Q2 Hot weather issue

[Chicagoan]

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Hello

I have been using my Q2 for almost 2 years. I enjoy it very much. I have noticed that in hot weather the manual focus seems very tight. Thick, like gooey. Can anyone let me know if this is some sort of failure, problem or damage? Thanks in advance. Greg

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[Le Chef]

Two things to consider:

When you say hot what temperatures are you talking about and are they outside the Leica recommended range for the Q2? At what temperature do you estimate it starts to stiffen up?

Are you actually releasing the tab on the lens to free it up for manual use? It sounds silly but I have met two people who owned Q’s who had not done this and couldn’t understand why the focusing was so stiff. If you are clicking on the focus tab to release the lens then you can ignore this, obviously!

[Rdf]

I had a similar issue of stiff/uneven manual focusing when using the Q2 Reporter in hot, sunny weather. I sent it in to Leica for service under warranty. - Haven’t used it in similar situations yet, but they did need to replace the specialized “skin” (if that’s the correct term?)- Perhaps call Leica for consultation and cost estimate?

[Chicagoan]

19 hours ago, Le Chef said:

Two things to consider:

When you say hot what temperatures are you talking about and are they outside the Leica recommended range for the Q2? At what temperature do you estimate it starts to stiffen up?

Are you actually releasing the tab on the lens to free it up for manual use? It sounds silly but I have met two people who owned Q’s who had not done this and couldn’t understand why the focusing was so stiff. If you are clicking on the focus tab to release the lens then you can ignore this, obviously!

My recent trip had me in a warm climate. Indian Ocean style.  It was mostly above 86 F daytime. I have a habit of shielding my gear from the direct sun however that is not always possible yet, the problem persists. I have also noticed the problem while walking in Florida and my hometown of Chicago in hot weather.  Your post led me to search a little deeper and yes I believe the cold weather also affects it.  I certainly do not try to push the ring without disengaging the lock.  Thanks for your comment and along with the other response I'm going to dig a little deeper.

I was having a problem with too many bodies and too many lenses so I paired it down to the Q2 and have lived with that for 2 years.  One camera, one lens.  Hopefully in the future I can add something to the mix again. At the moment, I cannot put the Q2 on the shelf.

[Le Chef]

I would take it in to Dan and Matt and have them look at it. They’re more than familiar and will be able to feel if the effort to turn the lens barrel is off.