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fine scratches found in inner lens element from brand new leica lens


johncoltrane

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Hi all, i am wondering if the fine scratches or faint marks that i've found in the inner lens element of some leica brand new lens is not an defect....

 

here's my story... few weeks ago, i've brought a brand new M 50lux asph and i didn't even check the lens under bright light sources at the store because i trust leica's QC, and when i am back home, i look through the lens with a bright lamp and i found that there are at least 7 or 8 tiny scratches on one of the inner lens element, most of them is about 0.5mm to 1cm long and also one of this non-circular fine scratches is about 3cm long! of course i returned the lens to the store and get refunded right away.

 

then, the next week, i went to a friendly local dealer to check out their copy of the 50lux asph and i am lucky enough that they have 2 copies in store. i told the store owner my story and he is with no problem to let me check the lens with my led flash light before i pay. Surprisingly, the two lenses that i've inspected is with the same marks on the same inner element. but they are just not as serious as the first copy i've brought.... the store owner asked me to visit them again the next day to check out their 3rd copy... still, the 3rd copy has the same marks and i start thinking if a "perfect" copy is actually not normal.

 

 

i know many of you leica expert and enthusiasts will tell me to just buy the lens, stop looking into the lens, get a life and go shoot pics... but since this is my very first brand new leica lens and which costs 3000. i just still couldn't get over it unless leica officially say that it is not an defect and the faint scratches are completely normal even on brand new lense.

 

now, i've a chance to get a 2nd hand current version noct in a fairly good price and because of my past experience with my first 50lux asph, i bring my flash light to check the lens and i've two around 3 cm long fine scratches on one of the inner element which i believe they look exactly the same as those fine scratches i've found from the 50lux asph.... while i've check with my friends pre-asph 50lux and his 2nd generation noct, this problem does not exists on both lenses, just completely perfect glasses inside out....

 

i know the faint scratches on the inner element on the Noct may not affect the picture quality at all, but just thinking i am now paying 5700 for a lens and should i wait and see if there will be a "perfect" copy exist??

 

Does anyone got any official "explanation" regarding this fine scratches / faint marks from leica?

 

thank you very much for your help.

J.

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x

hi fernando_b,

 

ha, my friend couldn't believe me too until he went to the friendly shop with me on my second visit for the 3rd 50lux asph.

 

i own the first 50lux asph for just 3 hours and i don't have a chance to take any photos of the "defect" since i am in a panic and want to get refund asap after i found those scratches.

 

and i don't think the shop owner and the noctilux seller is generous enough to let me documenting the "defect" of their perfect lenses. Even if they do, i am not sure if i can picture the "defects" since they are very fine and faint scratches....

 

....the resell value being affected by these scratches is what i am concerning about. i brought the lens brand new so i know the scratches came out from the factory like that, but when one day if i am going to sell it, the buyer might think that the lens was being opened and cleaned thus those "cleaning marks".......

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Under bright lights and super close inspection, you will find flaws in every lens. My advice is to put the lens on the camera and take photos.

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Guest jimmy pro
Under bright lights and super close inspection, you will find flaws in every lens. My advice is to put the lens on the camera and take photos.

 

Well I won't use the word that immediately comes to mind regarding that statement, but if I could see scratches on elements with a flashlight and anything short of maybe a microscope (obviously if you magnify it enough your bound to see polishing scratches, that's what polishing is, smaller and smaller scratches, never zero), I would take it back no matter if it was a $100 consumer lens, let alone a five grand lens from a company that boasts of being superior and perfectionistic. I think prolly most people would, and I also think Dr. Kauffmann would be the first to agree.

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My friendly suggestion is ...

 

Rule no 1 of Leica lens ownership (any brand actually) is never look through it and especially not with a light source. You will see muck and scratches and residue and detritus that will make your heart stop. Only NASA could make a lens that is relatively free of such things and you wouldn't want to pay for it. Go only by the images that the lens produces and whether it handles properly. Stick it on your camera and take pictures and tell us how they look. :)

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Hi all, i am wondering if the fine scratches or faint marks that i've found in the inner lens element of some leica brand new lens is not an defect....

 

here's my story... few weeks ago, i've brought a brand new M 50lux asph and i didn't even check the lens under bright light sources at the store because i trust leica's QC, and when i am back home, i look through the lens with a bright lamp and i found that there are at least 7 or 8 tiny scratches on one of the inner lens element, most of them is about 0.5mm to 1cm long and also one of this non-circular fine scratches is about 3cm long! of course i returned the lens to the store and get refunded right away.

 

then, the next week, i went to a friendly local dealer to check out their copy of the 50lux asph and i am lucky enough that they have 2 copies in store. i told the store owner my story and he is with no problem to let me check the lens with my led flash light before i pay. Surprisingly, the two lenses that i've inspected is with the same marks on the same inner element. but they are just not as serious as the first copy i've brought.... the store owner asked me to visit them again the next day to check out their 3rd copy... still, the 3rd copy has the same marks and i start thinking if a "perfect" copy is actually not normal.

 

 

i know many of you leica expert and enthusiasts will tell me to just buy the lens, stop looking into the lens, get a life and go shoot pics... but since this is my very first brand new leica lens and which costs 3000. i just still couldn't get over it unless leica officially say that it is not an defect and the faint scratches are completely normal even on brand new lense.

 

now, i've a chance to get a 2nd hand current version noct in a fairly good price and because of my past experience with my first 50lux asph, i bring my flash light to check the lens and i've two around 3 cm long fine scratches on one of the inner element which i believe they look exactly the same as those fine scratches i've found from the 50lux asph.... while i've check with my friends pre-asph 50lux and his 2nd generation noct, this problem does not exists on both lenses, just completely perfect glasses inside out....

 

i know the faint scratches on the inner element on the Noct may not affect the picture quality at all, but just thinking i am now paying 5700 for a lens and should i wait and see if there will be a "perfect" copy exist??

 

Does anyone got any official "explanation" regarding this fine scratches / faint marks from leica?

 

thank you very much for your help.

J.

 

My stab at this would be polish marks as the equipment that polishes the elements rotates in a circular motion. Seems a bit odd as I haven't seen anything like it on any of my Leitz lenses when I shine a light through them. Plenty of other stuff appears but as one poster mentioned did you use one of the lenses to see if image quality was affected by these fine lines? My guess would be no but you have a choice when it is your money.:D

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I would suspect you are seeing polishing marks too. Maybe its the nature of Leica goods that slight 'imperfections' are to be expected as they aren't all churned out by robots.

 

I read on one of the Apple forums comments from a few people who have been really upset to find a speck within the 'gloss paint' of the back of their new i phone. They don't even realise its just a plastic moulded part! LOL.

 

Anyway if you're uncertain look at some other examples in another dealer, or just buy s/h so you don't have the worry of losing value.

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You know that in optical engineering there's the "ding & scratch" norm. It allows for computing the decrease from nominal performance due to inavoidable physical defects.

However, I can't believe there were visible scratches in 3 lenses. I'm not saying that Leica QC is perfect, but can't believe that 3 dogs escaped... unless the defects you revelaled don't decrese performances below the acceptable tolerance.

Fernando.

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I would suspect you are seeing polishing marks too. Maybe its the nature of Leica goods that slight 'imperfections' are to be expected as they aren't all churned out by robots.

 

I read on one of the Apple forums comments from a few people who have been really upset to find a speck within the 'gloss paint' of the back of their new i phone. They don't even realise its just a plastic moulded part! LOL.

 

I have a 35 *T in Contax RF mount, with a light and loupe you can see the most horrific polish marks, but man I do love that lens, marks and all it's factory fresh from 1955.

 

How were the photos from your 50? Up to snuff?

 

jac

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You know that in optical engineering there's the "ding & scratch" norm. It allows for computing the decrease from nominal performance due to inavoidable physical defects.

However, I can't believe there were visible scratches in 3 lenses. I'm not saying that Leica QC is perfect, but can't believe that 3 dogs escaped... unless the defects you revelaled don't decrese performances below the acceptable tolerance.

Fernando.

 

...agree...i checked my new m-50-lux and some other lenses under the glare of a strong halogen light and not a scrtch was found...fwiw...

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