50mm Summicron V5 - Wobble / Play - Normal?

[JTLeica]

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Hi guys,

Just bought two (dont ask) Summicron V5's, both for very good money, there is some play or wobble in the barrel, very slight, can more feel it vs see it.

Is this normal? Can you check yours to see?

Also, does the V5 unscrew in the centre?

Cheers all

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[spydrxx]

Mine has no play or wobble.

[JTLeica]

54 minutes ago, spydrxx said:

Mine has no play or wobble.

Ok thanks for confirming,

It is very slight, and its strangely exactly the same on both.

By wobble, I mean if you hold the base beneath the lowest arrow, the lens above the lowest arrow has a tiny bit of play. It doesnt freely hobby but under mild pressure it does

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[TomB_tx]

The optical head of the V5 does not unscrew for use on other mounts like the older (ver 1 to 3) did.

If you look closely enough at ANY piece of equipment you can find something that you don't like, especially if you read the scuttlebutt in on-line forums. I wouldn't worry about the lenses if they were mine, unless actual photo results were unacceptable, which I doubt in this case. However, once a detail like this bothers you, you may never be satisfied with it... 

[Jean-Michel]

I have this lens. Most likely not a ' lens wobble', just the aperture ring slight motion. Nothing to worry about.

[69xchange]

No wobble on neither of my recent production (2023) and LTM brass version (1999). So both of your v5 cron has wobble? 

[hmzimelka]

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4 hours ago, JTLeica said:

Hi guys,

Just bought two (dont ask) Summicron V5's, both for very good money, there is some play or wobble in the barrel, very slight, can more feel it vs see it.

Is this normal? Can you check yours to see?

Also, does the V5 unscrew in the centre?

Cheers all

The head of the lens, which houses the entire optical assembly, is screwed or tightened onto the focusing assembly via a retention ring. These can, over time with many heat cycles and vibrations over the years, loosen ever so slightly causing the optical assembly to wobble slightly. The optical assembly is also keyed in place to the focus mechanism, so when the retaining ring is not very tight, the front assembly can rotate ever so slightly back and forth due to the small slack in between the key way and the screw that fits in it.

This topical assembly is the part in front of the focus ring (away from the camera) This can be remedied using a lens spanner to tighten the retaining ring. A lens spanner can be found at BHPhoto. It's a quick fix. Search for Neewer HW-06 10-100mm Lens Removal Tool Kit

If this is loose, and the focus ring is loose, then it's likely the focus ring or the assembly behind it is loose and needs some screws tightened. You'd need to remove the retaining ring mentioned above, and then check the screws (I think 3 or 4 if memory serves) that hold the focus ring to the focus collar underneath.

I've only ever gone as far as removing the focus ring on mine. I can't recall what's behind there. 

Some people have had good luck finding a pill container that matches the retaining ring size, and then using rubber tape for friction or cutting out notches for the cut outs on the ring. 

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Edited August 7, 2024 by hmzimelka

[JTLeica]

Thank you guys,

I tried them both again yesterday evening, I'll retract 'wobble' and replace with 'slight slight movement under pressure. Its very minor, maybe a 5th of a millimetre.

I think that makes it feel worse is the slight play in aperture, hood and focus ring, each being a tiny amount all add up to a slight loose feel but in reality I think they're fine.

I got these are low prices, 990 and 700 £, and they are in good condition. I couldnt really refuse as I do buy a sell a few things from time to time, to recoup some of the losses on everything else 😅

 

[JTLeica]

16 hours ago, hmzimelka said:

The head of the lens, which houses the entire optical assembly, is screwed or tightened onto the focusing assembly via a retention ring. These can, over time with many heat cycles and vibrations over the years, loosen ever so slightly causing the optical assembly to wobble slightly. The optical assembly is also keyed in place to the focus mechanism, so when the retaining ring is not very tight, the front assembly can rotate ever so slightly back and forth due to the small slack in between the key way and the screw that fits in it.

This topical assembly is the part in front of the focus ring (away from the camera) This can be remedied using a lens spanner to tighten the retaining ring. A lens spanner can be found at BHPhoto. It's a quick fix. Search for Neewer HW-06 10-100mm Lens Removal Tool Kit

If this is loose, and the focus ring is loose, then it's likely the focus ring or the assembly behind it is loose and needs some screws tightened. You'd need to remove the retaining ring mentioned above, and then check the screws (I think 3 or 4 if memory serves) that hold the focus ring to the focus collar underneath.

I've only ever gone as far as removing the focus ring on mine. I can't recall what's behind there. 

Some people have had good luck finding a pill container that matches the retaining ring size, and then using rubber tape for friction or cutting out notches for the cut outs on the ring. 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Thanks ever so much. I am going to leave it I think, I have a lens wrench actually, just bought a better one as the cheaper all metal cross types are a little risky but do work I agree.

The lenses are all ever so slightly look, in hood, aperture, focus and bottom barrel, but totally fine in reality for a lens with a 39 serial.

One was sold to me with 'haze' in, when received, there is barely anything at all.