S-lens focusing ring discoloration

[kipdent]

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I'll start by saying this is perhaps a bit ridiculous and obsessive, but as a new Leica S camera owner, I'm on the prowl for some lenses, and when I peruse classified ads I often notice the rubber focusing ring has faded from a jet back to a whitish-gray color. Some sellers even say this is "due to aging." Other than esthetics, does this indicate any problems, say with its texture or longevity? I'm guessing Leica could replace this rubber, but that would necessitate a trip back to the factory and who knows what the repair charge would be. Has anyone "restored" these focusing rings with some sort of treatment?

Edited August 18, 2020 by kipdent

[LeicaR10]

Kipsent,  This is what I use to restore the aging rubber on my S lenses.  It works quite well.   r/ Mark

Try:  https://lenspotion.com

[Stuart Richardson]

Mark's recommendation is likely the ticket, but if you do not want to send away for things, you might consider looking into rubber restoration for things like dashboards in cars. My guess is that the automotive market probably has lots of good solutions for rubber restoration. As for the aging, I imagine that it has a lot to do with how people store their lenses, in particular how much UV light they experience. I have been shooting the S system since 2010 and even my oldest lenses have no evidence of degradation. I keep them in bags or drawers when not in use, and I guess Iceland has much lower UV exposure than some places. If you live closer to the equator, especially at higher altitude, you could be at a greater risk of wearing out the rubber.

[kipdent]

Thank you both for the suggestions!

[davidmknoble]

Rubbing alcohol also works!

[davidmknoble]

Here’s a previous post on cleaning the rings: