Question about a 21mm

[spacecad3t]

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I was recently gifted a late generation, E60 21mm/2.8 pre-ASPH.

While removing the lens filter, the entire lens group started to unscrew. Normal?

I gently tightened back and tested on my Sony, seems to work perfectly fine.

[happymac]

Happened to me with my SLX 35 ASPH. I tightened it back and it never happened again. As a consequence I unscrew filters only by grabbing the filter between two fingers at one point of its edge.

Edited March 29, 2021 by happymac

[spacecad3t]

Yeah, I will approach the filter in the same way. I know sometimes with these wide angles, the elements are all 1 self contained unit and just unscrew from the focusing body... wasnt sure if Leica took the same approach and this was to be expected of the lens.

[wda]

52 minutes ago, spacecad3t said:

I was recently gifted a late generation, E60 21mm/2.8 pre-ASPH.

While removing the lens filter, the entire lens group started to unscrew. Normal?

I gently tightened back and tested on my Sony, seems to work perfectly fine.

I would say, most unusual. But I guess you know little about its past life. If it works now, why worry. It was a gift and a very generous gift too.

[Jaskar]

Filters made from aluminium tend to bind. When that happens there is indeed the chance to unscrew a part of the lens instead. Brass filters behave better in that respect.

Edited March 29, 2021 by Jaskar

[spacecad3t]

Interesting. This filter is the correct UVa 13381 from Leica.

[1joel1]

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3 hours ago, happymac said:

Happened to me with my SLX 35 ASPH. I tightened it back and it never happened again. As a consequence I unscrew filters only by grabbing the filter between two fingers at one point of its edge.

That is the correct way to remove a filter! You can put a tiny dab of anti seize on the threads, but that can get messy if you're not careful.

Joel

[adan]

Definitely an occasional "feature" of the whole set of M wide lenses brought out around 1980 by Leitz Canada, (and in some cases made later by Leica Solms) which includes the 21 pre-ASPH.

I have the same 21, and its sister 28 Elmarit v.3. 1980-83 Canadian manufacture. On both of those the aperture ring and index are slightly out of alignment with the focusing index-mark behind them.

The 28 will unscrew if I try really hard (I don't) - the 21's wide front ring seems to have countersunk set-screws at 120° around the outside, so it is misaligned, but can't be moved by finger-pressure alone.

The 35mm Summicron v.4 (at least, and in some sub-versions) is known to have a plastic locking ring inside, that can break and allow its front (half the barrel, all the glass and aperture mechanism) to screw out.

I don't use filters, so have no experience with trying to unscrew an overtightened filter. I do know to never to try and use a mounted lens hood as leverage to unmount the lens from the camera.

[Kl@usW.]

vor 4 Stunden schrieb adan:

I do know to never to try and use a mounted lens hood as leverage to unmount the lens from the camera.

that's what I did with a SLX 50 last version on a cold day--too lazy to take off the mittens. Off came the whole front element--which is only secured by one tiny screw.... Being in Lapland I secured the front element with sticky tape until I was back home and could send it to CS. 

[farnz]

Another effective way to remove a stuck filter is to push it front-on against the rubber sole of a shoe and gently twist.  This imparts the torque evenly around the rim of the filter, which helps it to unscrew.

Pete.