TangoCharlie27 Posted June 24, 2020 Share #1 Posted June 24, 2020 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi i purchased a Summilux 35mm f1.4 recently. On attaching it into my M9-P, I have noticed it is v stiff to turn to focus. Particularly with one hand. It’s smooth but tough in the middle range. Strangely when it is off the camera, it turns a lot easier. Is this normal with second hand lenses? Have I bought a dud? And is there anything I can do to make it turn smoother? thanks in advance. Edited June 24, 2020 by TangoCharlie27 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 24, 2020 Posted June 24, 2020 Hi TangoCharlie27, Take a look here 2nd hand Summilux-M 35mm F/1.4 (1980) vert stiff focus lever. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
AndreasG Posted June 24, 2020 Share #2 Posted June 24, 2020 The grease in the helicoid is getting stiff, this is normal after approx. 25-40 years, so, the lens needs to be disassembled, cleaned and greased again with a grease of appropriate viscosity. Best is, give it to an expert. He got the tools and the grease. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoCharlie27 Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted June 24, 2020 5 minutes ago, AndreasG said: The grease in the helicoid is getting stiff, this is normal after approx. 25-40 years, so, the lens needs to be disassembled, cleaned and greased again with a grease of appropriate viscosity. Best is, give it to an expert. He got the tools and the grease. Thanks. I paid a bit of money for it from Japan. I guess it will now need to go to Germany? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreasG Posted June 24, 2020 Share #4 Posted June 24, 2020 I don't now where you live, but there are also professional shops/people outside the official Leica world, e.g., in the US or UK, who can do such a job easily. If you send the lens to the Leica mothership in Germany, cost may reach 300-500USD... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
darylgo Posted June 24, 2020 Share #5 Posted June 24, 2020 17 minutes ago, TangoCharlie27 said: Strangely when it is off the camera, it turns a lot easier. My copy also has slightly stiff focus upon initial movement, I didn't notice any difference when mounted. I have not heard differences mounted/unmounted, several lenses mount with greater effort than others, perhaps yours also? I would send an email to DAG (Don Goldman) or other repair person to ask. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted June 24, 2020 Share #6 Posted June 24, 2020 It is worth gently exercising the focusing mechanism, to and fro, repeatedly, while watching television. Do not force it. Just gentle exercising. If that fails to ease it, follow earlier guidance. Please report back if that works. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted June 24, 2020 Share #7 Posted June 24, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) The bayonet on my 1955 M3 is quite tight mounting lenses, and the focus on some of my lenses (like Rigid Summicron) get stiff when mounted on it, but not on my other cameras. So the fit of the bayonet can cause some lenses to be stiffer to focus - depending on the lens barrel design. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted June 24, 2020 Share #8 Posted June 24, 2020 2 hours ago, TangoCharlie27 said: It’s smooth but tough in the middle range. Strangely when it is off the camera, it turns a lot easier. Which would make me think something is being distorted by mounting it on the camera. This would usually be the lens flange not being mounted tight enough on the lens, over the years mounting and dismounting can loosen the screws and cause it to move slightly, it doesn't take much to cause a notchy feel to the focus. Loosen the screws holding the lens flange then gradually tighten them up again. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoCharlie27 Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share #9 Posted June 24, 2020 Can a tight focus action damage the camera body? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted June 25, 2020 Share #10 Posted June 25, 2020 10 hours ago, TangoCharlie27 said: Can a tight focus action damage the camera body? No. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aguilera85 Posted June 25, 2020 Share #11 Posted June 25, 2020 (edited) Be careful! Mount the lens at minimum focus then try to focus away. How far did it go before before it gets stiff? I also just received a 1976 Summilux earlier this month. I also thought something was wrong with the lens because it was smooth off my M240, but stiff when mounted. Turns out some copies of the V2 Summilux have a thick brass ring in the rear that moves the rangefinder arm. On film cameras where the lens was originally designed to work, there is no problem. On my M6, the lens works perfectly. But on digital cameras, the lens hits the body because of the thickness. Be careful because I was told that you won't damage the body, but you will damage the lens because the interior mechanism is only held together with a few small screws and you might force them by forcing the focus if it is hitting the body. Compare the thickness of the rear brass of your lens to another lens. If this is the case, you can only use the lens for film cameras, or at minimum distances on digital. You'll need to send the lens to someone to get modified to make that brass thinner where necessary so that it works on digital. I'm sending out my copy next week to get modified. Hope that helps a little! Edited June 25, 2020 by Aguilera85 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted June 25, 2020 Share #12 Posted June 25, 2020 (edited) Important point that Aguilera85 alludes to (but gets slightly wrong technically). The non-ASPH 35 Summiluxes have a protective flange around the back lens element (it has nothing to do with the focus cam, but moves in and out with it when focusing). It protects the dome of the rear glass from scratches, if the lens is set down facing up, and without a rear lens cap. It can be seen here peeking out of the back of the lens (black metal ring inside the threaded brass focus cam) https://kenrockwell.com/leica/35mm-f14.htm This flange can jam against the insides of digital M bodies as the lens is focused towards infinity (the lens moves <<<<< closer to the camera). Notably the floor of the camera chamber, where the light-meter cell is. This flange can and should be removed for use on a digital M. From the Leica M9 instruction manual, p 110: Leica M lenses Important: • cannot be used... – Some examples of the Summilux-M 35 mm f/1.4 (not aspherical, manufactured from 1961–1995, Made in Canada) cannot be fitted to the LEICA M9 or will not focus to infinity. Leica Customer Service can modify these lenses so that they can be used on the LEICA M9. https://cdn.static-bl.com/images/manual/Leica-M9.pdf And - YES, in this particular case, that lens hitting the inside of the camera can easily damage that part of the camera, at least cosmetically (causing rub and wear-marks in the camera shutter chamber.) Edited June 25, 2020 by adan 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aguilera85 Posted June 25, 2020 Share #13 Posted June 25, 2020 Thank you for clearing that up Adan! I was just trying to repeat what I was informed as best as I could. It is very hard to find the information you provided on the internet. It pretty much has to be provided by someone here in the forums lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted June 25, 2020 Share #14 Posted June 25, 2020 42 minutes ago, Aguilera85 said: Thank you for clearing that up Adan! I was just trying to repeat what I was informed as best as I could. It is very hard to find the information you provided on the internet. It pretty much has to be provided by someone here in the forums lol Look at the bottom of the sensor throat on the M-9. You will see a little half round looking indented area at the bottom. That is the area the shroud on the back of that lens hits. It has nothing to do with the roller cam or the floor of the camera. It just prevented the lens from focusing to infinity. It also, when hit by the shroud, chipped off some of the flat black coating in that chamber. Leica would correct it by trimming the shroud. 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/310852-2nd-hand-summilux-m-35mm-f14-1980-vert-stiff-focus-lever/?do=findComment&comment=3999244'>More sharing options...
TangoCharlie27 Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share #15 Posted June 25, 2020 (edited) How can I tell if my lens is a copy? It does have a serial number. This is the said lens... 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! Edited June 25, 2020 by TangoCharlie27 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/310852-2nd-hand-summilux-m-35mm-f14-1980-vert-stiff-focus-lever/?do=findComment&comment=3999251'>More sharing options...
wda Posted June 25, 2020 Share #16 Posted June 25, 2020 Where is the aperture ring? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted June 25, 2020 Share #17 Posted June 25, 2020 10 minutes ago, wda said: Where is the aperture ring? See it? It has the tabs sticking out. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted June 25, 2020 Share #18 Posted June 25, 2020 21 minutes ago, TangoCharlie27 said: How can I tell if my lens is a copy? It does have a serial number. This is the said lens... 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! That’s the one. See that shroud sticking out on the mount end? It needs to be machined off a little to avoid hitting the throat. It’s been so long I can’t remember how much. Some folks fixed their own with a file or Drexel tool but it’s risky. Don Goldberg at DAG should be able to do it for you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoCharlie27 Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share #19 Posted June 25, 2020 14 minutes ago, jdlaing said: That’s the one. See that shroud sticking out on the mount end? It needs to be machined off a little to avoid hitting the throat. It’s been so long I can’t remember how much. Some folks fixed their own with a file or Drexel tool but it’s risky. Don Goldberg at DAG should be able to do it for Thanks. Will it be ok on a M10? Is it just the M9 that has issues with tia lens? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted June 25, 2020 Share #20 Posted June 25, 2020 11 minutes ago, TangoCharlie27 said: Thanks. Will it be ok on a M10? Is it just the M9 that has issues with tia lens? I don’t have an M-10. I use an M-240. I am not really sure. I haven’t had that Summilux in a number of years. I use a later one. That lens in the picture looks in pretty nice shape. In my opinion it would be worth the modification. See the cutout on the shroud? That’s the area that is for the focus cam. The mod only removes enough of the remainder of the shroud to clear the bottom of the throat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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