Elmarit 28mm f2.8 11677 rattle - moving front ring behind name ringe ?

[IanS_?]

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Hello,

I have noticed a tinny metallic rattle when I move / shake gently my Elmarit 28mm.

On close inspection i discovered the ring behind the name ring and in front of the front element was actually moving a little and therefore rattling. see image with red arrow

I notice there is no key slot in the name ring so I am not sure how its attached. The optical performance seems fine.

Problem is there on and off the camera. A similar issue isn't present with any of my other lenses 21m SEM, 35mm 2.4 and 50mm 2.4

Its been sent of for inspection (non-Leica repair in the UK) who are reporting no issue (they all do that - guv)

They are offering to send to Leica but I am being 'threatened' with a 12 week wait if I do.

Has anybody else experienced this ?

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Edited August 23, 2023 by IanS_?

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[madNbad]

If it's a V1 lens with the clip on hood, the front element group can become loose when grasping the hood when mounting and removing the lens. 

Twelve weeks may seem like an eternity but it"s worth having someone who knows the lens repair it. The prices for the Elmarit have risen, plus it's a very nice lens. I've owned two, sold both and currently have a Voigtlander 28 2.0 Ultron ASPH V2 and the new 28 2.8 Color Skopar V2. They fit my needs and they're used on film bodies.

[IanS_?]

56 minutes ago, Carlinski said:

Yes. Every one of these lenses suffers from this poor design.

Like I said in another thread. This lens just isn’t to my standard of an expensive Leica lens. I’ve since changed to the 28 Ultron II that is built like a tank at a fraction of the cost of this one and I basically get the same results. No rattles, no wobbles, no strange sounds. Everything is smooth and solid. Build quality is better than this Elmarit. The aperture ring also feels better to me on the Ultron II. It’s just a better lens. IMO the best 28mm currently.

I know a lot of people like this lens. But it’s just not worth the Leica price in terms of build quality for me. If the Leica store likes it then sell it to them. 

The other thing you can do if you just have to have Leica written on the lens (seems like the case looking at your other lenses) is go for the Summicron. Summicrons overall I think are the best Leica lenses to buy. In any focal length. A $300 Chinacron is built better than the 28 Elmarit.

Personally I put the Leica money towards my main lens and I paid Leica price for the Summicron. It’s perfect. Then the other secondary lenses I buy Voigtlander. 

Thanks for the reply. I actually bought a 28 Ultron II and sold it to buy the Leica for two reasons. Firstly the Ultron had significant blue fringing in highlights high contrast used on an M10 (Its possible the Ultron I had wasn't a great one). Secondly the aperture markings were hard for me to see, no white dot and black on silver text numbers that are small. I need reading glasses that I don't wear for photography and at normal use distance I couldn't see the selected aperture.

The sharpness of the Leica 28 is the best of any lens on an M series body I have used and the fringing pretty much non existent.

Your point about the Ultron build quality is well made, as is the lens !

Edited August 23, 2023 by IanS_?

[IanS_?]

12 minutes ago, madNbad said:

If it's a V1 lens with the clip on hood, the front element group can become loose when grasping the hood when mounting and removing the lens. 

Twelve weeks may seem like an eternity but it"s worth having someone who knows the lens repair it. The prices for the Elmarit have risen, plus it's a very nice lens. I've owned two, sold both and currently have a Voigtlander 28 2.0 Ultron ASPH V2 and the new 28 2.8 Color Skopar V2. They fit my needs and they're used on film bodies.

Its a V2 ASPH, latest build standard

[madNbad]

29 minutes ago, IanS_? said:

Its a V2 ASPH, latest build standard

Send it to Leica, have it serviced properly and enjoy it when it returns.

[Tessar.]

My recently bought 28mm Elmarit-M V1 ASPH is visibly sharper than the V2 ASPH I owned from new and sold back along because I wasn't overly impressed with it.

[Erato]

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5 hours ago, IanS_? said:

Has anybody else experienced this ?

You might rotate the ring smoothly in order to verify the accuracy of the ring position.

A tiny tool set(Vacuum Pad Lens Opener) might help you recover the  loose ring if it is the root cause according to your case.

For further reference, please tapping on the following links:

• Vacuum Pad Lens Opener Made in Japan
• Japan Hobby Tool Vacuum Pads for Camera Repair (6-Pack) @B&H

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[Lelmer]

11 hours ago, Carlinski said:

Yes. Every one of these lenses suffers from this poor design.

....

Not mine!

Excellent compact and light lens with prime IQ

[Matlock]

17 minutes ago, Lelmer said:

Not mine!

Excellent compact and light lens with prime IQ

Nor my two but never let the truth get in the way of a good story.  It is a great lens.

[Bronco McBeast]

The wobble is actually the whole optical cell, not just the front group.
While you make it wobble, look at the rear lens and you will see it wobble as well.

There is no fix for that, except maybe macgyvering something llike adding  shimss to the locking ring, or actually shaving it down. Or glue.

Regrding the elmarit asph V1, the problem really is just a mistake in the production tolerances. Cute design, very sexy size, but obviously an economy move from Leica to create an economy lens . It is far from the Summicron in all aspects, including its imaging characteristics which are rudimentary and raw compared to the extremely well behaved and gentle Summicron.

[Tessar.]

On 8/23/2023 at 9:32 PM, Carlinski said:

Yes. Every one of these lenses suffers from this poor design.

Like I said in another thread. This lens just isn’t to my standard of an expensive Leica lens. I’ve since changed to the 28 Ultron II that is built like a tank at a fraction of the cost of this one and I basically get the same results. No rattles, no wobbles, no strange sounds. Everything is smooth and solid. Build quality is better than this Elmarit. The aperture ring also feels better to me on the Ultron II. It’s just a better lens. IMO the best 28mm currently.

I know a lot of people like this lens. But it’s just not worth the Leica price in terms of build quality for me. If the Leica store likes it then sell it to them. 

The other thing you can do if you just have to have Leica written on the lens (seems like the case looking at your other lenses) is go for the Summicron. Summicrons overall I think are the best Leica lenses to buy. In any focal length. A $300 Chinacron is built better than the 28 Elmarit.

Personally I put the Leica money towards my main lens and I paid Leica price for the Summicron. It’s perfect. Then the other secondary lenses I buy Voigtlander. 

Troll troll troll....

[madNbad]

On 8/23/2023 at 4:33 PM, Tessar. said:

My recently bought 28mm Elmarit-M V1 ASPH is visibly sharper than the V2 ASPH I owned from new and sold back along because I wasn't overly impressed with it.

The clip on hood works well, just be careful putting it in and pulling it out of the bag. I avoided third party hoods. I tried one with the last Elmarit-M I owned and it felt like it was going to unscrew the front element group. Great lens!