Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/28

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: focus stiffness (was [Leica] Black Hole?)
From: "Mxsmanic" <mxsmanic@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 16:43:23 +0200
References: <ea.1786c984.286c8154@aol.com>

Seth Rosner writes:

> I may have misunderstood. When someone says
> there's play or slack, I assume that means
> the aperture ring moves without affecting
> the diaphragm.

I'm actually not sure if the diaphragm moves or not.  The play in the ring (that
is, the distance it moves without any apparent resistance, before you feel the
usual damping) is about 0.35 mm (which I measured); with about 9 mm between
stops (which I also measured), this is about 1/26 of a full stop.  I can't tell
if the blades move over this free distance or not, as they typically move much
less than the ring when changing the aperture.

> Not necessarily. And even if there needs to be
> some disassembly, the lens cell itself may be
> able to be left intact, i.e. the problem may be
> correctible without touching any lens elements
> or their mounts.

Hmm ... well, if I could be _certain_ of that, I might risk sending it in (in
the off season of winter, since I shoot too many photos during the summer to be
without it for weeks at a time).

> It's a bit like saying that there's some wear
> each time you press the shutter release. True,
> but so what?

Please ... I try not to think about the wear on the shutter!

> Leica shutters are crafted to be able to be used
> through 400,000 cycles before requiring service?

You mean that I have less than 394,000 cycles left???

> It seems to me that you may be overly worried
> about a problem that doesn't exist.

The concern I had was that I don't want it to get worse.  If it's not going to
get worse, no big deal, I can condition myself to live with it, but if it is an
omen of some future, premature failure, it worries me more.

I take good care of all my stuff, which is why I'm willing to spend lots of
money on it, and that's also why I worry when I see anomalies.

> Where in Europe?

Paris, France.  There is a very good Leica-only dealer here, at the Maison du
Leica; it is popular even with people who don't buy Leicas, because it is the
only nicely air-conditioned store on an entire street of photo stores (although
with a few more heat waves like we've had this week, a lot of the other stores
may finally bite the bullet and spend the money for air conditioning).

In reply to: Message from SthRosner@aol.com (Re: focus stiffness (was [Leica] Black Hole?))