Hello, I'm a lucky owner of a Summilux-M 35mm ASPH. that I bought new last January. Since yesterday I'm noticing that the diaphragm ring got somehow loose and has a certain play in its lodging. It sounds also more clanky or "metallic" when turned, although it doesn't seem to affect the normal operation of the blades which actually look firmly in place. What can that be? The lens has never been mistreated or banged. Is that normal for a lens that expensive? Can that become worse if not repaired immediately? Thanks for your comments.

-- Federico Agostini (101715.212@compuserve.com), August 09, 2000

Answers

I had exactly the same problem with my brand new 35mm f2 Summicron Asph. It sounded like one of the ball bearings for the aperture ring was bad. I suspect this might be a design or manufacturing flaw with the current 35mm designs, but thats only a guess. I returned it under warranty for a replacement, and haven't had the problem with the new lens.

-- Joe Buechler (jbuechler@toad.net), August 09, 2000.

Is it just me, or does it seem that there are quite a bit of mechanical problems with the latest offerings from Leica? Fedrico's aperture problem here, out of alignment rangefinders on the TTL M6's, and literally hundreds of complaints on the LUG site.

This is the company in which users brag about the age of their cameras and lenses, yet the new stuff doesn't seem to be winning any longevity awards. I guess I'll be keeping my old 'crons and classic M6... while quietly singing, "Those were the days."

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), August 09, 2000.

Al, let's not lose sight of the fact that we're talking about ball bearings in the aperture ring! Tell me what other camera manufacturer is as committed to quality. I've had a grand total of one problem with my stuff, and Leica quickly put it right for me under warranty. Leica deserves their fine reputation, in my opinion.

Several people on this forum have noted that the Leica Users Group suffers from numerous quality defects.

-- Joe Buechler (jbuechler@toad.net), August 09, 2000.

Many other lenses have ball bearing(s) .My M3 purchased new in 67 was not totally assembled...!It was returned and corrected.I still have this camera for daily pro-use.My Nikons of same vintage are worn out.Send it in.These are special cameras and lenses.The Leica is not an easy tool.

-- jason gold (jason1155234@webtv.net), August 10, 2000.

Fellas,

Don't get me wrong... I am totally sold on Leica. It stands alone for what it offers and its dedication to not causing previously acquired equipment to be rendered obsolete. I'm just saying that in the past, defective Leica stories were few and far between. The rejection rate of the Leitz quality control department was legendary, resulting in the delivered product being assuredly worth every bit of the higher than usual price.

Now the stories are not simply anecdotal, but repetitious. Anything can slip through, but if the same things are slipping through, what process is breaking down? In this post, two people had the same problem on the same lens, and regardless of the opinions of the LUG, you can't ignore the fact that there seems to be rangefinder problems in mass that didn't occur in the recent past. Having worked in quality control myself, I know how much stock we put in quantified fail rates. No single event is a trend, but when multiples start to add up, we looked for problems in the process. "Just a ball bearing" might be acceptable in a 300 Dollar Sigma or Vivitar lens, but on a 1400 Dollar simple lens that has no aperture linkage to interface to a camera body... this is hard to accept. Yes there is a warranty, but why wasn't it right when it left the factory?

I know that we are in the year 2000, and the ability of a company to remain solvent is directly related to its capability to deliver the product with the best intake of money for the least expense to the company. I just hope that history counts for something, and we can get back to the days when a "failure upon delivery" is single event balanced by a record for the best dependability in the photographic market. I remember being laughed at by my friend for spending so much on a camera, but I just smiled knowing that the higher initial output would be justified many years down the road when he was on his fourth body, and my Leica was just getting broke in. I hope to have that confidence again.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), August 10, 2000.

Start rant:

A short course in how to generate "quality control" problems with a M rangefinder. Use one of the following easy techniques to enable you to complain about how they donot make them like they used to. Drop camera in unpadded bag onto hard floor. Swing around suddenly with the camera around your neck and watch it smack a door post or brain a particularly thick headed fellow photographer. Leave camera alone in a room with a two year old for just five seconds. Ship it by Fedex or other such just out of the closet package abusers masquerading as couriers. Place it on a table with the strap hanging down. Put it on the floor the next time, who says we cannot learn from our mistakes, and then wind up kicking it yourself. I have had no QC problems with my new equipment (lenses and bodies). My rangefinder did go out but I assure you it was my fault. Leica fixed it under passport for free and send it back in a box the size of a small TV, packed with foam peanuts! I have also had my M2 rangefinder adjusted several times as I tend to use, mildly abuse maybe, my cameras. I have had all of my lenses that I purchased used CLAed, colimated,.... or whatever was required. It is equipmnet. It goes out of adjustment and it needs regular maintenance, especially if you use it.

End of rant.

No.....really....I am OK now.

Cheers

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), August 10, 2000.