Leitz Elmarit 28mm v3: Slight wobble?

[maddoc]

I have just received back an Elmarit 28mm v3 from repair (the hood was slightly rotated when mounted) and noticed a slight wobble in the lens. When I firmly grip the front part of the lens I can very slightly move it forth and back and even tilt it. These are very very small movements but I am concerned. I contacted the repair person (actually the shop who sold it) and got the reply that their technician noticed it also and it would be normal for this lens.

I really don`t remember if it had the same wobble before sending it for repair so my question to those who own this lens, is normal for the Elmarit 28mm v3? (I am not talking about the aperture ring but the front block of the lens)

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I took this lens to lens block and focus parts apart to re-lube and get focus tab re-installed properly. I don't recall any play. But I sold this lens, so can't re-check it for sure.
I had the play you described with Rigid Cron, but it was twice older and have been in constant use from day one.

 

[maddoc]

Was it a difficult procedure to disassemble and reassemble the lens? I think the wobble in my copy is because the technician did not tight some ring properly so maybe I could fix it by myself?

 

[craygc]

Just checked my copy - rock solid, no wobble at all

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Was it a difficult procedure to disassemble and reassemble the lens? I think the wobble in my copy is because the technician did not tight some ring properly so maybe I could fix it by myself?

No, threads were big, not so difficult as Minolta Rokkor 40 2 nightmare.
But it is multi-thread as usual and it needs to be checked for correct focus after it is assembled.

 

[Huss]

I contacted the repair person (actually the shop who sold it) and got the reply that their technician noticed it also and it would be normal for this lens.

Of course it is..
🙄

It is not normal for it to wobble.

 

[oldwino]

Mine just back from a CLA at DAG for a loose front end and stiff focus. Now all smooth and zero wobble.

 

[valdas]

Nope, I just have this lens in classifieds - can't feel any wobble at all...

 

[maddoc]

Thanks again for all the comments! Need to think now about the best way to get it fixed.

 

[kknox]

I had the same thing with a 28 Elmarit 2.8 6 bit lens. I had to send it off to get tightened. If you twist the lens off the camera holding onto the hood this can do it.

 

[finguanzo]

Had the same thing with my 28 asph, I believe its because the hood is connected to the center barrel instead of the outside case. Kind of a design flaw if you ask me. 🙄
7 days out of warranty, Leica NJ didnt want to hear any of it, charged the repair anyway. Still have the bad taste in my mouth... o well 🙂

 

[oldwino]

I think the key to these lenses is “never take the hood off”.

 

[Huss]

I had the same thing with a 28 Elmarit 2.8 6 bit lens. I had to send it off to get tightened. If you twist the lens off the camera holding onto the hood this can do it.

But why would you do that? With any lens, from any mfg, you should hold the lens as close to the camera as possible. I have the 28 Asph 2.8, and yes it is tiny but it is still what you should do otherwise you are essentially unwittingly trying to disassemble the lens when you remove it!

 

[maddoc]

I know the bad habit of using the lens hood as a handle when mounting or unmounting a small lens (35 Summicron iv or 28/2.8 ASPH) but the Elmarit 28mm v3 is so huge that it is actually easier to mount/unmount it without lens hood.

The seller offered a return but I will check local repair possibilities first.

 

[agoglanian]

A good while back, I had the same lens and the same problem with it. The wobble got to the point where the lens separated into two pieces. If I recall I had Youxin Ye fix it for me and it was just fine after that, but it did shake some confidence in Leica's build quality for me.

Not to mention that it subsequently happened with other lenses (35mm Summicron IV / 50 Summilux ASPH / 28 Summicron / 90mm Summicron Pre-Asph).

It strikes me as a serious design flaw to be honest that so many of their lenses can come apart seemingly so easily. That or I just have impossibly bad luck with Leica 🙂