90-280 AF failure to reach infinity after use in cold.

[Paul2660]

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I have a 8 month old 90-280, which has been used extensively with both a SL2 and S1R, until this morning, the lens has been flawless. 

This morning I was out in 27 degree F weather and used the 90-280 for about 30 minutes on the S1R, during this time the AF on the lens worked fine.   After I returned home, about1 hour later, I tried the lens again, on the S1R and noticed that the lens would no longer focus to infinity with any AF setting.  My first thought was the S1R AF has broken, so I put the lens on the SL2.  The first 2 times I tried to focus to infinity the lens worked, but after that, the same problem.  Basically it will only reach to about 100 feet with AF and after that it will not obtain focus. You can manually focus it with no problem, but AF, especially on this lens is pretty critical.  

Does anyone have any ideas, other than sending it off to Leica?  

Also, note I called Leica USA support, and got voice mail.  So I have not been able to talk with anyone yet on the Leica support side. 

Thanks 

Paul Caldwell 

 

[adan]

4 minutes ago, Paul2660 said:

After I returned home, about1 hour later, I tried the lens again, on the S1R and noticed that the lens would no longer focus to infinity with any AF setting.

When you did the infinity test at "home" - were you literally indoors (focusing through windows)? Or outside the home?

I ask to eliminate several possible effects:

- condensation on the lens electronics and lens-camera contacts, due to taking a cold-soaked lens into a warm (and possibly more humid) environment.

- autofocusing through window glass. Which is not optically flat, and could add blur that confuses the AF (but not necessarily a more-flexible human eye). Especially a problem with longer focal lengths.

[Paul2660]

Hi, thanks for the response.  I was outdoors, just aiming around my back yard.  

Not sure what happened, as after about 2 hours of sitting inside, I went back outside and to a spot where I could focus on distant objects and the lens worked fine.  On both the SL2 and S1R.  

Leica USA called me back, and had not heard of anything like this but said they would follow up with Leica Germany to see if they had. 

Paul 

 

[cheekz4dayz]

Hmm, I know i've had one weird issue where my lens wasn't mounted properly on the camera (SL2). In this case the aperture sign only showed "F --" with no pronounced aperture number. When this happened I couldn't take any pictures and I thought my camera was broken 🙈. This was with the Summicron 75-SL but it only happened once in the year I've had the camera sorry if that's not the same issue.

[LeicaR10]

Paul2660,   When I owned the SL 90-280, I used it often in all types of weather conditions.  I had something similar happen to me.  Adan's Post #2, might give you a clue, humidity and condensation.  That is what caused my issue.  I found by gently and I mean gently, wiping the contacts of the cameras and lens, would stop the problem for me.  Like wiping batteries and contacts to clear the film that builds up.  Also, my former R9, DMR and ROM lenses would do the same thing.  Wiping the contacts would resolve the issue with that camera, back and R ROM lenses.  I also used electronic contact cleaner (rarely) and a ear bud too.  I found it doesn't take very much moisture to create a film that interfers with points and lens contacts. I always carry a lens wipe with me to clean the contacts when I am outside in challenging weather or periods of humidity and sometimes, dry conditions. If it doesn't resolve the issue, the lens might need a trip to Wetzlar to resolve. Just be sure to document everything before sending it there.  Like going to see the doctor, the more symptoms given, the doctor will give you a better diagnosis.  I hope this helps.  r/ Mark

Edited February 26, 2022 by LeicaR10