Help! Damaged lens?? (pix)

[Rodluvan]

Hello!

Just received my first Leica lens ever for my M3.
It's a 50mm Summicron Rigid Type 1.

When trying to mount this to the M3 it doesn't turn far enough to lock in place. It just stops (something prevents it from rotating further).
I believe I have identified the problem, but I'm not sure, since I've never seen a lens to a M-mount before.
One of the extruding tabs is slightly downward tilted and maybe this causes the stop. What do you think?


Please take out your summicrons (or which ever since I'd assume the mount looks the same) and compare.

I'm devastated. The lens is pristine otherwise.

Help much, much appreciated.

 

[nobbylon]

just looked at mine and they look the same. the edge you show is actually a trailing edge on the mount as you turn clockwise so shouldn't affect anything. Look more closely at the lock pin on the body. Does the lens turn to the lock position?

 

[nobbylon]

sorry! I see what you mean now, it does look slightly folded and the corner looks like its been hitting. try some tippex on the area you think is hitting and mount the lens. this should show you where the problem is.

 

[Rodluvan]

just looked at mine and they look the same. the edge you show is actually a trailing edge on the mount as you turn clockwise so shouldn't affect anything. Look more closely at the lock pin on the body. Does the lens turn to the lock position?

Thank you. Sorry If I'm intrusive, but do you for certain mean that your lens has the same downward (the tap sticking out, not the carved out curve) tilt as seen in photo 2 (just want to be really sure I can rule it out)?

With "lock pin" I assume you mean the little pin attached to the button at 'nine o' clock' on the lens mount which I press to release the lens (I assume, since I've never released a lens form this mount)? When trying to mount the lens I position the red dot on the lens by the 'lock pin' (which itself has a red dot) and turn clockwise (expecting a click and a locked lens), but it only turn about 10dgr before stopping/being blocked and I've mesaured that that is about when the tilted tab meets a tab in the mount.

Please?🙁

 

[Rodluvan]

sorry! I see what you mean now, it does look slightly folded and the corner looks like its been hitting. try some tippex on the area you think is hitting and mount the lens. this should show you where the problem is.

Thank you! Most important part in finding the solution is finding the problem 🙂

I'll go at it with a file tomorrow or a hammer.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Doesn't look right to me, and I've just checked six or eight M and M-fit lenses and adapters. The same bit on my 90/2 (owned from new) is the only bit I can see out of true in the same place, and that's always worked fine -- but it's bent in the other direction. Even so, I'f be hesitant to say that this is definitely your problem, without seeing and handling the lens. What does the seller have to say?

Cheers,

R.

 

[Rodluvan]

Doesn't look right to me, and I've just checked six or eight M and M-fit lenses and adapters. The same bit on my 90/2 (owned from new) is the only bit I can see out of true in the same place, and that's always worked fine -- but it's bent in the other direction. Even so, I'f be hesitant to say that this is definitely your problem, without seeing and handling the lens. What does the seller have to say?

Cheers,

R.

The seller advertised it as without any issues.
I'm sure he "didn't know of it".

I wanted to hear your opinion before contacting him.

 

[oscroft]

I've just checked several of mine too, and none has the tab bent like that.

 

[Rodluvan]

I've just checked several of mine too, and none has the tab bent like that.

Thanks for the effort.

 

[sepiareverb]

If the lens is pristine and you got a good deal on it, you might contact someone about a repair- and ask your seller for some cash back towards the repair?

Gerry Smith at Kinderman is quite fast usually, and can ship worldwide.

 

[Glenn2]

Like others have noted, the bend is not normal. I suspect the lens has been dropped on the flange at some point. Someone who knows what they are doing could probably straighten it.

I also notice a gouge in the brass barrel of the focus mount where there should be none... (first and last photo) Looks like focus was turned when something was in contact there, perhaps the bent flange before it was partly straightened.

Glenn

 

[Rodluvan]

Like others have noted, the bend is not normal. I suspect the lens has been dropped on the flange at some point. Someone who knows what they are doing could probably straighten it.

I also notice a gouge in the brass barrel of the focus mount where there should be none... (first and last photo) Looks like focus was turned when something was in contact there, perhaps the bent flange before it was partly straightened.

Glenn

Thanks Glen,

The straightening-business is a bit troublesome. I don't want to use some other part of the lens as leverage at risk of damage it further. I've been thinking more in the lines of using a small file since it only can be a matter if fractions of a mm, but of course I'm hesitating.

That the brass barrel has a gouge is not really true (not in the sense I understand you anyway). It is however threaded (with some grease in the thread-tracks).

 

[Roger Hicks]

It can almost certainly be filed out, and the likelihood of internal damage as a result of the fall -- I think it was dropped, too -- is slender: one of the reasons Leica lenses cost so much is that they are enormously physically strong (my 35/1.4 survived a 5-foot drop onto cobbles, though the hood is badly bent, and a friend's survived 6 months in the bilges of his boat).

Even so, I'd speak to the vendor before having at it. If he'd ever used it, he'd have to know about the problem. If he hadn't, and is a dealer, then he may not have noticed but he should pay towards the cost of a repair.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Rodluvan]

It can almost certainly be filed out, and the likelihood of internal damage as a result of the fall -- I think it was dropped, too -- is slender: one of the reasons Leica lenses cost so much is that they are enormously physically strong (my 35/1.4 survived a 5-foot drop onto cobbles, though the hood is badly bent, and a friend's survived 6 months in the bilges of his boat).

Even so, I'd speak to the vendor before having at it. If he'd ever used it, he'd have to know about the problem. If he hadn't, and is a dealer, then he may not have noticed but he should pay towards the cost of a repair.

Cheers,

R.

Cheers Roger!

Reassuring to read!

He claims to have used it on a M4 without any problems (maybe it caused it). The thing with the repair is that any licensed or serious repairman will charge at lest 50% of what I gave for the lens I'm sure, if I even can find one in Sweden/Stockholm who repairs Leica's.

I'm having a conversation with the seller right now and he is more like 'good luck, I hope you'll solve it in the end'.

I'm trying the tipex suggestion as well. It's not at easy as I thought to truly conclude that this is the cause).

 

[itf]

I'm having a conversation with the seller right now and he is more like 'good luck, I hope you'll solve it in the end'.

Well, that's not really good enough if he claimed it was without issues.

 

[nobbylon]

Rodluvan,
should be very easy to fis without using any part of the lens as leverage. Get a small diameter steel rod, say 5-6 mm and cut with a hacksaw blade into the end of this rod the thickness of the bayonet you want to bend. Slip it on and use as a lever. I wouldn't file anything and use minimal force to bend. Should straighten easy! good luck, j

 

[Rodluvan]

Well, that's not really good enough if he claimed it was without issues.

I agree, but the plea to ignorance is a strong one (i.e. he didn't have any problems).

 

[Rodluvan]

Rodluvan,
should be very easy to fis without using any part of the lens as leverage. Get a small diameter steel rod, say 5-6 mm and cut with a hacksaw blade into the end of this rod the thickness of the bayonet you want to bend. Slip it on and use as a lever. I wouldn't file anything and use minimal force to bend. Should straighten easy! good luck, j

God idea. Might try that. Only thing is that the tap is a bit rounded and will easily slip. However a good idea, thanks!

 

[Rodluvan]

Eureka (or something to that effect)!!

I did as nobbylon suggested and now with a little effort it rotates into lock position! With a small file I think I can get it to run smoothly.

However, having mounted it I try to focus and the split screen seems to work horizontally but they never line up vertically (one of them are slightly above the other and a bit tilted more easily seen on close focus ranges). Is this common?

 

[nobbylon]

Glad it worked but i repeat, please don't file anything! if you must then use fine emery cloth to polish the contact surface of the mount bayonet that you bent back into position. As far as the rangefinder goes, doues it do this with other lenses attached? vertical adjustment I beleive doesn't have anything to do with lens mount. Anyone?