a trip to Germany both camera and lens (plus two other lenses) were inspected and the 50 'lux ASPH was adjusted. The results are now absolutely spot-on, despite the fact that the patch is still ever so slightly off at far distance when the infinity hard stop is reached. Normally "good enough" does not sit well with me but in this case, although a mild irritant, the actual results speak for themselves and so there's no point in rocking the boat. It's a cracking lens and I wouldn't want to be without it.  When you say "keeps going out" do you mean that it gets gradually worse over time so that you can notice it getting worse and worse with the same body? That shouldn't happen and might indicate something being loose inside. I've had mine post-adjustment for a year now and it's the same as it was when it arrived from Germany. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
viramati Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share #13  Posted April 28, 2015 It has adjusted for this same problem 3 times. It comes back fine and then over time the issue returns. From other people's posts it would appear to be a common issue Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted April 28, 2015 Share #14  Posted April 28, 2015 wellcome in the club    That's a pathetic attitude. As I have said, set the lens to its infinity stop and anything beyond 300 feet is going to be in focus anyway as 300 feet is the hyper focal distance of a 50mm lens at f/1.4, any aperture smaller than f/1.4 increases the focus range. So what exactly are you trying to focus on at infinity that isn't coming out sharp?  Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted April 29, 2015 Share #15  Posted April 29, 2015 Don't think it's a pathetic attitude. I have tested Summilux, Noctilux 0.95 and APO-Summicron lens side by side on 3 different bodies. 2 Bodies and lenses came back fresh from CS Wetzlar (and not only one trip to Wetzlar) and 1 body was rented. Even if you go to f4 I think Summilux and Noctilux (letting the APO beside) should coming out just as sharp beyond 300 feet. This is not the case for my example of Summilux (Noctilux is sharper and APO is extraordinary sharp).  ... So what exactly are you trying to focus on at infinity that isn't coming out sharp? ....  Focus over a city and look on the billboards that are far enough away. It is like photographing a newspaper and you can not read it, because the text is fuzzy. By then it is clear that with the lens something must be wrong. This is not important for web resolution, but if you print really large format (A1 or A0).  I am aware M240 is not medium format and certainly not large format, but if body and lens is calibrated exactly and hold the calibration (and the combination is focused exactly), A0 from 24 megapixel body is not impossible. I know that I am demanding, but the price of Leica is also demanding.  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! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244311-lux-50-asph-infinity-calibration/?do=findComment&comment=2806580'>More sharing options...
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