Disaster - Leica Summar aperture blades.

[Boråsare]

Hi

I was cleaning a Leica Summar 5cm f/2.0 that was foggy and ...

When doing this I apparently unscrewed to many things so when I turned the lens over the aperture blades fell out :bang:

how can I get them back and whats the order and so on?
I need help/instruction, Thanks

Regards,
Nas

 

[Dralowid]

Nas,

I did this once a long, long time ago, bad luck. I know it sounds defeatist but if this is your first entry into the world of aperture blades I would pack it all up very carefully and send it to someone to sort out. It will not cost too much.

While they are putting your lens back together find a dirt cheap lens on Ebay and start experimenting with it, you'll soon learn! The trick is in replacing the last blade without the others flicking out, I cannot remember the sequence.

Perhaps not what you wanted to hear but when younger I destroyed some quite good bits of photographic kit before I learnt how to do things...

Michael

 

[Boråsare]

Hi Michael

Thanks, the lens was so foggy and in bad shape so i put it on sale and no one bought it so this is my "cheap" lens. I guess I need to experiment on other then Leica lenses.

well I will have a go and if i fail i will have to follow your advice.

/Nas

 

[Jerevan]

Yep, I concur with Michael - pack it up and send it off to someone who knows how to do this, unless you want to start off a career as a camera repairman.

It all depends on what you want to spend time on ... fixing up or photographing. 🙂

 

[Erik van Straten]

The diaphragm blades of the Summar are notorious. The diaphragm is domed, so the blades are curved. Even for professional repairmen they are a nightmare.

Erik.

 

[Murray Kelly]

I agree with all the above. I had a similar event occur with a summitar and there was no way I could get the blades in. I bought it damaged and was unaware of the dome shape. There are 12 blades and the aperture is hexagonal on that lens. The repair-man was flummoxed at first.

I came to the conclusion if I had to do it again I would rebuild it with a support inside which would come out when all assembled and the aperture wide open.

Good luck.

 

[B-9]

Yeeks!

Not typically one to agree with just packing it up...

But I can also confirm the extreme pain in the ars level of the summer aperture...

I would suggest Youxin, his service prices for lenses are really affordable! Turn around time is almost non existent, he's quick!

 

[Dralowid]

Nas,

Perhaps you could get round this with a bit of lateral thinking. Much of the so called 'Summar' effect seems to be about its performance wide open. I wouldn't know.

You could always clean it, put it back together without blades and use it at f2 forever and ever...

Michael

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

If nothing else helps: stick the blades together with some lubricant so they don't easily fell out when putting another in. After they are all sitting in as they should, take the lube thoroughly off with isopropyl alcohol

 

[_goodtimez]

I once had a Summicron V3 which unscrewed itself during a flight and ended with such a problem. I assembled it back using a small magnet to keep the plates together.

 

[Boråsare]

Thanks for all the support!
the blades are in place now but it opens from 2.0 to about 4.5 then they almost pop out of the "ring" above.

I suspect that they have to be placed in order. the blades on the summitar are 12 and in two different shapes ( cal then a and b). the order i placed them is abababa ...

any ideas?

if i fail i will send it to a "specialist" but for now its entertaining 🙂

 

[FrankS]

Thanks for all the support!
the blades are in place now but it opens from 2.0 to about 4.5 then they almost pop out of the "ring" above.

I suspect that they have to be placed in order. the blades on the summitar are 12 and in two different shapes ( cal then a and b). the order i placed them is abababa ...

any ideas?

if i fail i will send it to a "specialist" but for now its entertaining 🙂

Try bababa...?

😉

 

[Boråsare]

Thanks Frank!!!

bababa worked perfectly !!!!!!!

 

[Stephen Geis]

Super silly question, but I found myself in the same situation.

After 8 hours the lens and blades are back together.

The aperature ring goes from 2 to 4.5, but the blades seems to be almost fully closed at 4.5 and f2 seems to be in the mid range.

Not sure I fully understand the "ababab" vs "bababa" comment. Is the "bababa" comment meant to move each blade over one's slot (either clockwise or ccw)?

 

[kirio]

Super silly question, but I found myself in the same situation.

After 8 hours the lens and blades are back together.

The aperature ring goes from 2 to 4.5, but the blades seems to be almost fully closed at 4.5 and f2 seems to be in the mid range.

Not sure I fully understand the "ababab" vs "bababa" comment. Is the "bababa" comment meant to move each blade over one's slot (either clockwise or ccw)?

This situation most likely means that the hole into which the arm that connects to the aperture ring is in the wrong spot. You would need to move it. If it was me I would position it at fully closed, cut a round piece of masking tape and tape the center of the aperture blades to keep them in place. This helps in keeping the aperture blades from flying out of position. I would the unscrew the arm, lift and reposition the part with the screwhole for the arm to the correct minimum aperture position. Then screw the arm back in position and remove masking tape.