Summicron-SL manual focusing feeling

[ericborgstrom]

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The focusing feeling of the M lenses is exceptional. Soft and without any initial hesitation. This lens action is important for fast and accurate focusing.

Now I have tried several Summicron-SL lenses (75 and 35mm). They all had an initial ”stickiness” and a somewhat harsh feeling when turning the focusing ring. Like the greasing hade aged.

Initially I thought the focusing would improve during use, but no. 

It does not have to be so. My 75mm made an eight week round trip to Wetzlar returning in much improved condition. Today I bought a 35 mm and to Wetzlar it went. 

Am I being picky or is it perhaps bad luck? Should you not expect the new Summicron-SL to have ”buttery smooth” focusing feeling without a return trip?

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[AZN]

5 hours ago, ericborgstrom said:

Today I bought a 35 mm

Count yourself lucky.  At a guess maybe only 20 copies have been released world-wide.

So cannot see too many people being able to answer your question.  As a rule though, fly-by-wire focus is always a poor substitute for mechanical focus.

Hence buying these "announce-first-then-maybe-release-half-a-year-later" lenses would be mainly for AF use. There are plenty of very good MF alternatives (which you can actually buy, like now).

Sorry for the annoyed tone.

[grahamhoey]

I have the SL 35mm and 90mm. The 35mm focus ring is much stickier than the 90mm. I am wondering about sending it for service as you have done

[Chuck Albertson]

I haven't experienced this with either the 90 or the 35, though I only use MF occasionally to touch up autofocus on something static. It's not a matter of greases cooking off - it's all focus-by-wire, no mechanical linkage.

[ericborgstrom]

39 minutes ago, Chuck Albertson said:

I haven't experienced this with either the 90 or the 35, though I only use MF occasionally to touch up autofocus on something static. It's not a matter of greases cooking off - it's all focus-by-wire, no mechanical linkage.

Great that you got smooth manual focusing SL lenses out of the box!

But turning the focusing ring is mechanical. Lubrication of some sort plays a role. And so does the mechanical linkage. There are two focusing groups in both the 35 and 75 mm Summicron-SL that has to be mowed.

The second time around Wetzlar got it right on my 75mm. Hope the same for my 35mm.

[LocalHero1953]

I'm curious why you have bought the SL versions for manual focus. Is it purely for the image quality? If I want manual focus, I use the Apo-Summicron-M 75 or the Summilux-M 35 FLE, valuing the small size (and smooth focus action). I have the Summicron-SL 90, but don't use it in manual focus: the focus by wire on the SL/TL lenses works adequately for me, but is still unintuitive with its dual torque behaviour.

The only SL/TL lens I manually focus is the Apo-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60, where I use high torque manual focusing to get into the macro range quickly, then low torque manual focusing to fine focus.

[thighslapper]

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1 hour ago, ericborgstrom said:

Great that you got smooth manual focusing SL lenses out of the box!

But turning the focusing ring is mechanical. Lubrication of some sort plays a role. And so does the mechanical linkage. There are two focusing groups in both the 35 and 75 mm Summicron-SL that has to be mowed.

The second time around Wetzlar got it right on my 75mm. Hope the same for my 35mm.

?????

There is just a sensor records the speed of rotation (via magnets in the ring) ...... there are no moving parts or linkages whatsoever. The camera controls the motors moving the lens elements and all that moving the focus ring does is tell it whether to do it fast or slow and how much. 

I'm not clear what adjustment is available .... or for that matter whether any lubricant is involved at all as there are essentially no moving parts .....

Edited May 14, 2019 by thighslapper

[ericborgstrom]

1 hour ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I'm curious why you have bought the SL versions for manual focus.

 

You are correct Paul, The SL version I mainly focus automatically. Works very well. But *when* used in manual mode these Leica lenses should be Leica smooth, don´t you agree?

13 minutes ago, thighslapper said:

?????

There is just a sensor records the speed of rotation (via magnets in the ring) ...... there are no moving parts or linkages whatsoever. The camera controls the motors moving the lens elements and all that moving the focus ring does is tell it whether to do it fast or slow and how much. 

I'm not clear what adjustment is available .... or for that matter whether any lubricant is involved at all as there are essentially no moving parts .....

 

Still the manual movement of the focus ring is manual even if the rest is electrical. That ring movement smoothnes matters to me when manual focusing. 

And Leica Wetzlar did get the feeling right the second time around on the 75mm. Now I am satisfied. Excellent lens now also manual when so used. The optic function has been exquisite all along.

[LocalHero1953]

3 hours ago, ericborgstrom said:

You are correct Paul, The SL version I mainly focus automatically. Works very well. But *when* used in manual mode these Leica lenses should be Leica smooth, don´t you agree?

Yes, certainly.

[ericborgstrom]

Today my Leica Summicron-SL 35mm returned from Wetzlar. This time no luck. The Leica technician did not succeed in making the manual focusing *Leica smooth* like they did with my Summicron-SL 75mm. I really have to grab the focusing ring to turn it. No Leica feeling there.