Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/27

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Subject: Re: focus stiffness (was [Leica] Black Hole?)
From: "Mxsmanic" <mxsmanic@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 12:28:38 +0200
References: <E75C3A130E1ED3119BD400508B4AA23B027D21CE@exgau36004.mel085spr.au.anz> <OE66DhxaNQ3TQakj34G0000dadd@hotmail.com> <009a01c0feeb$435f69b0$890a0a0a@phoenixdb.co.uk>

Simon Lamb writes:

> This was done by Hasselblad technicians at their
> Wembley, UK headquarters.

Perhaps that is the key.  I've heard wildly varying stories about Leica repair,
though.  I get the impression that there are six people in the world who can
rebuild anything made by Leica so that it is _better_ than new ... and then
there are hundreds of other service technicians who don't even have a clue, and
will ruin anything they touch.  And there doesn't seem to be any reliable way to
filter through them in advance, or even to guarantee that the right person sees
the equipment.

> I would be wary of using third party repairers
> but, if a lens has to be repaired, then I wouldn't
> hesitate to use the facilities of the manufacturer.

I agree, but this is more of a gray area than repair per se, because just
adjusting the feel of a lens really has no effect on its performance, and so you
are risking damage to the performance of the lens in exchange for a change to
something that never had any influence on performance.  It is a much less
calculable risk than getting a clearly-broken lens repaired.  Obviously you have
nothing to lose by getting a cracked element replaced, but when the optics are
perfect, is it really a good idea to pull the lens apart to adjust the tightness
of a ring?

> They will have the correct repair and test
> equipment to ensure that the lens is in perfect
> post-repair condition.

And if someone slips and scratches an element or strips a screw thread, do you
think they'll tell you about it and/or replace the lens/assembly?

Replies: Reply from "Simon Lamb" <simon@sclamb.com> (Re: focus stiffness (was [Leica] Black Hole?))
Reply from "Simon Lamb" <simon@sclamb.com> (Re: focus stiffness (was [Leica] Black Hole?))
Reply from Ted Grant <tedgrant@home.com> (Re: focus stiffness (was [Leica] Black Hole?))
In reply to: Message from "Griffith, Lucian" <griffil1@anz.com> (focus stiffness (was [Leica] Black Hole?))
Message from "Mxsmanic" <mxsmanic@hotmail.com> (Re: focus stiffness (was [Leica] Black Hole?))
Message from "Simon Lamb" <simon@sclamb.com> (Re: focus stiffness (was [Leica] Black Hole?))