Price of "calibrating" 35 Summilux ASPH

[JayC]

I am tempted to sell of some things and pare down to just an m9 (already have) and a 35mm Summilux ASPH. I would sell my 35mm pre-asph lux and a 28 Elmarit and two 50s and a bunch more. I would put a pretty penny in the bank to please the wife even after buying the lens. M
I have tested a local one a bit, but may want to get a BGN grade one at keh.com for $500 less. The lens would be used for everything on my m9. Family, vacations, landscapes, portraits (all non-pro stuff, but if I sell a landscape image that would be neat)

Question re: focus shift - if the lens from keh has a shift problem or other focus issues, what does it cost to get it calibrated?

Would the well-tuned lens be good for landscapes (sharp corner to corner)?
Or is my pre-asph 'lux good enough? In casual testing of the 2 lenses, there is a big difference at 1.4. I missed the focus on one or two shots with the local ASPH ( or was that shift?). Mine of course has some "glow" although not in all 1.4 shots. The ASPH has none.

I am growing tired of having multiple cameras and multiple lenses. I feel the need for one camera and one lens to rule them all.

Thanks

PS: Or is another 35mm lens the one to have for all occasions?

 

[ferider]

This might offend the Leica Man, but if you only use one lens, you could adjust the camera for the lens to be optimal at any aperture you like. Other than that, shift is inherent to the lens design and can not be eliminated.

 

[JayC]

you could adjust the camera for the lens to be optimal at any aperture you like.

What would that involve?

 

[ferider]

You decide which aperture and focus distance you want the combo to be optimal at. Then you slightly adjust the camera RF cam with camera on tripod and test photos.

 

[ampguy]

live view would pretty much nail it, depending on your eyesight, I'm limited to about wide open to f5.6, besides focus shift, there is field curvature. Probably less in the 35/1.4 asph/FLE than say my CCTV 25/1.4 though ...

 

[yossarian123]

If you're wondering about cost - I've yet to send in both body and lens at the same time, but DAG charges about $150 to calibrate a lens. And he charged $175 to calibrate my M9. So he may offer a discount if you're sending both together.

 

[JayC]

thanks for the $ info.

 

[john_s]

On the subject of focus shift in the Summilux 35mm ASPH, and a comparison with the FLE version, Erwin Puts did some measurements. His web site has been streamlined and the article has gone, but using the internet wayback machine it can be found. It's here:

http://web.archive.org/web/20130117141526/http://www.imx.nl/photo/leica/lenses/page171/SX35FLE1.html

I see that he concludes that there is less focus shift in the FLE version, as one would expect. But his numbers don't make sense to me. I suspect that, at least at the distance measured (1.35m), the non-FLE is probably off his scale and that his estimation of the focus shift of that lens is an underestimate.

 

[icebear]

If you have an M9 and a SX35asph and worry about the price of adjustment to max out the potential of this incredible combination, then you should better sell both😉.
For good's sake do it right away, what's there to hesitate ???
Have the M9 checked (sensor position AND RF in spec.) and then the lens needs to be matched to the M9.

 

[JayC]

Have the M9 checked (sensor position AND RF in spec.) and then the lens needs to be matched to the M9.

Sound advice. Is this something only Leica can do? What about Golden Touch or DAG?

 

[Doug]

I think the right way to approach this is to make sure the camera body is on specification, and adjust the lens if necessary to also be on-spec. DAG for instance can do this work.

The issue with focus shift is that the focus point shifts slightly as you change aperture. The Summilux 35 ASPH can be adjusted to be exactly on-focus at any one aperture, but not all apertures. Generally the lens is adjusted to be "on" at some fairly wide aperture, so that at mid-to-small apertures depth of field covers the error. The newer ASPH FLE (floating lens element) has even less focus shift than the non-FLE but reportedly still has some.

One can learn to "bend with the wind" on focus shift, so that in critical-focus situations you may recognize the situation and know a couple of ways to adjust for it.

You could just opt to keep your pre-ASPH and use it as you pare down your kit. See how it goes, and if you become dissatisfied then start saving for an ASPH or FLE ASPH.

 

[Richard G]

I have sometimes read that someone sent their M9 and all their lenses to be calibrated. I just make do. I can focus my C Sonnar 50 and my 135 Elmar wide open. I can't imagine sending all my gear somewhere in one parcel. Am I missing something? No need to answer that – it won't persuade me.

 

[ferider]

I think the right way to approach this is to make sure the camera body is on specification, and adjust the lens if necessary to also be on-spec.

Actually it's not that easy:

1) Fact is, both camera and lens can be to Leica spec (a tolerance window), but the combo might not focus correctly.

2) I think what you are referring to is "Zero Tolerance" calibration. Leica doesn't do this in factory, and I only know of Don and Sherry doing this on special request. Chances are neither the OPs camera, nor the BGN KEH lens has been treated like this.

3) For a lens with focus shift, when you ask Don for Zero Tolerance calibration, he will ask you for what f stop and distance the lens should be calibrated. Look at the C-Sonnar, some like it optimal at f1.5, others at f2.8. How can Leica or Don decide what's optimal without user input ?

Since every Leica (even the M9's) RF was meant to be user adjusted when the RF is out of whack (this will happen with 100% probability unless the camera stays in a display case), why not adjust the couple to each other (unless either of the two is far out of spec - but I assume that's not the case since the OP uses the 35/1.4 pre-asph successfully), and decide what to do with the camera if ever the OP adds a longer lens ?

I have sometimes read that someone sent their M9 and all their lenses to be calibrated. I just make do. I can focus my C Sonnar 50 and my 135 Elmar wide open. I can't imagine sending all my gear somewhere in one parcel. Am I missing something? No need to answer that – it won't persuade me.

I'm with you Richard: the traditional way (assuming the lenses were not abused), is to adjust the camera to the 135 and count on DOF correcting tolerance issues with all shorter lenses. No reason to treat a digital Leica differently, unless one obsessively pixel peeps.

The OP has a perfectly good camera, buys a good user lens from a reputable dealer, and the general consensus here is to send the combo off for several months to Don or Leica for "calibration", just in case. No wonder Don and Sherry are heavily back-logged.

Roland.

 

[JayC]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I just have to pick a road I am comfortable with. I do know that my RF is a little our of vertical alignment. Seems I need to send it in to fix this (m9-p)?

 

[garygraphy]

Since we are talking about calibration here, I thought I might as well ask here as well.

Who would you recommend to optimize at 50mm sonnar at 1.5? Does DAG handle this?

Thanks
Gary

 

[Doug]

Since we are talking about calibration here, I thought I might as well ask here as well.

Who would you recommend to optimize at 50mm sonnar at 1.5? Does DAG handle this?

Thanks
Gary

DAG did mine, Gary. It had been at about f/2.8 originally, and I asked him to set it as he thought best, while also doing the 6-bit coding. It came out to focus accurately at about f/2, but it's fine at f/1.5, and I can't see errors in field shooting at smaller apertures either.

Originally it front-focused ~3/4 inch at ~5 feet when wide open and after focusing I would either lean into the scene slightly or move the focus manually one dof marking to compensate. Now with the adjustment I just don't find a need for that.

 

[28mm]

Side question: Is focus shift a problem with a sample, or the lens design (across all lenses of the same make)?

I ask because my CV 35/1.4 Nokton has horrible focus shift, but there are people who say theirs do not have it. Is this because their lenses just happen to be calibrated at an ideale distance, whereas mine is not?

Thanks!

 

[jonmanjiro]

Side question: Is focus shift a problem with a sample, or the lens design (across all lenses of the same make)?

Focus shift is inherent in the optical design (across all lenses of the same make).

Whether or not its noticed by the user is another matter entirely.

 

[maddoc]

Side question: Is focus shift a problem with a sample, or the lens design (across all lenses of the same make)?

I ask because my CV 35/1.4 Nokton has horrible focus shift, but there are people who say theirs do not have it. Is this because their lenses just happen to be calibrated at an ideale distance, whereas mine is not?

Thanks!

Every lens has focus shift to some more or lesser degree, sample variation can make things worse, and on film it is less a problem than when using a sensor-equipped device.

 

[Classique]

Side question: Is focus shift a problem with a sample, or the lens design (across all lenses of the same make)?

I ask because my CV 35/1.4 Nokton has horrible focus shift, but there are people who say theirs do not have it. Is this because their lenses just happen to be calibrated at an ideale distance, whereas mine is not?

Thanks!

I did not notice much focus shift on mine (cv 35mm 1.4) when using film but using digital rangefinder, the focus shift is more obvious.