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

SimonSawSunlight said:
unfortunately there is no Leitz/Leica 35mm Noctilux (and even if there were, I couldn't afford it)... :angel:
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I hear you. Baby it, like you would, say, an expensive car or fountain pen :) Or Noctilux for that matter.

Michael Markey said:
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.
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There is no labor differential between Japan and Germany, really.

Different manufacturing process. Note that there are lots of reports on QA issues with new Leica items, too.

Roland.
 
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I have had bad luck with CV lenses also, but that is not going to stop me from buying them. My Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AFD (plastic) SLR lens has lasted longer than 3 CV lenses (25/4, 35/2.5, 35/1.7). I would still take the CV lenses though anyday.
 
ferider said:
There is no labor differential between Japan and Germany, really.

Different manufacturing process. Note that there are lots of reports on QA issues with new Leica items, too.

Roland.
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Sorry , I didn`t express myself very well. There probably is a labour differential. I don`t know but if there is it just doesn`t seem ,to me, to explain the cost difference by itself .
That however is not an informed opinion .
I`m sure that there are QA issues with new Leica items and we read about some of them here.
As I said I have had no issues as yet with my two CV lenses although one is a first version 40SC and the focus tab is stiff.
The evidence is not compelling but it is persuasive .
 
Larry H-L said:
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
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i have to second these comments. i have spent many an hour tracking down screws and now carry an assortment as well as having well worn bodies to cannibalize at home.

Larry - some brilliant work on your site. bravo! i reckon you have a few good stories to pass on to the students. i know you were out blazing paths for some of us newcomers and i hope that you will share some of your experiences and thoughts here.
 
JSU said:
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.
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I agree with this. My four CVs have been good, optically very good, but I'm sure there is sample variation and I've been lucky. However one of the rationales offered for the Leica prices is strict QC, but I've suffered in the last few years with new ASPH lenses and at one point drove Tony Rose nuts I think. Leica also has had sample variation that has been really bad and it continues, there have been examples over on the LUF of a lens (I think it was a 75/2) that had the aperture ring mounted completely incorrectly, and the replacement from the dealer was identical! Turns out there was a batch of them, all had the silly inspection cards inside "signed" by someone, and all were unusable... I think the build quality of the Leica lenses is better, but quality checking still leaves something to be desired. It seems that they're all a crapshoot and it's a case of caveat emptor - check every lens thoroughly when you get it and strongly consider buying an extended warranty. Or buy 60s Leica/Nikon/Canon stuff. Nothing wrong with that.
 
cameras and lenses are fragile, specially if you take metal ones... it's precision engineering. Any "regularly" vibrating movement (like train, plane... even bicycle, specially bicycle) is able to unloose a metal screw... or even decement a lens... think of ultrasound bath ...

the best way is to have your photogear or binoculars suspended in some way and not in direct contact with the vibrating source...
 
Emraphoto, thanks for the kind words.

Extra screws, a spanner wrench, a good screw driver set, and a little nail polish will go a long way in preventing gear problems. I hope the OP gets his lenses back in working order.
 
Beemermark said:
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.
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I ride a Harley on a regular basis and it is bound to loosen screws. So far I've lost two tail lights on it after changing a defective light bulb, the screws just work themselves loose again. :bang:

That said, I've never had anything happen to my photographic gear and I've travelled all over the country with it on the motorbike, most of the time on fairly bad road surfaces. When travelling light (which I mostly do) I keep my gear in a backpack, so I guess my body will absorb most vibrations. In trains, buses and airplanes, I keep my gear close to myself, if possible on my lap. The suggestion to add foam padding is a very valid one IMHO. I've never had anything happen to my Nikon and Bronica cameras or lenses after 25+ years of using them. I'm fairly new to Voigtlander lenses though, so any thoughts on the subject are most welcome.
 
Larry H-L said:
Emraphoto, thanks for the kind words.

Extra screws, a spanner wrench, a good screw driver set, and a little nail polish will go a long way in preventing gear problems. I hope the OP gets his lenses back in working order.
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the only problem is not having your spanners and screw drivers confiscated at the airport.:bang:
 
SimonSawSunlight said:
...where the 'wobble' seems to be a common problem too...
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Like I said above, if you want really robust, get a Leica, Canon or Nikkor lens from the 70s or earlier, built is phenomenal. For the 35 Summicron that would be v3 at the latest. M-Hexanons can take a lot, too.

Cheers,

Roland.
 
JSU said:
(...) I don't think either the CV or Zeiss ZM lenses are as robust as Leica lenses. (...)
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I don't know. My 15mm Voigtländer sure feels much, much better made than my Summicron-C 40mm. But these are my only Voigtländer and my only Leica lenses, and the Summicron is some 30 years older...
 
well, here's how I'd summarize the differences in a couple of sentences: Almost anything you buy today is going to be a piece of crap compared to something built decades ago when craftspeople gave a shiite.

But you can go through a few CV or Zeiss Japan lenses and find an OK one eventually, usually, or pay a little more, and go through a few Leica lenses and end up with a great one.

So for your 28, 35, 50, 75 go with Canon or Leica.

For your 12, 15, 21, 40 and 90, CV's should be fine.
 
It's worth mentioning that there are a fair number of Konica M-Hexanons out there, being used... but when was the last time you heard complaints about their build quality or QC? Konica knew how to build good, solid lenses. I would take an M-Hex over the equivalent CV, Zeiss, or Leica any day of the week.
 
I bought 12 & 15 the month they came out. 24 a bit later. Had to repair them all myself.

Frankly they are junk. Zeiss comes from the same place so I don`t trust them either.

Leica lenses last 50 years in amateur use, so how can you call them expensive. You get what you pay for.


I have dropped older MF Nikkor slr lenses on cement with no damage other than nicks.
New plastic stuff is bird poop.
 
I have 21, 35, 50/2.5, 50/1.5, 75, 90 CV Lenses, none of them has ever had a problem..
I usually pay a lot of attention handling them, but, for example, I dropped the 21 twice on the floor and it's still like new

Rob.
 
Roberto said:
I have 21, 35, 50/2.5, 50/1.5, 75, 90 CV Lenses, none of them has ever had a problem..
I usually pay a lot of attention handling them, but, for example, I dropped the 21 twice on the floor and it's still like new

Rob.
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gho told me he dropped and almost lost his 35mm f2.5 (classic) on a dance floor at a concert and it still works without slightest problems.
 
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