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33% failure rate with Leica S system

sortvitt

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Acekerman

Acekerman

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As I longtime M user I am now considering adding a used S2 with a 70mm to my toolset. I am hobbyist and enjoy traveling. (Weight isn't an issue for me) But now I am very weary about investing in S system after reading this thread. My question is how common is failure for the 70mm? What percentage do they? What are the conditions that may cause failure. I really love the output from the S2 and feel I do need fully functioning AF to leverage properly. Thanks everyone for their valuable input.

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sortvitt
sortvitt

I spoke to a veteran Leica technician yesterday on the topic. He was aware of AF lenses failing in this manner and showed me the gear/coupling that breaks. The part was rumored to have been changed to

hoppyman
hoppyman

It must be very frustrating to have problems with any expensive equipment. It is a common trend in the forum for problems to be reported but people (the silent majority we hope) who don't experience a

peterv
peterv

Rick, don't worry too much, there are some quirks, but it's really a very good system. All camera brands have bigger or lesser problems sometimes. Go to DPR and you can find these kind problems in eve

Jeff S

Jeff S

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As I longtime M user I am now considering adding a used S2 with a 70mm to my toolset. I am hobbyist and enjoy traveling. (Weight isn't an issue for me) But now I am very weary about investing in S system after reading this thread. My question is how common is failure for the 70mm? What percentage do they? What are the conditions that may cause failure. I really love the output from the S2 and feel I do need fully functioning AF to leverage properly. Thanks everyone for their valuable input.

 

Can't answer your questions (only Leica really can regarding failure rates), but best advice is to only buy from a reputable dealer with some form of warranty.....and of course carry personal insurance for things the warranty may not.  Even better if you can get some history on the gear.  And always have a backup for important shoots.  Chasing the lowest price in the absence of these steps would be a fools game.

 

Jeff

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Guest

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As I longtime M user I am now considering adding a used S2 with a 70mm to my toolset. I am hobbyist and enjoy traveling. (Weight isn't an issue for me) But now I am very weary about investing in S system after reading this thread. My question is how common is failure for the 70mm? What percentage do they? What are the conditions that may cause failure. I really love the output from the S2 and feel I do need fully functioning AF to leverage properly. Thanks everyone for their valuable input.

 

Truly no answer to your question ... but as a hobbyist you do not have critical needs to supply clients with pictures ... and here is the good news ... Leica has stated that they will fix ANY AF failure gratis regardless of 

warranty status. So this stands far above any other manufacturer out there ... who else would guarantee the AF of their lenses FOREVER.

 

This brought me back to the S ... hedge your bets if needed with a P67 Hasselblad V or Contax lens as a backup and you have a wonderful system.

 

No one knows what spurs the failure other than the AF motor was WAY under spec'd ... 

 

Bob

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ynp

ynp

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As I longtime M user I am now considering adding a used S2 with a 70mm to my toolset. I am hobbyist and enjoy traveling. (Weight isn't an issue for me) But now I am very weary about investing in S system after reading this thread. My question is how common is failure for the 70mm? What percentage do they? What are the conditions that may cause failure. I really love the output from the S2 and feel I do need fully functioning AF to leverage properly. Thanks everyone for their valuable input.

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ynp

ynp

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As I longtime M user I am now considering adding a used S2 with a 70mm to my toolset. I am hobbyist and enjoy traveling. (Weight isn't an issue for me) But now I am very weary about investing in S system after reading this thread. My question is how common is failure for the 70mm? What percentage do they? What are the conditions that may cause failure. I really love the output from the S2 and feel I do need fully functioning AF to leverage properly. Thanks everyone for their valuable input.

I have had two lenses with the AF problems. One lens I sent to the dealer, another one, the 24 mm. works well without the autofocus and I do not need to repair it now.

 

My strategy is simple. I use many HC and Contax lenses in the studio and can swap the faulty lens. On location, shooting people, I have two Contax lenses as a backup ,the 55 mm of 80mm. They are lightweight and and left on the bottom of my roller bag. They are very good performers. A ND filter is a useful backup too.

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  • 2 months later...
johnnyngai

johnnyngai

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same happened in others lens that is not not internal focusing, recess the lens (e.g. set to infinite when not using) to avoid any damage to the focusing ring due to external force on the moving part of the lens, when not use avoid putting the moving part of the lens on the floor.

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sortvitt

sortvitt

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This morning my Summicron-S motor died in the middle of autofocus in LiveView mode. Id been using it for ten minutes or so in LiveView. Second casualty after the S35. Off to Germany.

 

I think it's fair to conclude the mechanical design of the current S lenses is flawed. What Leica will do to address this in the long run is unclear. Maybe we will see a revised S lens lineup based on SL lens AF/mechanics - they seem to hold up well. 

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mwilliamsphotography

mwilliamsphotography

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Were I to be considering a used S or CS lens, I'd search for one that had already failed and was recently serviced by Leica Germany. 

 

For example, I've had more than my share of AF fails ... most recently a CS-180 which I sent off months ago and have heard absolutely nothing about. Not a peep. Just prior to that I had a CS-70 fail which went off to the "black hole of Leica service" only to suddenly show up from UPS with no prior shipping communication 3.5 months later.  If I were to sell that lens, or any other that had been serviced, I'd be sure to mention that to any prospective buyer. 

 

The only caution is Leica didn't include any indication as to what the repair was (no work sheet, no indication of repair, just the lens which now works and sounds smoother than the original) ... they are very cryptic about all this, or at least very inconsistent. Hard proof of a AF repair may be hard to provide ... so be aware of the seller's reputation because you may have to take their word for it.

 

To Leica's credit, all lens failures I've experienced have been fixed for free.

 

BTW, lack of SL lens AF failure is no indication of anything ... they are all new lenses. None of my S lenses failed early on (except a new CS-45 that failed with-in a week).  Hopefully, they DID learn from the S lens fiasco. 

 

- Marc

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SaW

SaW

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I purchased a new 35mm CS lens 2 months ago at a very good price (shop bankruptcy). Did not take my body with me, and even didn't think about testing this new lens. At home: AF error...

Fortunately Leica accepted without hesitation to repair the AF under warranty. It took 3 weeks before getting it back with an After Sales intervention report.

 

At the Belgian Leica office they said the Leica support is way better than 1 or 2 years before, the move to Wetzlar made a huge mess but it's now over.

Edited by SaW
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albertknappmd

albertknappmd

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I had issues a few years ago with my  120mm lens where the AF failed and locked the lens so that  the MF was not usable. Sent it back and it was replaced with new lens...

Since then fine. However, I always test the lenses intensively here in New York before going away on a trip and try to build in redundancy. I suspect that the time I don't follow protocol is when another lens or body will fail...

Albert :)  :)  :)  

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  • 3 weeks later...
hoppyman

hoppyman

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I have asked Solms if this repair can be speeded up as it amongst my most used lenses. I 'lost' my 120mm for about 8 weeks but that was not an issue as my S2 was also away!

 

john

John you mean Wetzlar! I hope that there aren't a pile of lost deliveries at the door of the old now vacated factory
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Guest

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"The focus of the Leica presence this year at photokina 2016 in Cologne will be on professional photography..."

 

https://us.leica-camera.com/Company/Press-Centre/Press-Releases/Press-Releases-2016/Press-Release-Leica-at-photokina-2016

 

Yes looking forward to when they get to this level:

 

http://www.camerawest.com/cwblog/2016/08/08/guest-blog-jeff-cables-inside-canons-olympic-operations/

 

 

Bob

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