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Great plan, not so great outcome (50mm Lux focusing)

Photojazz

Member
Getting a 50mm 1.4 didn't turn out exactly as planned. 50 1.4 @ 1.4 focus issue. Seems a little to soft to me. Got to see about returning or getting fixed.

Zenfolio | Photojazz | Focus Test Gallery

If you want to view the focus images and give me input, great.

If not, it's ok. I'll handle this one way or the other.
 
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Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
Re: Great plan, not so great outcome

If the lens looks good, and you saved a bit by buying it used, I would send it to DAG and have him adjust it. Then you will know it is spot-on. (My first (brand new from the dealer 50 f/1.4 ASPH) had to go back to Leica for an adjustment right out of the box, but that was covered by a warranty.)
 

MCTuomey

New member
Re: Great plan, not so great outcome

What Cindy says. Take some of the $$ you saved and spend on getting the lens adjusted. And if DAG can't adjust it, you'll have an objective reason to pursue a return. I would speak to the seller about your dissatisfaction and plan so that you're aligned.
 
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Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Re: Great plan, not so great outcome

Every Leica M lens I have owned has had to go to either Leica or DAG for adjustment.
I really recommend DAG as he does great work and seems to have been more consistent than Leica meaning that I have not yet had to have his work re-done but I have on a couple of occasions from Leica.
-bob
 

Photojazz

Member
Re: Great plan, not so great outcome

Well, B & H offers to send for repair, I have a 90 day service warranty. Who do they use? I do not know. Physically, the lens is perfect in every regard. I just want to make sure the lens I own is right. fact is, it looks like a new lens. It does not look used. I sure don't want it going to some "hack" that will mess my lens up physically or otherwise.

Does the floating element complicate matters? I believe I read where the 50 is a floating element lens now, though they don't list it as an FLE that I am aware of like the 24 and 35.

I do not know who DAG is.

I am going to do further testing this weekend, because first off, B & H is closed 2 days next week, so I don't want my return stacked up in a huge pile waiting to be returned when BH re-opens. I'd as soon wait until they are there.

I have no problem if it's a minor adjustment cost, picking that cost up. I don't have a clue what this usually costs though or how long it takes. Who is this DAG?

ideas?

Thanks for the input.

Doug
 

D&A

Well-known member
Re: Great plan, not so great outcome

Hi Doug,

DAG is Don Goldberg. Here is his web address: DAG Camera Parts

It shows parts but he is a long time Leica tech. who does superb work. It sometimes can be difficult to contact him but I found its best to try in morning hours via phone and breifly discuss with him your issues with your lens. Repair times can often vary greatly as it appears he's usually very busy with work. The 50mm Lux asph can be a finiky lens.

I took a look atthe lens tests you posted but unless I am wrong, the size to evaluate was too smal for me to evaluate. I would simply do a lens test at three distances...close, mid range and infinity when the lens is wide open to determine if there is any front or back focus at these three ranges. This can often provide useful info. It may be simply that your lens is misfocusing at one or more of these ranges. If not and the lens is simply soft, then it sometimes can be an issue of having to adjust the optical group.

with an aquantence, I have seen copies of this lens whereby all other fast Leica lenses were focusing properly on a given body but the 50mm Lux asph was backfocusing, even though they came straight from Leica that way, some after adjusment. As I mentioned, certain lenses are often a bit difficult to get just right and in line with other lenses.

Anyhow, I'd be interested to knwo if your lens is front or back focusing as I couldn't quite see your lens aling test charts in a large enough size. Thanks.

Dave (D&A)
 

Photojazz

Member
Re: Great plan, not so great outcome

Thanks Dave, very helpful. Unfortunately, they don't make it easy at Zenfolio for guests to see large shots. They won't let anyone but the account holder see original sizes, I don't think.

I may be able to put links here to XL shots, XL should be pretty large, since these are deeply cropped anyway.

Bill @ Leica suggested a 45 degree brick wall shot, as a great test, in fact, looking at a brick wall shot I took that is not really just wall, but a diagonal shot of light and stuff, he said the lens looks to be forward focusing. So, you just don't see it at wider apertures, because the dept of field is so large.

Bill said I should send my M9 and the 50 to them, even though I bought it used, he said the focus adjustment would be done as a service since I own an M9.

Thanks Dave:

I'll see if I can't post up links to larger shots later today.
 

zombii

New member
I had the same experience as Cindy with the first 50 Lux ASPH that I bought new from Camera West. I sent it back to them and they sent it to Leica. When I got it back, focus was closer to accurate but it was never as sharp as I expected. I bought a used one last year that focuses correctly and is sharp.

I can vouch for DAG also. If you talk to him, you do need to tell him when you need it back. He is quite busy but he does excellent work and is cheaper than Leica from what I've seen.
 

Photojazz

Member
I decided I couldn't pack my M9 up without really needing to do so, My camera is mint, and I'd like to keep it that way, and not lost in shipment either. I guess I could send lens in without camera, even though they asked for camera at Leica.

At this point, I have a 2nd lens coming to me, a mint 10 rating lens from B & H. If this one is right, I'll send the other lens back and wash my hands of this mess. Yes, I could have saved some money to go through this repair process. But I am choosing to avoid it if I can and still save some money off new. My objective when I started was to buy a good lens. I bought 2 good used lenses before, so hopefully, this time I will be more fortunate.

If this lens focuses as the last did at 1.4, then I'll keep the cheaper lens and get it repaired, if it's right, then I will return the first lens and get back to the business of shooting with my camera and 3 luxes and a cron. :)
 

250swb

Member
Good luck with the second lens.

The reason Leica would want you to send the camera in as well as the lens is because essentially they don't trust people to know for sure if it is the body or the lens that is at fault, so to save time in the long run they ask for both. Neither is adjusted to match each other, so the lens is not adjusted to match the body or visa versa. They are independently adjusted to the set standard's that Leica use. It is not unknown to find that a lens that seemed to focus badly was correct, and through coincidence the body and other lenses previously all working together were in fact each badly adjusted. An independent repairer is more likely to accept for convenience that you know for sure it is the lens or the body at fault, so you only send one or the other in for adjustment. The advantage of buying a Leica body or lens from a local dealer (if you have one) is that you take it in and they organise secure shipping back to Leica, but I accept it isn't possible in many cases.

But don't overestimate the Summilux. It will be less sharp wide open, and it will lead to more focus failures used wide open. Like any other lens it's most sharp at around F/4, and like any other rangefinder setup it isn't always possible (perhaps through the lighting or subject movement etc) to anticipate the exact focus point of the lens at F/1.4.

Steve
 

mmbma

Active member
having the same problem. Although I think it's my M9, not the lens. as it back focuses with every lens I got.
 

Photojazz

Member
Steve, you have made some very good points in your writeup, thanks. I actually had considered that there could be some operator error in my tests, and possibly the lens isn't as bad as all that anyway. that maybe I could live with softer 1.4, than at 2.0 or 2.8, or 4.0, according to the Manager at Leica, he said it is front focusing, and the reason why it appears spot on at f4.0 is that the depth of field is increased, so that point you are focusing on, is no longer out of focus. Well, makes sense.

The second lens that was supposed to be a 10 rated, MINT lens came to me yesterday. There obviously must be a mistake, a BIG mistake. The lens came to me without a factory box, without a factory end cap. a slight scratch on the lens cap, no factory Leica zipper pouch, no instructions. The lens that came to me's serial number does NOT match what is on the invoice. This is a BIG problem. I am immediately concerned that they will try to say I did some kind of swap. However, I do have one thing in my favor.

The lens did come in the little plastic bag that a new lens comes in from Leica, so the person saved the bag, and not the box? Wow, strange. It has factory Leica sticker on it, with the serial number that matches this lens. Well, that sticker has the serial number that matches the lens, the bag also has the dealer used sticker on it, with their "sku" on the sticker, that matches the "sku" on the invoice. Of course, the serial number does not match the invoice.

Oh, this lens came in a Lens Coat brand neoprene pouch with a cinch strap and buckle like thing on it. I don't think that's factory LEICA. I am being facetious here. I know it didn't come with that! I am very aggravated. I now have 6700.00 in 2 Summilux lenses, and neither is right.

This dealer just went down my list of trusted sources for anything used, that's for sure. The first lens, I can see how this could happen, maybe they don't test 1.4 for accuracy. but this second mistake, is inexcusable.
 
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mmbma

Active member
Morale of the lesson: BUY FROM GETDPI MEMBERS!

Joke aside, i'm sure you'll get the refund. Don't worry too much
 

Photojazz

Member
oh, mmbma, sorry about your M9 back focus issue, that stinks. DAG, I think, you have heard about him in my thread I presume if you didn't already know about him?

Doug
 
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