Zeiss ZM lens wobble issues

Zeiss ZM lens wobble issues

  • None all my Zeiss lenses are rock solid

    Votes: 149 54.0%

  • 18mm f/4

    Votes: 1 0.4%

  • 21mm f/2.8

    Votes: 10 3.6%

  • 21mm f/4.5

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 25mm f/2.8

    Votes: 21 7.6%

  • 28mm f/2.8

    Votes: 23 8.3%

  • 35mm f/2

    Votes: 21 7.6%

  • 35mm f/2.8

    Votes: 9 3.3%

  • 50mm f/1.5

    Votes: 22 8.0%

  • 50mm f/2

    Votes: 37 13.4%

  • 85mm f/2

    Votes: 3 1.1%

  • 85mm f/4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    276
State of play:

21/2.8 Biogon: rock solid, no wobble, lightish aperture ring, smooth focus

25/2.8 Biogon: rock solid, no wobble, solid feel to aperture ring, smooth firm focus

28/2.8 Biogon: wobble in aperture ring tube, slight 'catch' in focus ring at about 3ft measurement

50/1.5 Sonnar: no wobble in aperture ring tube, but focus ring has a slightly gritty feel, and is loose, able to be moved up and down at one side

So half of my Zeiss lenses are rock solid and the other half have wobbles!
 
Have now discovered that my 1.5 C-Sonnar has also the wobble-issue. My other lenses do not have that issue. However, my 2.0/35 has a really stiff focus ring.

Michael
 
I think I will use CZ's standard lens inspection they offer on their homepage. Then they can check the Sonnar's wobble and the 35's stiff focus ring. Price is 49 EUR per lens - I think that's ok.
 
FanMan said:
I think I will use CZ's standard lens inspection they offer on their homepage. Then they can check the Sonnar's wobble and the 35's stiff focus ring. Price is 49 EUR per lens - I think that's ok.
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Hi, can you post the link to the page? I'm looking for an inspection to my plannar, and I think 49 Eur is a good price. But I can't find the page.
 
depe said:
Hi, can you post the link to the page? I'm looking for an inspection to my plannar, and I think 49 Eur is a good price. But I can't find the page.
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There is a page in German which has the price of 49 Euro for a functional test: Click!

If you go to the English version of that page, the functional test is mentioned, but with less information and without giving a price: Click!
 
Hi All
I recently bought a secondhand 28mm ZM, when it arrived it had this infamous 'wobble', I was going to send it back but following comments made on here and other web based info I tightened the outer of the two rear rings with a small flat blade screwdriver and hey presto no more wobble. For info the ring turned round amost 180 degrees before it locked again! I've got it tight but if it slackens off again in the futute I'm going to try and unscrew the ring all the way and redo it with some sort of threadlock.
This must surely be worth a try for anyone with this problem before sending the lens away for repairs.
Ron
 
ruediger said:
There is a page in German which has the price of 49 Euro for a functional test: Click!

If you go to the English version of that page, the functional test is mentioned, but with less information and without giving a price: Click!
Click to expand...
Thank you. Did anyone actually use CZ for repairs? What is the time&cost of repair?
My 25/2.8 has a tiny bit of wobble and the focus ring is not smooth enough (makes a squeaking sound when turning). I thought I could post it to zeiss next time when I'm in Austria.
 
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I had my 2,0/35 Biogon fixed by Zeiss, but it was not just the wobble (quote from Zeiss: "Disassembling of lens. Complete overhaul of focusing helicoid. Cleaning inside. Adjusting of flange focal distance and cam height. Performance and function check, test pictures").

Turnaround was 3 weeks (including shipping both ways), cost 270 EUR (includes shipping from Zeiss Germany to me).

Same here, smooth as silk and rock solid. Hope it stays that way for a while...
 
Wait, so Zeiss is charging almost half the price of the lens to fix something that shouldn't happen as much as it does with these lenses? :0
 
Just had my 25/2.8 worked on. Besides the wobble, the lubricant dried out after 1 year. Impossible to focus. Squealed when focus was turned. Perfect now!
 
Double Negative said:
...and how much was the repair? Did you send it to Jersey, or overseas?
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I had it repaired locally, since the price was a bit less then sending it to Zeiss. They relubed it and fixed the wobble. Had it serviced by Nippon Camera. My old repair place, Berry Camera Repair moved out of NYC. Nippon was very thorough. They mentioned that the ZM lenses were great optically, but not up to the same mechanical standards as Leitz. Inferior materials.
 
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I think CV lenses are built much better. I don't have any mechanical issues with them. Zeiss uses aluminum focussing helicals. In a word, "suck".
 
kbg32 said:
..... mentioned that the ZM lenses were great optically, but not up to the same mechanical standards as Leitz. Inferior materials.
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Of course not, and I'm genuinely sorry for your lens misfortune, but would you rather be buying Zeiss made to Leica construction standards but at Leica prices? Or maybe Leica will decide to charge Zeiss prices for it's premium lenses ...........[sticks head out of window; hears loud laughter floating on the breeze emanating from Solms].

............. Chris
 
So Zeiss generally charge $280 in ridding a lens of the wobble? I suddenly started to regret sending my 25/2.8 off to Zeiss USA two days ago.

I once dropped my Zeiss Ikon and the rangefinder adjustment and a new base plate cost like $100 - and that includes shipping from Oberkochen.

I believe all the work are done in Japan, at the Cosina facility. I wonder how would lubricating and tightening a lens cost so much more?
 
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