d_lague Posted March 25, 2008 Author Share #21 Posted March 25, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Well it does sound like there are two problems that some people are experiencing with this lens. Looks like I have both of them. It is possible that the focus is still decent, but having the front element move this much is not a good thing. Can't be a good thing for focus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 25, 2008 Posted March 25, 2008 Hi d_lague, Take a look here My L1 Leica 14-50 LENS REPAIR. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
FastFashnReloaded Posted March 25, 2008 Share #22 Posted March 25, 2008 Well it does sound like there are two problems that some people are experiencing with this lens. Looks like I have both of them. It is possible that the focus is still decent, but having the front element move this much is not a good thing. Can't be a good thing for focus. "Never try anything new. Wait and see if somebody dies from it first" - Lazarus Long Aircraft Crash Video - Metacafe Panasonic's first try at making an SLR lens... :-( Bound to be something wrong somewhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_lague Posted April 1, 2008 Author Share #23 Posted April 1, 2008 I sent the lens back to Bigston Inc. in Elk Grove Village IL. They are the Panasonic repair station for digital cameras. I am asking them to finish the repair. They got the zoom ring stopping at 25 fixed, now they need to repair the loose front element. I am quite surprised they sent it back to me that way. The replacement of the sensor they did on my LC1 last year was very thorough. they even upgraded the software. This will give me an opportunity to use the OM Zuiko lens I have on the l1 body. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFashnReloaded Posted April 1, 2008 Share #24 Posted April 1, 2008 I sent the lens back to Bigston Inc. in Elk Grove Village IL. They are the Panasonic repair station for digital cameras. I am asking them to finish the repair. They got the zoom ring stopping at 25 fixed, now they need to repair the loose front element. I am quite surprised they sent it back to me that way. The replacement of the sensor they did on my LC1 last year was very thorough. they even upgraded the software. This will give me an opportunity to use the OM Zuiko lens I have on the l1 body. I'm not surprised... (recent past experiences) It took Oly three tries to get an E-330 right, and they finally gave up and sent me a new E-510, for which I am extremely grateful. The 330 had a better and more flexible live view, but in other ways the 510 is a much better camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_lague Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share #25 Posted April 2, 2008 While I am going through all of this my wife just bought a Cannon 40D for $1140 with a $200 rebate from B&H.....wait a minute that is 940.00 for a 40D body? Uh this is a pretty neat camera! I am trying to be loyal to these Leica optics and not think the C---- word! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFashnReloaded Posted April 2, 2008 Share #26 Posted April 2, 2008 While I am going through all of this my wife just bought a Cannon 40D for $1140 with a $200 rebate from B&H.....wait a minute that is 940.00 for a 40D body? Uh this is a pretty neat camera! I am trying to be loyal to these Leica optics and not think the C---- word! Crap? Communist? Consignment? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_lague Posted April 25, 2008 Author Share #27 Posted April 25, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) OK it is April 24th and I am still without the lens after sending it back to Panasonic again. It seems that the lens they sent me as repaired was actually a new lens, yet the front element was still loose. I can't believe this is they way they are being shipped. I am still waiting.....the very helpful lady at Bigston said that she would try to expedite things because I have waited a while. I will try calling again tomorrow. I love this camera, but this is getting a bit old. I am so happy I have my LC1 to use in the meantime. I am rediscovering the greatness of this camera. With all these problems, I am looking at a Canon 40d. I know Canon service is a lot better than what I have been getting from Panasonic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chkphoto Posted April 25, 2008 Share #28 Posted April 25, 2008 As I am still waiting for my Leica D3 from Solms for the same kit lens repair - loose internal barrrel. Sent out 3/4; to Solms 3/14. Emailed Leica NJ 4/24 for update, they are now emailing Solms for update. It seems that it is a real manufacturing defect with this kit lens and they probably don't know how to deal with it apart from having the lens remanufactured again, which they would never do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
osscat Posted April 25, 2008 Share #29 Posted April 25, 2008 My D3 kit lens was wobbly on arrival last June - got steadily worse - eventually working only between 14 -18 mm. With some poking and prodding the zoom would fully extend but the end element would wobble alarmingly by about 5mm in each direction - the front element could be pulled further outward from the 50 mm zoom point and would then rotate 360 degrees. When shaken lightly the lens rattled. I cannot say if the anti shake system worked properly but no matter what, the lens would always find focus on the required object. What a miraculous feat of engineering. Following a three week repair turnaround I received a lens completely unlike the one I had originally - there was no looseness whatsoever. Unfortunately part of the bodywork above the lens release is now very loose and the Leica symbol which appears on the LCD when camera is switched off has now been replaced with a yellow triangle with a black exclamation mark on it. Also there is an additional function on page 4 of the custom menu 'sensor clean', when selected the mirror is flipped out of the way exposing the sensor. To put the mirror back I had to switch the camera off then on again. The camera and lens were collected today by Leica - I wonder if they will replace it. Osscat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fschubert Posted April 25, 2008 Share #30 Posted April 25, 2008 Hi, This lens problem has me worried. I bought my L1 in early Feb. from Amazon. Could someone with the problem post the serial number range for the lens (if there is one)? I need to check mine to see if it falls in the range when I get home. Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
osscat Posted April 26, 2008 Share #31 Posted April 26, 2008 Hi, This lens problem has me worried. I bought my L1 in early Feb. from Amazon. Could someone with the problem post the serial number range for the lens (if there is one)? I need to check mine to see if it falls in the range when I get home. Thanks! My lens serial number 'was' 4016371 - came as exchange unit for D2 June 2007. Hope that helps Osscat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fschubert Posted April 26, 2008 Share #32 Posted April 26, 2008 Much obliged for your help, Osscat. Mine has letters in the beginning: L-ES014***. We'll see how wdespread this problem is. So far I have lucked out on the LC1 sensor problem. fschubert My lens serial number 'was' 4016371 - came as exchange unit for D2 June 2007. Hope that helps Osscat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phileica Posted May 1, 2008 Share #33 Posted May 1, 2008 I encountered the same problems as many here with the lens ( otherwise excellent BTW). My dealer replaced it with a new kit - I'm now using my R Elmarit 24 as a standard lens to preserve the zoom. Planning to go either Oly or N.. for better reliability. phx Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookjim Posted May 1, 2008 Share #34 Posted May 1, 2008 Recently I exchanged the L1 lens ( 14-50) for a 28mm f2.8 Elmarit c/w the R- 2/3 adaptor. the results are excellent with full control over all the parameters, after reading the forum about the problems with the Vario I'm now sure that I took the right path. THE 14-50 never really felt like a Leica product, too many bits and pieces. I also have 35..50.. & 90 R lenses I use on a Leicaflex SL2. The L1 now feels and performs like a real camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_lague Posted May 8, 2008 Author Share #35 Posted May 8, 2008 I am due to get mine back tomorrow according to UPS. I have sent it in 2 times. They sent me a supposedly new lens that had a very loose front element. I am looking forward to getting it back and hope that it is working well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fschubert Posted May 9, 2008 Share #36 Posted May 9, 2008 I am due to get mine back tomorrow according to UPS. I have sent it in 2 times. They sent me a supposedly new lens that had a very loose front element. I am looking forward to getting it back and hope that it is working well. Good for you. Please keep us posted on how it goes this time. fschubert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_lague Posted May 13, 2008 Author Share #37 Posted May 13, 2008 I received the lens last Friday. The front element is still a bit loose. I shot about 100 exposures and the focus appears to be good. I will analyze this shortly. Customer service from Panasonic is not too good. Hard to get any answers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_ruce Posted June 8, 2008 Share #38 Posted June 8, 2008 I used this lens with the L1 for a few months. Great image quality. Then I started noticing excessive play in the zoom function. You could hear something lose when it got a little shake. Next thing I knew, it was locked up at the wide end of the zoom. I returned my entire outfit to the company that sold it to me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fschubert Posted June 8, 2008 Share #39 Posted June 8, 2008 I received the lens last Friday. The front element is still a bit loose. I shot about 100 exposures and the focus appears to be good. I will analyze this shortly. Customer service from Panasonic is not too good. Hard to get any answers. Thanks for the update. Mine is slighly loose too even though it doesn't have the problem (yet). Someone (dpreview Leica Forum?) said that the first batch(es) of this lens had this problem (a screw was not put on properly or something). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFashnReloaded Posted June 23, 2008 Share #40 Posted June 23, 2008 Thanks for the update. Mine is slighly loose too even though it doesn't have the problem (yet). Someone (dpreview Leica Forum?) said that the first batch(es) of this lens had this problem (a screw was not put on properly or something). Isn't mass production FUN?! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.