jason_b. Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 My 50/1.4 ASPH showed up yesterday. Beautiful thing, but the focus felt pretty dry, and the aperture ring is loose enough that I've bumped it off it's setting several times by accident. A little lame. Haven't seen any film yet. I'll post when I do. If the lens checks out optically, I'll probably send it in under passport to be re-lubed, and have the aperture tightened up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vick_ko Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 Hmmmm. J Collier returned his 50/1.4 ASPH for mechanical troubles and he was without his lens for 6 months. You may want to research this thread: http://leica-users.org/v29/msg02446.html I am thinking of reserving the lens, but with Leica's financial perils, and now two reports of issues (yours and John's), I might just not bother. ...Vick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger_michel Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 try to always buy leica cameras and lenses in person. there is a lot of habd assemble and so each one feels different. where that is impossible, b&h and others allow you to purchase multiples and return the examples you don't want. b&h is great about refunds. never takes more than a day or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry_rory Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 "Purchase multiples" !! Ye gads sir, that would be about 4500 GB pounds for 3 of em. ("Give me a brace of ye finest Summiluxes my good man! And make em snappy.") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack_lo_..._t_o Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 Is this a <new> lens?? I guess this means you're paying for: the formula; the materials; and the name. Then you have it re-assembled. Time-line be damned, Jason, I'd be asking for an exchange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason_b. Posted March 12, 2005 Author Share Posted March 12, 2005 I did pick it up in person, but Rich Pinto only got one lens in. So it seemed to be take it or leave it. The focus has loosened up a bit, but it doesn't have that velvet feel that makes it easy to focus quickly and accurately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brambor Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 My 35mm cron asph was wery stiff at first.10-20 rolls changed it for the better. It is smooth now. Funny things happen when you use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
del_gray Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 Hey Jason, I got your old 50 lux pre-asph relubed and it is soooo smooth right now - but you can't have it back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feli Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 Give it a little time. My 2/90 Cron was as stiff as a board when I got it, but now it's smooth as butter. feli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_neuthaler Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 It's ridiculous that we have to use our Leica lenses to have them work properly: they should be adjusted at the factory for fondling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason_b. Posted March 12, 2005 Author Share Posted March 12, 2005 Very funny Paul. As I too expected, it has loosened up a little, but it still has that "hang" before it gets moving. Anyway, the tab is pretty nice to have, and the little hood seems to stay out, but I don't know how much good it will do against stray light. I'm going to hit the lab monday night, and see film on tuesday. I'll post more there. And Del, I'm glad you are loving the 50. The 35/1.2 is pretty interesting. Different look than the Leica ASPHs and very pretty and smooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason_b. Posted March 12, 2005 Author Share Posted March 12, 2005 Also, I don't know if any of you have seen the back end of this thing. Pretty weird. The cam rotates, and is cut, as opposed to moving in and out, there are a couple of pins keeping the cam and the rear cell helicoids aligned, just like the 50 aniversary cron - I think erwin has a picture of that on his website. If I can scan the rear mount really quickly I will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason_b. Posted March 12, 2005 Author Share Posted March 12, 2005 Here's the rear mount.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason_b. Posted March 12, 2005 Author Share Posted March 12, 2005 You can also see three separate rings with threads that move. The interior brass ring, an aluminum ring, and then the outeremost ring of brass which contains the cam cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eliot_rosen1 Posted March 13, 2005 Share Posted March 13, 2005 I'm not sure it is good idea to exchange it for a different one, these lenses are in very short supply and you may have to wait quite a while. The stiff focussing usually loosens up significantly with usage. It's not a permanent problem. If their products didn't have some pecularities, it wouldn't be Leica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon pig Posted March 13, 2005 Share Posted March 13, 2005 The focusing on mine was stiff when I got it, but the aperture ring wasn't loose like on yours. My only disappointment with it, is that the little red dot fell off after 1 week. I was tempted to send it backunder passport to have them glue it back on, but decided to wait until I broke it in proper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason_b. Posted March 13, 2005 Author Share Posted March 13, 2005 I'm going to keep it for sure, as long as it passes the optical test on monday night. The focus will loosen up, and when I have a week or two when I know I won't need it, it'll go to New Jersey for a re-lub etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e.p_x Posted March 13, 2005 Share Posted March 13, 2005 Hey Jason, Do your tests...but you are free to return it if it isn't up to par. I'm sorry I don't have one to exchange ...but we barely get any at all... so I have no idea when the next one will be available. Of course I have no idea from one lens to the next if they may be better or not. BTW, I wouldn't have the aperture tightened. That is pretty much how they all have been and I think how they should be. I don't know about the focus. It might loosen up or maybe not? Well of course if you do keep it, you have three years of passport as well. Lastly, if you send it in under passport, let me know and I'll try to follow up with Leica for you. cheers, Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason_b. Posted March 15, 2005 Author Share Posted March 15, 2005 By the way everyone, as I wait for the results from the last optical test ( 1m accuracy) I'd just like to say that Rich at Photovillage is very cool. In addition to hooking me up with this lens, he has been helping me with other more obscure leica screw mount issues, which won't really make him any money, but he is just as enthusiastic about those things, as he is about me being happy with my 50 ASPH. Thanks Rich, you've got yourself a customer for good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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