Leica SL APO 35mm & 75mm manual focus issues

[Romain Guy]

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Hi,

I have barely used my SL2 and its lenses in the past 2 or 3 years, mostly because of the pandemic but also because I was shooting with other cameras. Today when updating the firmware on the camera and lenses, I noticed two things:

• The focus ring on my 75mm is *very* tight and hard to turn
• The focus ring on my 35mm makes a loud "fart" noise when I turn it (see attached video, or follow the link). It sounds much louder in person too

Autofocus is fine with both lenses however. Has anyone seen this problem before?

IMG_0960.MOV

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[hoolyproductions]

Hi

For the 'fart' sound, I recently picked up a really good deal on a 90mm apo summicron eBay. It had been sitting in the owners drawer for a few years. Upon arrival I was worried it had been too good a deal and that I'd bought a lemon (I linked the page with my post below, see the end of the last page). After working the lens firmly for several minutes it disappeared, I think it had just seized from lack of use.

All three of my APOs had very tight focus to begin with but they have all loosened up nicely with use. I'd rather that than them becoming too loose.

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by hoolyproductions

[Stuart Richardson]

As far as I can tell there are three solutions for this:

1. Send the lenses back to Leica and wait months for them to loosen them.

2. Keep turning the rings constantly until the loosen.

3. Don’t use manual focus. It is nearly never needed on the SL series, especially with the spot crosshairs. 
 

I chose three. I am annoyed I needed to make a choice, but the lenses are so good that I just let it go and moved on. I did the same thing with the 50mm 1.4 Summilux ASPH M lens years ago, and now it is smooth. If I recall, it took about five years.  

[Photoworks]

All my apo SL lense are turning with resistance.

It makes it difficult to attach follow focus in video. need much stronger motors for it to work.

If I remember correctly it is because they get activated by a field of magnets. there is no actual gear on it.

[pickerdd]

This may or may not help, but have you tried adjusting the manual focus setup? Focusing / MF Setup and change from standard to a different ratio might help. 

Edited September 2, 2023 by pickerdd

[pickerdd]

wrong thread - sorry.

Edited September 2, 2023 by pickerdd

[Romain Guy]

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Thanks! I've played with the lenses for a few minutes trying to loosen them, I'll keep at it. I rarely use manual focus on the SL2 but I'm not super happy about that behavior on such expensive lenses

[jrp]

The manual focus on all of my Leica SL lenses is unusably tight (but I haven’t bothered to complain since I mainly use Auto Focus and the images are stellar).  Equally, the focus rings on my Sony lenses is, uniformly, sloppily loose.  You pays your £$€¥ and you takes your choice.

[Romain Guy]

The tight focus is less of an issue than the absurd noise the 35mm makes. 

[helged]

On 9/3/2023 at 7:26 AM, Romain Guy said:

The tight focus is less of an issue than the absurd noise the 35mm makes. 

Unknown sound for me/from the SL35-APO I use. It sounds like fiction against rubber, so I expect it is a part of the water sealing. But I guess it is not supposed to be like this. You can e-mail the video to Leica Customer Care and ask for a response. They typically reply after some working days. Address: Customer.Care@leica-camera.com. 

[Paul2660]

The sound on the 35 to me is lack of lubrication and I would not attempt to turn it much more.  Leica should be able to fix it but at what cost?  I have had similar issues with old Mamiya 645 lenses, same type of sound and had to ship them off to have them cleaned.  

Hope you can get it fixed or return it. 

 

Paul 

[helged]

On 9/7/2023 at 1:39 AM, Paul2660 said:

The sound on the 35 to me is lack of lubrication and I would not attempt to turn it much more.  Leica should be able to fix it but at what cost?  I have had similar issues with old Mamiya 645 lenses, same type of sound and had to ship them off to have them cleaned.  

Hope you can get it fixed or return it. 

 

Paul 

If the lens needs a fix, I would think that Leica does the fix for free (given that the lens hasn't clearly been used too hard in one way or another). Before repair, Leica will provide a cost estimate, so no problems to withdraw if cost is an issue.