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Noctilux question

Cindy Flood

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
After waiting since May for my Noctilux, I finally got it in my hands yesterday. To my dismay, it really has a back-focus problem. When I realized this, I lined up several yogurt containers and was clearly able to see back-focus.

I am wondering if I should just send it back or am I better off sending it to an independent repair person. I understand that the noctilux is not optimized for digital and will have some focus shift.
 
robsteve

robsteve

Subscriber
If you want it fixed quick, I would send it to an independant. I had mine adjusted by Kindermann. I think a few have had it done by DAG.

In my case it was a Noctilux I have had for years and was not under warranty. Kindermann is a Leica warranty depot, so Kindermann's work would have been covered by Leica if it was a new lens. If you get a third party to do it you may loose your warranty.
 
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Guy Mancuso

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
John i would like to post that in the Sunset Bar. If you want to send me that or please post that as leica repairs shops, that would be nice to have as a sticky there. If you post it than i can place a sticky on it
 
johnastovall

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
Guy Mancuso said:
John i would like to post that in the Sunset Bar. If you want to send me that or please post that as leica repairs shops, that would be nice to have as a sticky there. If you post it than i can place a sticky on it
Click to expand...
It's in the Sunset Bar put a sticky on it....
 
L

LJL

New member
Cindy,
Congrats on the Noctilux. I waited for many months also for mine, but am still impressed with it as a wonderful lens. Mine also has a backfocus problem straight out of the box. I have not sent it back to Leica, but thank John for the list of places to send more locally for the focus correction. (Honestly, I read enough stories of folks sending their Noctilux back to Leica, waiting forever, and then having it returned no better off. Not ALL folks had that problem, but enough posted about it on various forums.)

So far, I have been learning to compensate my focus with it, but I will send it in to one of the third party places for proper focus adjustment soon. I just hate being without it too long ;-)

LJ
 
Cindy Flood

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
Thanks for all the good advice. I don't want to void my warranty, so I'll send it off in good time to a Leica certified repair. I might try to compensate till the holidays are over.
 
L

LJL

New member
Cindy,
You might call and ask if it would void your warranty. I would think it would not, as these are Leica approved shops. Would be nice to know before sending off to anywhere. Just a thought. In the meantime, remember to lean back, not forward on your shots ;-)

LJ
 
glenerrolrd

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Why do so many 50 Summilux ASPH and 50 Noctiluxes backfocus? I find it hard to believe that so many of us have had problems with these lenses. I know that their is some variability in the M8 rangefinder calibration ;but, in the end many of these lenses end up in Solms for calibration. I know that Zeiss 50 1.5 Sonnars are set for optimum focus at F2.8 and can be adjusted to optimize focus at 1.5. This has to be in the original set up of the lenses and not just a quality control issue.
 
robsteve

robsteve

Subscriber
glenerrolrd said:
Why do so many 50 Summilux ASPH and 50 Noctiluxes backfocus? I find it hard to believe that so many of us have had problems with these lenses. I know that their is some variability in the M8 rangefinder calibration ;but, in the end many of these lenses end up in Solms for calibration. I know that Zeiss 50 1.5 Sonnars are set for optimum focus at F2.8 and can be adjusted to optimize focus at 1.5. This has to be in the original set up of the lenses and not just a quality control issue.
Click to expand...
I think on these lenses a compromise was made to take into account focus shift. This compromise was probably fine with film, but not with digital.

I have noticed it with some R lenses on the DMR too. Some needed a slight adjustment to get a sharp infinity on the digital sensor. It may also mean that the tolerences Leica used to set up lenses need to be tightened for lenses used with digital.

Robert
 
robsteve

robsteve

Subscriber
LJL said:
Cindy,
You might call and ask if it would void your warranty. I would think it would not, as these are Leica approved shops. Would be nice to know before sending off to anywhere. Just a thought. In the meantime, remember to lean back, not forward on your shots ;-)

LJ
Click to expand...
I think the only Leica warranty depot in the USA is Leica NJ. I haven't heard of third party shops doing warranty work on Leica equipment.

Robert
 
H

harmsr

Workshop Member
Cindy,

Does it focus correctly at 1.0? The noctilux does exhibit focus shift which is different than back focus. It is design related that it focuses spot-on at 1.0, then shifts rearward at 1.4 to approx. 5.6, and then DOF covers the focus point again at 8.0.

I borrowed one from Leica for a two week trip in July and the lens performed as I described above. That is just normal for this lens. IMHO it is a really unique lens that can be used very creatively at 1.0 (sometimes with weird bokeh unfortunately), but for all other situations the 1.4 Lux ASPH is a better lens.

Check to see if you have back focus at all apertures, if it is just the focus-shift which is caused by the lens design and can not be repaired.

Best,

Ray
 
H

harmsr

Workshop Member
glenerrolrd said:
Why do so many 50 Summilux ASPH and 50 Noctiluxes backfocus?
Click to expand...
The M8 is really more demanding on focus than film was for multiple reasons.

However, a 50 Lux ASPH which is set-up to almost front focus at 1.4 and about 1 meter focus distant will always keep the focus point in perfect focus.

Mine had a very slight rear focus, which Leica fixed as I stated above. It works perfectly now for everything.

Best,

Ray
 
Cindy Flood

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
Ray,
I understand about focus shift. I found backfocus at f/1. Guy is going to let me check it out on one of his bodies before I make any decision on sending it in.
 
Guy Mancuso

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
i will test it for you Cindy. BTW i meet with Chis Herbert today a forum member and Moab attendee and went over his stuff and some questions he had about gear and such. Nice man and it's always nice to meet people from the forum's. Believe it or not I saved him 4k , now that impressed me.:ROTFL:
 
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