Can a lens be damaged from the plane's temperature?

[mikemgb]

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Is baggage handled with less care than parcels?

 

No both are abused equally, I have visited a USPS parcel sorting facility, as the packages enter the facility they are dropped out of their travel container onto a conveyor from a height of 6 feet - and that is just the start of their journey.

[reddot925]

I will.

 

But I think the temp issue most likely had effect when the lubricant had not properly dried after the service.

 

 

Send the lens back to Leica .... now.... while follow- up service might apply. If it's temp related, which I strongly doubt, do you expect to only shoot at room temp from now on?

Jeff

[Chuck Albertson]

I don't think there is a temperature issue. Except for special containers that keep certain cargo cool, temps in the cargo bays are the same as in the cabin. Rough handling and vibrations on a 10-hour flight are the more likely culprits.

[Jeff S]

I will.

 

But I think the temp issue most likely had effect when the lubricant had not properly dried after the service.

Grease is supposed to lubricate, not dry. And it should work in hot or cold. You'll never know what happened after leaving your hands, and that's why hand carrying is advised. Send it off.

 

Jeff

[spydrxx]

Potentially pressurization may have contributed also. When you combine vibration, temperature and pressurization, you have a lot of forces going there. Having said that, I've always carried my Leica gear in the cabin with me, both on commerical flights overseas and private flights domesically and never experienced a problem. Personally, I suspect the lubricant itself, it may have been improperly applied, or it may be a new formulation which hasn't been thoroughly tested in a variety of conditions.

[Jeff S]

As I wrote, the old Leitz grease that DAG has stockpiled, is far superior to the newer grease used by Leica NJ when they admitted to failing to correct my issue. Don expressed his frustrations to me. I don't know what formulation Germany uses, or if NJ still is ignorant of the issue. But nobody knows what might have happened to the lens once out of the OP's hands, including abuse.

 

Jeff

[jdlaing]

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Pressurization wouldn’t harm them Leica M lenses aren’t sealed.

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Pressurization wouldn’t harm them Leica M lenses aren’t sealed.

Is there any chance of the lubricants changing under reduced pressure?

[mmradman]

To me all this talk about pressure drop and lens seizing up is far fetched. For one OP have lens serviced in Germany and had limited amount of time to test before flying back home. Once home he had chance to look at the lens properly and figured out something may be wrong. There is a chance that nothing is wrong with the lens, maybe focus ring needs some workout after being freshly lubed.

 

There must be many cameras and lenses that end up in checked luggage despite that is unwise. If cargo hold conditions were so decremental on photo equipment it would be picked up by industry long time ago and mitigated. Heck, Nikon fly into space on ISS with apparently no modifications to off the shelf equipment. Not sure about lenses.

 

https://petapixel.com/2017/08/25/nasa-just-ordered-53-nikon-d5-dslrs/

 

https://www.diyphotography.net/camera-gear-nasa-use-international-space-station/

[Jeff S]

Is there any chance of the lubricants changing under reduced pressure?

Cargo holds in passenger airplanes are pressurized. And we apparently don't know what lubricant was used anyway...see above.

 

Jeff

[albertknappmd]

send it back but never let a baggage handler touch a lens!

[jdlaing]

Is there any chance of the lubricants changing under reduced pressure?

Not anything modern.

[Leicaiste]

I have a Silver (bronze) LHSA ASPH Summilux-M 50mm.

 

Black paint LHSA ASPH Summilux-M 50mm we’re also made of brass externally.

[Leicaiste]

For the record, I have put Leica stuff in long haul hold baggage without any harm other than, on one occasion, theft of the whole lot.

Theft would be my main concern.

 

Also the fact that I had so many luggages lost for one or more days over the years and usually showing sign of having be opened and searched that I would never leave anything of value in it.

 

Everybody seems to have the keys to open those TSA locks. They offer no security IMO.

[spydrxx]

Is there any chance of the lubricants changing under reduced pressure?

Probably - we used to use reduced pressure to distill various substances from compounds. However, most of this was done at significantly higher temperatures than one would encounter on a commercial aircraft. In my comments I was thinking more of lubricants seeping into places they shouldn't be, reducing the thickness of their coating on  the helicoids.

[gberger]

Cabin altitudes go from sea level (or the field elevation) to 8000' in about 20 minutes. I've traveled quite a bit, carrying my Leica gear with me in the cabin.  No Problem with either lenses or bodies; however, the change in altitude over a short period of time might be deleterious to the human body.

[dugby]

Black paint LHSA ASPH Summilux-M 50mm we’re also made of brass externally.

Ooops sorry.... I had a brain short circuit. You are correct, I incorrectly wrote bronze...... when it is brass.

[DaveNC]

I've had a few friends and relatives work for the airlines in two major cities.  I've head of common 30 foot drops, more like throws, off a platform onto concrete.  Often even falling off the cart at speed, bouncing and rolling.  Then thrown across the concrete towards the place.  I'd never check anything that can break like a lens.

[pgk]

We might apply common sense to work out the most likely cause:

 

Iffy grease from the manufacturer? - Well they built the lens so should be able to sort out which grease to use.

 

Vast temperature changes? - Doesn't seem to be likely in the aircraft hold and these lenses have a wide temperature operating range.

 

Damage in transit? - There is a known problem of rough baggage handling.

 

Difficult to figure?

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Jeff S]

 

Iffy grease from the manufacturer? - Well they built the lens so should be able to sort out which grease to use.

 

Don't know about Germany, but NJ techs have no clue.

 

Jeff