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Zeiss lenses for Leica M


carcam

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Most of all Leitz lenses have metal focus tab. It looks like metal focus tab was until Summaron, first Cron 35. I have no evidence regarding current Leica made lenses have same kind of plastic as from Canadian era, if plastic at all for the focus tabs. And Canadian lenses where it is plastic for sure are easy to have plastic tab changed. I have done it by myself on Elmarit-M 28 2.8 III. Replacement tabs are available on-line.

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Especially when I have converging lines, I take care to keep the subject (ie. trees, tall buildings, etc) within the frame so that when I alter the convergence in photoshop I can lose some area on the sides of the picture when the subject is straightened.    

 

That's very clever - thank you for that tip. I do quite a bit of architectural work and use a hot shoe viewfinder for composition (see posts above), but I will try this with my 21 and the 28mm frame lines.

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The 25mm Biogon works beautifully on the M9, giving very crisp detail across the image and with excellent contrast and colour.  I cannot speak for the 50mm Planar as I have never used it, but the various images on the internet suggest it has tremendous sharpness and colour, too.

 

My caveat about the Zeiss lenses that no one has mentioned is 'Zeiss wobble'.  Numerous people online have reported that the barrels of their Zeiss ZM lenses have become loose over time, leading to grinding focus rings and internal damage to the lens helical.  My collection has the following lenses and issues:

 

21mm Biogon - purchased secondhand 2010 from Hong Kong, mechanically perfect

 

25mm Biogon - purchased secondhand 2010 in Melbourne, has developed increasing roughness in focusing

 

28mm Biogon - purchased brand new in Hong Kong, has very loose barrel, focus is very rough and 'dry', and there is visible long scratching of the internal helical mechanism, right down to the brass.  I am no longer using this lens until I send it in for service with Zeiss.

 

50mm Sonnar - purchased secondhand 2011 from Hong Kong, lens barrel is becoming very slightly loose, and the focus ring 'clicks' when wiggled vertically

 

None of my Leica or Voigtlander lenses exhibit this behaviour, nor have there been such widespread reports of mechanical issues as with the Zeiss lenses.

 

Optically they are superb.  Mechanically they seem to be hit and miss.  But with the 25mm Biogon, you can take photos like this:

 

4565068532_fae7412ea8_z.jpgM9 + ZM 25/2.8 - Town Hall by Archiver, on Flickr

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Leica plastic tabs.

 

Plastic.

 

I mean c-o-m-e. O-n.

Most of all Leitz lenses have metal focus tab. It looks like metal focus tab was until Summaron, first Cron 35. I have no evidence regarding current Leica made lenses have same kind of plastic as from Canadian era, if plastic at all for the focus tabs. And Canadian lenses where it is plastic for sure are easy to have plastic tab changed. I have done it by myself on Elmarit-M 28 2.8 III. Replacement tabs are available on-line.

 

 

Has anyone had a failure of the focus tab because it is made from plastic? It is not as if the tab is subjected to any great load that plastic is not capable of handling.

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Has anyone had a failure of the focus tab because it is made from plastic? It is not as if the tab is subjected to any great load that plastic is not capable of handling.

 

Such failures have been reported on lenses fom the seventies or eighties IINW. On 35mm pre-asph lenses if memory serves but i haven't got any problem with my copies. Otherwise it is not clear if current focus tabs are made of metal or plastic at all but they feel sturdy. Hardly more so than the ZM focus knobs though, the latter being made of metal as part of the focus rings apparently.

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The 25mm Biogon works beautifully on the M9, giving very crisp detail across the image and with excellent contrast and colour.  I cannot speak for the 50mm Planar as I have never used it, but the various images on the internet suggest it has tremendous sharpness and colour, too.

 

My caveat about the Zeiss lenses that no one has mentioned is 'Zeiss wobble'.  Numerous people online have reported that the barrels of their Zeiss ZM lenses have become loose over time, leading to grinding focus rings and internal damage to the lens helical.  My collection has the following lenses and issues:

 

21mm Biogon - purchased secondhand 2010 from Hong Kong, mechanically perfect

 

25mm Biogon - purchased secondhand 2010 in Melbourne, has developed increasing roughness in focusing

 

28mm Biogon - purchased brand new in Hong Kong, has very loose barrel, focus is very rough and 'dry', and there is visible long scratching of the internal helical mechanism, right down to the brass.  I am no longer using this lens until I send it in for service with Zeiss.

 

50mm Sonnar - purchased secondhand 2011 from Hong Kong, lens barrel is becoming very slightly loose, and the focus ring 'clicks' when wiggled vertically

 

None of my Leica or Voigtlander lenses exhibit this behaviour, nor have there been such widespread reports of mechanical issues as with the Zeiss lenses.

 

Optically they are superb.  Mechanically they seem to be hit and miss.  But with the 25mm Biogon, you can take photos like this:

 

4565068532_fae7412ea8_z.jpgM9 + ZM 25/2.8 - Town Hall by Archiver, on Flickr

Another problem with Zeiss lenses is that the lens elements are mounted and shimmed individually. If one element shifts, it is a hell of a job to get the lens fully adjusted again.(courtesy of a Biogon 28 that did exactly this to me and thus to Will va Manen ;)) Leica lenses are built as an optical cell which is far more sturdy.

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I used to own the Biogon 35 f2 and shot it on film only.  It produced amazing photos, especially on Tri-X.  Ultimately I sold it because I preferred the ergonomics and size of Leica lenses.  Zeiss lenses are great and I recommend them highly.

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Another problem with Zeiss lenses is that the lens elements are mounted and shimmed individually. If one element shifts, it is a hell of a job to get the lens fully adjusted again.(courtesy of a Biogon 28 that did exactly this to me and thus to Will va Manen ;)) Leica lenses are built as an optical cell which is far more sturdy.

I'm not familiar with lens design, what does optical cell mean?

 

I've read about Zeiss wobble and that worries me, also the lack of support if it happens, or a costly repair. I'd like to think Leica would fix FOC in such circumstances.

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