[Leica] To Keep or Not to Keep a Leica 1.4/75 M-Summilux

[buzz.hausner at verizon.net (Buzz Hausner)]

Well, it doesn't make any economic sense to pay for such an expensive
repair and then get rid of the lens, you wouldn't recover anywhere near
the initial cost after depreciation, plus the cost of the repair.  To my
mind the question is how much you like and use the 75 Summilux.

As I have written before, this is a highly idiosyncratic lens...an odd
focal length that you either love or hate.  It is a huge lens by Leica
standards and can be difficult to focus at 1.4 until you have a great
deal of experience with it.  It may be the last lens Leica sells which
was designed by a couple of guys with slide rules and it has unique
qualities in its image, superior edge sharpness, and bokeh.  However, I
suspect that the number of people who would really use and appreciate
this peculiar lens are very few, indeed.

That said, if you are going to use the lens a lot, get it repaired and
just enjoy it.  If its an item that you use only rarely or occasionally,
you might try to sell it.  You probably will not have much like selling
it broken, though, and I would guess that it's value in fine condition
would be around 1200-1500 EUR, but that is just an uneducated guess.  At
the end of the day, only you can be the judge.

        Buzz Hausner


-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+buzz.hausner=verizon.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+buzz.hausner=verizon.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf
Of Didier Ludwig
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 11:33 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: [Leica] Doomed too: Leica 1.4/75 M-Summilux

I have repair troubles with a 1999 75mm M-Summilux. I had it, mounted on
a 
M6, on the middle console of my car when it dropped to my feets in a
curve. 
Then the aperture blades seemed to be slightly uptighted (only
sometimes) 
and I sent it to my repair man. He told me he couldn't easily open the 
aperture complex because its all glued together. He said most of the
newer 
Leica lenses were made like that, like all new japanese lenses - just 
glued, not screwed like the older ones.

Leica Switzerland adviced him to heat the lens on 50?C for 2 hours. My 
repairman did. The aperture complex was still glued together. After 
recalling Leica, he repeated the procedure with 60?C. Still negative.

The lens was sent to Leica. After 2 months, the cost estimate came: CHF 
1100 (EUR 750) for a new aperture complex. And this price is not
including 
the work of my repairman.

I dont know if I should pay or just get rid of it.

Didier