3rd man down, Nokton 50mm f1.5 about to 'die' on me.

[SimonSawSunlight]

I'm a little frustrated; I'm in absolute love with the CV lenses I have (15, 21, 35, 35, 50), they are well made, optically brilliant and a joy to use.
but now I noticed unsharp, blurry parts in the pictures of my 2yrs old 1.5/50 that have absolutely nothing to do with the DOF, as if an element inside the lens loosened, very noticeable up to ~f4.
that makes this the third of my five lenses to turn faulty or completely defective in less than a year (my 4/21 fell completely apart in my pocket without any apparent reason, my 2.5/35 PII started wobbling about in the tube). I don't baby my stuff, but I really don't abuse it either!
I will send the nokton to Voigtländer in Fürth like I did with the 21, it's still under warranty...
I know all of this can happen to any lens from any maker, and it's probably just bad luck but I'm not sure I would buy a used CV lens without warranty again so soon.

if any of this happens to my absolute favourite lens, the 1.2/35, I'm going to rampage like a maniac... 🙄
then again, this is the best built CV lens I've seen so far. THEN again, not too different from the 1.5/50 🙁

 

[Keith]

That's bad luck!

As good as Cosina's offerings are I have to wonder about the build quality at times ... and the Zeiss lenses too I guess. Will they still be changing hands in good nick fifty years from now like the old Canons and Nikons seem to?

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

That's bad luck!

As good as Cosina's offerings are I have to wonder about the build quality at times ... and the Zeiss lenses too I guess. Will they still be changing hands in good nick fifty years from now like the old Canons and Nikons seem to?

as I said, I think the build quality, at least in theory, is very good. but yes, I'd like to know that too...

 

[lorriman]

With so many dodgy lenses it's perhaps worth exploring fiddling with them yourself. Take the cost of having them fixed, divide by 4 and set that as your tools budget. Then have fun. If it doesn't work out send off the bits and so long as you didn't lose a screw all will be fine. I expect at least one of the lenses can be fixed by yourself and then you'll have covered the cost of the tools and have serious satisfaction in a successful fix. Great feeling. I also add a little lube (silicon grease: do your google research) to the aperture and helical and the result is so much smoothness it makes me swoon, and I'm a guy.

Make sure your repair man is familiar with the lenses first; a lens in bits might be tricky to re-assemble otherwise.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

With so many dodgy lenses it's perhaps worth exploring fiddling with them yourself. Take the cost of having them fixed, divide by 4 and set that as your tools budget. Then have fun. If it doesn't work out send off the bits and so long as you didn't lose a screw all will be fine. I expect at least one of the lenses can be fixed by yourself and then you'll have covered the cost of the tools and have serious satisfaction in a successful fix. Great feeling. I also add a little lube (silicon grease: do your google research) to the aperture and helical and the result is so much smoothness it makes me swoon, and I'm a guy.

Make sure your repair man is familiar with the lenses first; a lens in bits might be tricky to re-assemble otherwise.

thanks for your advice! but
1) the 21mm has already been fixed (warranty, no cost)
2) the 50mm is still under warranty as well
2) noone needs smoother than a good 1.5/50 nokton 😀
3) the folks I'm sending the lens to is voigtländer's official repair shop, they probably know the lenses better than anyone else.

 

[Uwe_Nds]

As good as good copies of Voigtländer lenses are: the build quality of my Russian lenses appears to be better...

My 1.5/50 Nokton and 2.5/75 Heliar are also in Fürth at the moment. 🙁

Cheers,
Uwe

 

[Beemermark]

I'm in absolute love with the CV lenses I have (15, 21, 35, 35, 50), they are well made,...............
that makes this the third of my five lenses to turn faulty or completely defective in less than a year (my 4/21 fell completely apart in my pocket without any apparent reason, my 2.5/35 PII started wobbling about in the tube).
I know all of this can happen to any lens from any maker, and it's probably just bad luck .. 🙄

With a failure rate of 60% I wouldn't call it bad luck. Nor would I say they are well made. I've had a number of VC lenses and I can say good things about them but well made isn't one. And I've never had problems with lens falling apart from Nikon, Leica or Canon; so I wouldn't say it could happen to any lens maker.

 

[Larry H-L]

If you often transport cameras and lenses in cars, bikes, trains or planes, vibration WILL eventually loosen some screws. It happens to most all brands of cameras.

Some foam padding will help absorb vibrations, you might want to consider adding a few foam pads in your bag. I put my lenses in foam beverage can insulators.

Also check screws for tightness (get a good screw driver set). Some folks run out the screws and put a touch of clear nail polish on each one to help hold the screws.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

If you often transport cameras and lenses in cars, bikes, trains or planes, vibration WILL eventually loosen some screws. It happens to most all brands of cameras.

exactly, but I don't. well I do, but not more often than the next fellow... and if I'm in the car/train I try to keep the camera somewhere more or less sheltered from the vibration.
I had it for 4 weeks, when my (new) 4/21 fell apart 😉
I might try the nail polish thing though, thanks.

 

[Beemermark]

If you often transport cameras and lenses in cars, bikes, trains or planes, vibration WILL eventually loosen some screws. It happens to most all brands of cameras.
.

I've rode motorcycles for over 40 years. I ride 10K to 40K a year. My Leicas (and many other cameras) usually reside either in my tank bags or panniers.

I have never had screws or anything else come loose. I believe people that make these statements have either (1) a Harley or (2) no factual experience.

 

[sahe69]

Not very good news, especially considering that CV prices have during the last 1-2 yrs. gone up consiredably.

 

[Larry H-L]

I worked 25 as a photojournalist, and can say that metal bodied cameras and lenses loose screws all the time. Airplane and train /subway "floorboards" seem to cause the most trouble. My Nikons, Leicas, and Canons have all lost screws. I used to buy junker Nikon bodies just to get replacement screws.

Just google "camera loose screw"

And Beemermark, I do have a little experience: www.eyelement.com

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I own one "modern" CV lens, a 35/1.7 Ultron bought used here on RFF. It has a SN batch number "99", and I suspect it is older. I took it on the rides at Disneyworld, roller coasters, etc. It did not suffer any problems. I've taken a lot of FSU lenses apart, and in my opinion, the Ultron is made of better materials and has a better build quality.

I've also taken quite a few lenses apart, made from the 30s through the 80s. I would put the build quality of the CV lenses along with consumer-grade SLR lenses made in the 70s. The Ultron is about the same mechanical build quality of the 1972 50/1.8 Cosinon that I own. It still works.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

Sorry to hear of your unhappy experiences with CV lenses. I've had two different 15/4.5's and still have the M mount version, as well as still having the 28/1.9, 35/1.2, 50/2.5 and 50/1.5. I've had no issues with any of them but I feel the 50/1.5 might be the least robust of the lot. There's nothing wrong with my 50/1.5 but it doesn't seem to have the mass or dampening of any of my other lenses.

The black paint is nice but perhaps the weak link in these lenses as my 35/1.2 seems to be brassing faster than I would have expected.

I don't think either the CV or Zeiss ZM lenses are as robust as Leica lenses. I think both lines of lenses offer optical quality at a trade-off in mechanical quality. Photographers have access to high quality imaging that likely won't be as durable in the long run but the prices, often at half to one third that of Leica counterparts, fill a market need.

do you have one of the early (the unfit for the M8) 1.2/35s? Because mine is from a newer batch and doesn't seem to brass that quickly. I've seen a friend's early version do it though. maybe they changed something about the paint...

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

I would happily tolerate all the brassing in the world to avoid this kind of mechanical trouble.

 

[gliderbee]

do you have one of the early (the unfit for the M8) 1.2/35s? Because mine is from a newer batch and doesn't seem to brass that quickly. I've seen a friend's early version do it though. maybe they changed something about the paint...

I don't have an M8, but I do have a CV 35/1.2. Why are some unfit for the M8 and how to recognize them (one never knows I ever buy a M8) ?

Thanks,
Stefan.

 

[ferider]

So far I had a very loose 35/2.5 PII, a slightly loose LTM 15, a 50/1.5 with wobble.

The Color Skopars sometimes develop a loose rear span ring. No issue, really, easily fixed with a lens spanner.

The 35/1.7 Ultron and 50/1.5 Nokton (and some of the ZM lenses) sometimes develop a loose connection behind the front group, causing wobble. To get there you have to get the front element out. Plus I had condensation behind the rear element of a 35/1.7 once.

The 35/1.2 can develop wobble, too. Plus, with a local friend, the aperture collapsed.

In most of these cases we are talking screw connections (usually steel on brass or aluminum) that rattle loose. Can only happen with vibration and is easily fixed with nail polish.

Take them for what they are. You have, what, 2-2.5k Eur in your 5 lenses ? Less than the price of a single new Leica lens. Enough reports and personal experience in your case to prove that it's systematic. Your lenses have been under warranty, so no problem, really. Maybe get a spanner for your Skopars and Heliar. And treat the lenses more carefully, more padding when you carry them, etc. If this is not possible, you might want to try other lenses, Leica, Canon and Nikkor lenses up to the late seventies are very well built.

Roland.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

I don't have an M8, but I do have a CV 35/1.2. Why are some unfit for the M8 and how to recognize them (one never knows I ever buy a M8) ?

Thanks,
Stefan.

quoted from cameraquest.com:
"March 17, 2008: The 35/1.2 was introduced in 2003. Once the Leica M8 was introduced in late 2006, some M8 owners reported focusing resistance as the lens focused near infinity. The factory determined this was caused by the rear element guard sometimes binding with the focusing mechanism, and issued a retrofit parts replacement. CameraQuest has modified all 35/1.2's in stock, and will only sell M8 modified 35/1.2's in the future. Note this does not include M8 lens bar coding, which would be a patent violation. Of course all 35/1.2's, modified or not, work fine on all film Leica M bodies.

M8 retrofitting 35/1.2's for the original owners who bought from CameraQuest is free -- other than shipping charges. Average turnaround is 2 to 3 weeks after receipt. Retrofitting non CameraQuest 35/1.2's is $150, or free if a new Voigtlander lens or current production Voigtlander body is purchased at the same time of the retrofit."​

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

So far I had a very loose 35/2.5 PII, a slightly loose LTM 15, a 50/1.5 with wobble.

The Color Skopars sometimes develop a loose rear span ring. No issue, really, easily fixed with a lens spanner.

The 35/1.7 Ultron and 50/1.5 Nokton (and some of the ZM lenses) sometimes develop a loose connection behind the front group, causing wobble. To get there you have to get the front element out.

In all these cases we are talking screw connections (usually steel on brass or aluminum) that rattle loose. Can only happen with vibration and is easily fixed with nail polish.

The 35/1.2 can develop wobble, too. Plus, with a local friend, the aperture collapsed.

Take them for what they are. Yours are under warranty, so no problem, really. Maybe get a spanner for your Skopars. And treat the lenses more carefully, more padding when you carry them, etc. If this is not possible, you might want to try other lenses, Leica, Canon and Nikkor lenses up to the late seventies are very well built.

Roland.

thank you very much for your input, Roland!
I'll look for a spanner / see if my late grandfather has some lying around.

unfortunately there is no Leitz/Leica 35mm Noctilux (and even if there were, I couldn't afford it)... :angel:

 

[Michael Markey]

I have two CV lenses , both OK but there is a reason why they are cheap and labour differentials seems, to me, to be a marketing excuse.
The reason could be less QA being applied on the shop floor leading to vairiable quality.
Threads like this seem to crop up on a regular basis so one can only conclude that there are quality issues due to cost cutting.