Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/01/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]It is common (old) manufacturing technique to make parts fit by tweaking. You get to define tweaking any way you wish, including selective assembly. This does not mean that any particular lens was bad, but there was a spread in the quality because humans are human. There are manufacturing tolerances that are large(r). Make a minor assembly line error and you get a lens that is different from the last. It is this variation that is the basis for lower overall repeatability of results. Today, parts are made to higher standards, lower tolerances, and therefore more repeatable. Make an operation repeatable, and even if there are errors, by tweaking the total process, you get the small tolerances in the right place: More predictable results. The equipment is a response to the problem: higher tolerances, (more variation in sample to sample). Anyway, you are better off IN GENERAL, in purchasing a newer manufactured lens..... Frank Filippone red735i@earthlink.net