50mm tabbed Summicron 'fell apart!'

[cole]

Earlier today, my metal screw-in lens cap became stuck on my 50/2 Summicron. When I tried to unjar the cap, the entire lens barrel became separated from the rear of the lens!

After nearly having a panic attack in the middle of my work day, I realized that this portion of the lens is able to be unscrewed - I've screwed the lens assembly back together, but I'm still very nervous about the lens and whether it will now be out of alignment, etc.

Has anyone else had experience with this?

Does anyone have any comforting words for a freaking-out photog?

 

[Al Kaplan]

Odds are very much in your favor that everything is just fine! That's how a lot of lenses "come apart". Switching to a standard Leica push-on cap would solve the problem in the future, but if you use screw-in filters it might happen with a filter. I'd say just don't worry about it.

Whatever you do, DO NOT glue it yourself. Just be careful.

 

[ferider]

It does that. Don't glue it, just hand-tighten it back.

Roland.

 

[back alley]

..especially the ones from Canada...

bah!

 

[awilder]

There were a few versions of the tabbed Summicron starting in Canada and the last batch was made in Solms. Each version had minor internal or mechanical improvements during the lifespan of the lens and could usually identified by the tab design (convex vs concave) or change in serial # location. Each of the cosmetic changes usually coincided with minor internal tweaks or improvements. Most of the improvements were made during the first few years of production and by well into the early eighties, the lens was as good as it got. I don't think the tabbed Solms version was any improvement over the later Canadian versions, in fact I'd prefer a late Canadian over a German simply because of a change in assembly plants from Canada to Germany introduces a disruption in the assembly flow. Sherry Krauter once griped to me that when Leitz became Leica Inc., there was a decline in quality control. Although I take some of her opinions with a small grain of salt, I believe her in this case as Leica had to cut back staff due to financial problems of ever increasing debt from slow sale due to Japanese competition. Fortunately, they still produce some of the best glass for photography as their latest designers have proven with the newest generation of aspherics and high speed lenses. The main difference now is that cad/cam reduced cost and the need for intensive hand assembly and fine adjustments that made earlier lenses silky smooth in their operation for decades, not years.

 

[rover]

The legend of Leica build quality, only as strong as a good (or bad) epoxy.

Sounds funny, but it is true.

 

[alien8]

I started a thread about this last year.... here it is.

 

[cole]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!
Have to say, I'm thoroughly relieved that I'm not out a lens!
Cheers.