Leica 90mm F/2.8 Elmarit M 11807 CLA

[bherman01545]

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All;

I just picked up a super-clean Leica 90mm F/2.8 Elmarit M (11807) from the original owner.

It doesn't look like it was used very much.

I'm debating as to whether to send it off to (a well-known Leica repair guy) for a CLA and 6-bit coding?

He wants $500.00 ($289.00 for the coding and $211.00 for the complete disassembly) plus shipping.

I'm debating whether it is worth it or not?

I can manually enter the actual lens profile into the menu. I'm wondering if I have to do that every time that it is mounted? I would think not.

The lens is approx. 18 years old, so I wonder if a CLA is warranted? 

What do you think?

-Brad

[jdlaing]

If it’s clean, the focus ring is smooth and the aperture ring is good it shouldn’t need a cla.

[tom0511]

I would only send it to CLA if you hve problems with focus accurancy or any other problems. I believe for lenses 50mm and longer coding is not really a big benefit other than getting focal length in meta data. As far as I understnad normal and telelenses do not need vignetting correction etc.

 

 

[Mikep996]

I agree re CLA - not needed unless you are having some sort of problem.  If you are interested in doing the coding yourself, it is quite easy and the cost of the necessary lens flange is around 15 bucks (from China).  I coded my 50mm Cron and my 90 elmarit.  Literally a 15 minute job for each lens!  I did the 50mm first, then order another flange for the 90.  Got the first flange in 10 days, the second one in seven.

If you are concerned about the machining accuracy of the Chinese flanges, I checked them with a micrometer and they are actually more precisely machined than the ones on the OEM Leica flanges.  There was no variation at all in thickness measured at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock on the Chinese flanges.  The Leica flanges varied by .1mm in both directions.  

[adan]

4 hours ago, bherman01545 said:

I can manually enter the actual lens profile into the menu. I'm wondering if I have to do that every time that it is mounted? I would think not.

Depends on the camera you're using, and whether you have other uncoded lenses.

Overall, the digital Ms will use the last manual lens entry you put in the menu. Unless you change the menu, "90mm 11807" will remain the selected lens, no matter how many times you take it on or off.

The M10-series programming gives everyone one (1) "freebie" lens recognition that avoids constant menu-use with lens changes.

Let us say you have a coded 28mm and 50mm in addition to your uncoded 90.

On the M10, mount the uncoded 90, and set the camera lens menu to "Manual M lens" > "90mm 11807."

If you swap to the coded 28 or 50, the camera automatically recognizes they are coded, and automatically switches to auto lens detect mode, and records the 28 or 50 with their correct lens data. When you swap back to the uncoded 90 (or any other uncoded lens), the camera automatically switches back to manual, and your previous setting (90mm 11807).

Seamless, transparent and easy - so long as you only have one uncoded lens.

[Infantasy]

I got a used 11807 and it also seemed like new recently. I decided not requiring CLA but like to have 6 bit coded. I purchased a China flange from ebay and have measured its thickness nearly same as the original. However, the smoothness of the focusing ring have a bit stiff after replaced the flange. I eventually figured out that the countersink holes for the six screws may be deeper than the original and made the screws touched the focusing mechanism internally. I am now put the flange aside until I can find some shorter screws for replacement.