Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/04/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Before sending lenses, I suggest confirming with a ground glass and a 10-20x loupe at the film plane with tripod. In the absense of suitable ground glass I've found that opaque scotch tape works well IFF it is pulled flat. Gary gwsteward@juno.com On Sun, 15 Apr 2001 23:13:20 -0400 "George Kenney" <georgekenney@earthlink.net> writes: > I should probably look this one up, but please excuse my reluctance > to wade through a zillion off-subject posts. > > Recently I found that two of my Leica lenses (a new USA 50 > Summicron, and a new import 90 Summicron) aren't focusing > through the rangefinder properly at infinity -- they're just a hair > short > of crisp focus, in an M3, M4-2, and M6 TTL bodies. Actually, I > hadn't even noticed this until I started taking more intensive > bracketed sets of infinity shots. I've ruled out the cameras' having > > rangefinder problems (well, the M4-2 may need a very slight > adjustment) by swapping around cameras with these and other > lenses. > > So here's my stupid question: If the lenses aren't set right at > infinity, > am I still getting as crisp a focus as the rangefinder tell me I'm > getting short of infinity? Or is the rangefinder-lens link distorted > > throughout the focusing range? > > Now, I gather this problem is a fairly easy thing to fix. Would it > take > forever if I sent the USA lens to Leica, or would I be better off > just > taking both to a local shop? Or sending them to a nationally known > repair specialist? > > Thanks much for help! > > G. > > PS I'm wondering a bit about contemporary quality control for Leica > lenses. Already I had to send back the first new 90 Summicron I > got, because it had a huge thing (bubble, scratch, whatever) about > a half inch inside the front element. I have trouble understanding > how that one got out the door. When these lenses are fine they're > outstanding, but my feeling is that the flaw rate in new lenses > should > at a minimum be less than .1%. Instead, for me it seems to run at > about 33%! Is everything usually OK and am I that unlucky??