Front of 28/2.8 Elmarit-M (IV) a half-stop out of alignment?

[cole]

Hi everyone, it’s been ages since I last posted here, but after a five-year break, I’ve finally managed to get my hands on an M again! It’s nice to be back.

I recently purchased a 28/2.8 Elmarit-M (IV), and it's in great condition all around. However, there’s a small problem that’s been bugging me: the front 'barrel group' seems to be rotated a half-stop out of alignment. This isn’t affecting anything optically, however it means that the dot painted on the front of the lens to indicate the selected f-stop is actually positioned a half-stop to the left of the actual f-stop.

(I don't believe this is an issue of the aperture ring being out of alignment, as I also noticed that the notches for the lens hood aren't level, either — they appear to be rotated the same amount. This leads me to believe that a whole section of the barrel has been installed at an odd rotation.)

As I say, this causes no mechanical or optical issues, it's just a minor annoyance as I always have to think twice about what f-stop I’ve actually selected.

I’ve attached two photos showing the aperture wide open and stopped all the way down — you'll notice the dot on the lens suggests it's at f/2,4 and f/19 respectively. The dot lines up perfectly on the half-stops, except that it's obviously a half-stop out; so when the dot suggests the lens is at f/8 it's actually at f/9,5.

I’m sure I could send this in to Leica to get fixed, but I’m wondering if anyone is aware of a relatively easy DIY fix? As it's my only lens and I just purchased it, I'm not keen on the idea of being without it for several weeks.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ronald M]

Return as defective.

If no return privileges, I would try loosening the three set screws. This may or may not allow repositioning and a secure realignment in which case , send to Leica.

I choose to use responsible dealers like Tamarkin, Classic Connection LLC, KEH, or US Leica dealers who stand behind what they sell. I choose to pay a bit extra.

I would not use EBAY ever.

 

[cole]

Thanks for the message, Ronald. I purchased the lens from a very reputable dealer here in London, and they do have a 60-day warranty on used equipment. I recognised the issue when purchasing, so I’m not that bothered, and will likely send in to Leica for a repair when a second lens rolls around. Just wondering if there is a straightforward DIY fix. I’ll try the set screws. 🙂

 

[john_s]

I bought one of these lenses new in Los Angeles and when I got home to Australia I noticed that the aperture ring was misaligned, but in the opposite direction. The Australian agent fixed it for me. Since you bought it from a dealer recently, take it back.

There are tempting screws visible in your photos, but I would resist the temptation!

 

[cole]

I ended up giving in to temptation and loosened the three set screws. These only seem to hold the ring with the aperture index in place — it was a synch to rotate it to the correct position and retighten with a 1.2mm jeweller’s screwdriver. Easy and harmless! (Just watch you don't strip the screws, they're a little delicate.)