Life expectacy of a hard worked lens?

P

peewee

Established
Local time
11:13 AM
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
188
View My Gallery
Used Leica and Zeiss lenses fetch a lot, even well used copies. Is it wise to pay top used market prices for lenses in good optical condition but which have been used a lot, i know it's like asking how long is a piece of string but all lenses must die one day. For example, a used Leica 35 Cron in great used condition, used proffesionally every day for 2 years, would you pay the going used market price for that lens?
Thanks 🙄
 
I don't think lenses of that quality 'wear out' in any meaningful sense. There may come a time when they are need of service, especially if exposed to rough elements or mistreated. But I do not think they have a 'lifespan' in any term that would be meaningful to your own lifespan.
 
bmattock said:
I don't think lenses of that quality 'wear out' in any meaningful sense. There may come a time when they are need of service, especially if exposed to rough elements or mistreated. But I do not think they have a 'lifespan' in any term that would be meaningful to your own lifespan.
Click to expand...
Agreed, people tend to put cameras and lenses in the same category as mechanisms with constantly rotating and/or reciprocating parts - when advocating service or replacement.
Dave.
 
Aother vote for 'no, they don't wear out, though they may occasionally need servicing'. Abuse is another matter but 'walkie' beach photographers used Leicas (and their lenses) for many years at a time, taking huge numbers of pics in a sandy environment. My 35 Summilux has been my standard lens from new for close on 30 years, and it needed fixing once, about 15-20 years ago, when the focusing tab became loose.

Cheers,

R.
 
I've seen worn out Leica lenses - the focusing mechanism simply worn out; but, these were lenses from very long ago that had years of hard professional use. I don't think Leica lenses get enough hard use anymore, even by pros who use them, to experience that kind of wear.
 
2 years isn't a long time for a lens... I wouldn't be concerned about that. Leica stuff is pretty tough though. I would say that it is rarer to find abused Leica stuff than to find good Leica stuff.
 
About 400 years before the silica in the glass flows to disrupt the optical properties of the lens.

The canadian balsam in older lenses will discolor.

Cement will separate.

But the individual glass elements, 400 years.
 
I bought a 35 Summicron v.1 almost two years ago that was described as "battered". It was definitely well used and I sent it off to Steve Choi for a CLA. After it came back I asked him for a prognosis and he told me it might need another CLA in 30 years...

Admittedly this lens has stellar build quality like the rigid/DR 50 but often the use is for a reason - the owner loved the lens. I have two lenses that got a hammering, this 35 and a 24/2.8 that looks terrible. But they're both brilliant lenses so I would say providing the optics are good go for it especially if they're from the sixties era.
 

Attachments

  • 35Summicron_v.1.jpg
    35Summicron_v.1.jpg
    105.3 KB · Views: 0
lenses are durable! Biggest problem is if they are left sitting unused and the lubricants dry out. This will wear a helicoil pretty fast. If you keep using the lens and "distribute" the grease in the focussing helicoil as well as keeping it from getting dry - 30 or 40 years should be fine. Often all you need is to have it cleaned out and relubed anyway.
The weakest spot is aperture blades and the "ring" drive component. If you get oil on the blades, they can stick and easily bend or "scissor" each other. The ring that controls the aperture is often made from plastic (Summicron 50's) and I have had a couple of these crack. The "click ball" for the aperture indents can get sticky and needed to be cleaned.
Often a heavily used lens works better than a pristine, 30-40 year old collectible that has gummed itself up. NEVER force sticky aperture rings as that usually leads to expensive service!
Most pro's who rely on their equipment for a living have lenses cleaned and relubed after a while (10-15 years) or if they have spent time in a sandy/salty environment. The lenses might not look pretty - but work well.
 
While its not an issue with RF lenses, SLR lenses do have some more significant wear issues:

Autodiaphram mechinisms: These can wear out from excessive use. In general it would take massive use, but I've seen a few reach the point where they begin to malfunction.

AF systems: these too have significant wear issues, gears and bearings to wear out.
 
The polycarbonates used in "modern lenses" tend to outgas. I've seen some that look like the inner glass of cars with vinyl seats.
 
All my Nikon lenses from the 70s and early 80s are perfect. All have had a great deal of use, some were bought used, all work like new. Leica and Zeiss are at least as good. All my Contax G2 lenses are still perfect too, but they're newer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom