Storing lenses

I know this is bordering on the ridiculous but I have noticed that when buying new Leica lenses that the apeture is always on smallest

setting i.e. f/16 etc.

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Do you think this is to relieve stress on the aperture blade springs?

And if so should we be storing any seldom used lenses we may have the same way?

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My wife thinks I'm mad and obsessive, I may as well confirm it with this question.

Let me be the first to admit: I'm mad and obsessive about my Leica

equipment! Seriously, I've never heard of this being an issue, but

maybe one of our resident Leica experts will kick in with some

surprising wisdom on this subject.

Thanks Terry for asking this question; I'm also curious about the

correct way of storing leica lenses too, if there is indeed such a

thing, and I'm watching this thread closely. OK, now where can I

sign up for Obsessive-about-lens-storage Anonymous?

Terry,

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I think the lens storage theory--with the aperture blades closed to

minimum f/stop--originated with the SLR type lenses that have

spring-loaded, stop-down aperture mechanisms. I was told years ago

that storing these SLR lenses at the minimum aperture releases the

spring tension on the stop down mechanism, thereby prolonging the

spring's life expectancy and maintaining proper tension. Leicas don't

have this, so I would think that's not the reason.

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It could be that the aperture blades tend to become coated with

lubrication if stored at maximum aperture. I had an older Leica lens

CLA'd and it came back with a trace of lubrication on the blades. If

I stored it at maximum aperture (wide open), the lubrication seemed to

build up on the blades, revealing itself as I closed down the lens.

When I kept it at minimum aperture, the trace of lubrication on

the blades seemed to disappear and dry out over time.

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Just a thought, Sergio.

You are all missing the fundamental flaw in this question.

NEVER store Leica lenses! Use them! :-) :-) :-)

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Seriously though, the main concern when storing camera

equipment is humidity, and by extention, fungus. If you are

fortunate to live in a dry climate like Tony and I do, then relax a

little. If you live in a more humid climate, then building a dry

cabinet would be a good idea.

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A simple dry cabinet is an box with a light bulb inside and turned

on all the time. Make sure that the box is made of

non-combustible materials and that the temperature is warm but

not hot. There is some thinking that exposing the lenses (and

finders) to light can help against fungus formation so

incorporating some clear panels in your dry cabinet would be a

good idea.

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Now that humidity is dealt with, it is important to exercise Leica

camera gear at least every three months or less. Work it through

all shutter speeds, more all the controls that can move such as

aperture, focusing rings, frame selector, etc. This keeps the

lubrication where it should be and prevents the works from

getting gummed up.

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I would like to end by repeating the first statement that Leica gear

that is used stays in the top working condition. Always be wary of

used gear that has "never been used" or "slight use only" as it

will probably need at least a CLA to get working properly.

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Cheers

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PS: Your wife is right! :-)

M lenses- it makes no difference. With R-lenses the apertures always

"relax" to the set aperture stop when removed from the camera (they

open up when attached). I would hope it should make no difference

with an R-lens either, but if I was obsessive I might set the lens to

the smallest aperture. I am not, so I don't. It would be a poor

outlook for Leica if this aperture twisting did make any real

difference.

The aperture blade axles of the old type of the lenses have been

lubricated. Any lubricant is an evaporative material. It is

evaporating and settling on glass surfaces faced on aperture blades

during a long time. As a result a muddy efflorescence appears on

these surfaces and the lens loses its contrast characteristics.

I repaired a lot of these. For example, I have seen the lens (Zeiss

Sonnar 2/85, like new, never used) with the exact B�oil printB� of its

(set on f-stop 22) aperture on the surface of the inner element

facing to the aperture. This lens was stored about thirty years. Non-

AI Nikkors, old Leitz, Zeiss and many others lens have such kind of

efflorescence, as a rule, when looking through its aperture (set on

16-22 f-stop) on a light source. The above forced me to keep my old

lenses with full-opened aperture blades. But it doesnB�t matter for

the modern lenses. It is my two kopecks.