Re: [Leica] Halogen light and lenses

["Ross McLeish" <cram@bigpond.com>]

I haven't yet tried the 'halogen test', but on a QC level was a little
dismayed initially to notice a piece of 'dust' or small hair on the filter
element inside my 19mm ELMARIT-R. Fortunately, the 'dust' is only visible
"between" settings (when turning the filter from one to another). They
really must be 'open lenses'!
- -----Original Message-----
From: Gary D. Whalen <whalen@whalentennis.com>
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Friday, 11 December 1998 2:43
Subject: [Leica] Halogen light and lenses


>  A friend of mine recently received a new 100 f.28 Macro for his R8.
>After receiving it he called me and said that there were 20-30 "very
>small" specs on the glass INSIDE of the lense.  He also told me that the
>only way you can check a lense to see if it is clean is with a halogen
>light.    I always check my lenses and camera with natural light or
>light bulb but have never checked them with a halogen light.  Well, I
>decided to check a few of my lenses and found the same thing - many
>small specs of dust or particles behind the front lense.
>
>  This morning I called Leica repair and they said that those specs
>should not be there but that they should also not affect the image in
>anyway.  They said that they would take the lenses in and clean them
>and it would take around 3 weeks.  They also said that the R lenses are
>not closed lenses.  That is, that dust can get into the inside elements
>of R lenses.  I thought this was weird but what do I know.
>
>    Do any of you have any thoughts or ideas concerning the specs and/or
>the halogen light check?  Is this a Leica QC problem or normal in all
>lenses?  Also, my friend ordered a brand new R8 and the glass in the
>veiwfinder was scratched.  What is going on with Leica.  People do NOT
>spend 2 to 3 times more money than the competition for any equipment
>without expecting perfection.  Leica will be out of business within 5
>years if they do not address these quality control issues.
>
>
>