ZM lens build quality

[kram]

All, I have just purchased a secondhand (or 'pre-loved' cheesey speak) ZM 25mm😀. however, the focusing is quite stiff compared to my other 2 ZM lens. So Here's the run down of my three lens note: comments apply to lens on and off camera: All 3, aperature ring smooth, positive, no slack. ZM f2 35mm, focusing fine; ZM f2 50mm, focusing from 0.7m to inf- slightly gritty at 0.9m, slightly stiff from 1.2-5m, v.slight slack in focus ring; f2.8 21mm from 0.7m to inf STIFF, very firm (more so than a ZF lens) from inf to 0.7m, no slack. Note I can see buff coloured grease on focusing threads on the 25mm. 😱 No problems optically. Has anyone else have stiff gritty focusing experiences, and on what lens (my old Pentax 28mm f2,8 M lens has silkly smooth focusing - but oil on iris🙄).

 

[popobsd]

Yes, I had stiff gritty focusing experience on my C Sonnar 50mm F1.5, But it has gone after using it hardly for couple of weeks.

--------
My flickr with C Sonnar 50mm F1.5 and ZM C Biogon 21mm F4.5

 

[noimmunity]

ZM adjectives

ZM adjectives

"Stiff" and "gritty" would not describe any of the ZM lenses I have; adjectives like smooth, buttery and silky would.
I am partial to the handling of the ZM lenses, including the aperture clicks, the smoothness of operation, and the focusing bump. The action is important to me.
You like the ZM lenses, too, and the 25 is a great one. Give it a little time and if the stiff still action disturbs you, get a CLA.

 

[kipkeston]

the 35 was tight but it's just right now. all it takes is one finger on the nub to move it where ever. the planar is still stiff but it's only been used a few rolls

 

[Turtle]

my 35 is very smooth but has some slack in the ring which will eventually get fixed. not enough to annoy me too much tho. The 28 is super smooth too, but a bit stiffer in one direction than the other which is odd. The 50 planar is a touch stiff, but very smooth. This has seen the least use and will lighten up I am sure. None are gritty. The 50 however felt a touch rougher when first used but that took very little time to bed in.

 

[Timmy P]

my 35 is very smooth but has some slack in the ring which will eventually get fixed. not enough to annoy me too much tho. The 28 is super smooth too, but a bit stiffer in one direction than the other which is odd. The 50 planar is a touch stiff, but very smooth. This has seen the least use and will lighten up I am sure. None are gritty. The 50 however felt a touch rougher when first used but that took very little time to bed in.

I think this stiffness is actually when the close focusing distance on the camera itself is maxed out. I notice this on my Rd-1, it stops focusing past 0.7 cause thats the limit of the rangefinder on the Rd1.

For example, when I use my (new :-D) ZM 28 f2.8, and move the focus ring past 0.7 the rangefinder patch doesn't move and the focus ring definitely feels a bit stiffer. As stated above the limit of the rangefinder in the RD1 is 0.7 so this makes sense.

I'm not sure if an M will focus past 0.7 metres either, haven't tried it.

Cheers,

-Tim

 

[yzblog]

my 21 is more stiff (both aperture and focusing rings) than my other three lenses (28, 35, 50)

however I don't bother about it

 

[regularchickens]

My Planar has a very quick, but not quite loose, focus, but a relatively stiff aperture ring. My Biogon 35's aperture ring is buttery smooth and easy to turn, but its focus is slower than the Planar's (I'm not sure if I'd call it stiff). Build quality is identical, but I gather that there's a noticeable amount of sample variation when it comes to lubrication and fit.

 

[kram]

Hummm, so there is some variation in the lens. If all of then were like the my 35mm, great - but my 'new' 25mm is noticably stiff in comparison - smooth but stiff (as I mentioned in my original post -even compared to my ZF 35mm-which has alot more mass to move). The 50 and 35mm I can focus with 1 finger, which I don't do (not worth trying?) with the 25mm.

 

[lewis44]

I have the 35 F2 and the 50 f1.5 and can say that both are everything I expected and more. Smooth focus, great image quality. I'm very pleased with both.

 

[jplomley]

My 35/2 Biogon is ultra smooth. No complaints mechanically or optically. This lens is stellar on the M8.

 

[saxshooter]

I got the 18mm f4 last week, and as the saying goes... "Like buttah".

It's my first ZM lens and I am very impressed with the build quality. The bayonet hood is a very secure and positive fit also.

 

[Avotius]

My 50 Planar is stiffer then I was expecting, and compared to the 35mm Leica lens, its positively rough! But today got a 85 1.4 ZF and it is soooooo smooth, like the Leica I dare say. Seems there are some sample variation things going on. Also when I was testing the 35 biogon I noticed it to be slightly stiff too but more then that, the chrome hood ring thing was loose and quite annoying.

 

[jerkmam]

do you no how to use a zeiss 85 1.4 ,on a canon t90,i love all the zeiss rf lenes, zeissikon rf boby 2,leica m5 ,1 voigtlander r4a,1,