Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/03/20

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Subject: [Leica] sloppy lens
From: "Robert Appleby Personal" <rob@robertappleby.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 12:05:03 +0100

>>>
I'm interested:
is the front barrel of your Elmarit (or anyone else's) like this:  ie. can
you move it at all relative to the bayonet?  I tried one at B&H, and it was
solid as a rock.  Perhaps this tiny amount of play is within spec, however.


Douglas Cooper
>>>

Douglas, it sounds to me as if your lens may have been stored in or exposed
to excessive heat at some point. I had a 35 summicron R lens which went very
sloppy in India a few years ago and had to be relubricated. It seems the
lubricant can lose its viscosity over time or due to heating. Presumably the
grease expresses its oil content or something like that. The repair-wala in
Calcutta greased it with a more viscous grease which he said was more
suitable for tropical climes and that solved the problem. The lens in
question had spent several weeks out all day in 40 to 50 °C.
For what it's worth, my new 90 elmarit-M is rollid as a sock - so far!
Rob.

Robert Appleby
http://www.robertappleby.com