Focotar-2: Leica CLA experiences?

Robbie Bedell · Apr 12, 2017

Andi, It's great that the problems with the lens can be rectified. I just scored two excellent Focotars, a first version and a second one with the large front element. I now have five Focotars! These two lens are in very nice shape, almost like new. Anyway I am going to have my Focotar 2 on one enlarger and a first version on my second enlarger. I am not the experimenting type, but I will be making some comparison prints in the future and will report back. I hope your Focotar 2 comes back from Leica like new!

~andi · Apr 12, 2017

Thanks Robbie. I'll wait for the Leica estimate though. I have a bad feeling about wallet-compatibility Quite a collection you've got there. I've rescued a lot of Focomats Ic from certain doom during the time people throw those away (and still getting GAS attacks when I see a good one). Most of them came with Focotars or even LTM Elmar taking lenses. The Focotars mostly in so la la shape. The Elmars were excellent all around.

I've been using the WA40 the original 50, and the LFE quite a bit. They're all very nice, my preference goes to the original one though. I've only recently got the Focotar-2 and just made a test print before sending it off. So far I like it. Probably going to use that most of the time when I get it back.

Then comes the task of having the messed up 60 and 100 rectified... Even though the first job the guru did was excellent.... damn was I stupid sending in all my dearest lenses at once.

Andi

~andi · May 8, 2017

200 bucks and 4 weeks later:

Today I got the Focotar-2 back from Leica service. Nice boxes, certificates, etc. And the lens is clean as a whistle. On the outside. Which of course, was how I sent it to Leica. The inside remains UNTOUCHED. I bet it wasn't even opened (no marks anyways).

WTF!???

I'm really disappointed and angry (mostly about myself) that I was so deluded to believe that Leica would provide quality work on this and I fell for the scam (I should know better, quality, honesty and workmanship in german companies is a thing of the past). It looks like they cleaned the outside surfaces at most (honestly I looks more like it has been dusted off and put in a fancy box) and that's it. At least its not damaged like my other lenses I sent to one of those "gurus".

Now within 3 months I've managed to invest 600 bucks into destroying 3 of my best EL-lenses and have the barrel of the 4th cleaned with a Leica certificate. Well done Andi.

Serenity now! Serenity now!

Andi

Patrick Robert James · May 8, 2017

That is a shame. Maybe it was etched and they couldn't really clean it? If that was the case, they should have told you before going ahead with it.

I would have probably sold you mine for 2 bills. Kinda feel sad for you.

~andi · May 8, 2017

Thanks PRJ. I fell victim to my own naiveté i guess.

Yes it's a possibility that it has been etched and they could not clean it. They did not tell me neither before nor after. After assessing the lens, the estimate included details of the work they're going to perform. It also said that a very faint mist may remain. And that's fine with me, most older lenses have that. I didn't have high expectations but I was expecting at least some improvement. Now I feel like i've been conned (I haven't been, as I signed off the paragraph to exclude any warranty on the work, just feels that way anyways).

As the french say: If you want something done right, do it yourself.

Andi

~andi · May 8, 2017

So I tried a little DIY lens tinkering on a spare Focotar-1 today that would have needed cleaning anyways. Sweet fancy moses, I'm no slouch in fixing things. But that thing... I broke my spanner inserts during that operation. A heavy duty spanner, not the small ones. I could not open the inner ring, no matter what I tried. It must have been glued to the thread or something. The outer ring which holds the outer casing of the barrel was easy. This inner ring... impossible. I slipped once and now it looks ... ugly.

I can only imagine the -2 been similarly sealed and the reason Leica did not open it. The rings and threads would probably have been destroyed or at least scratched a fair bit. And they said they have no spare parts for Focotars anymore. Surely they would not send back a lens with broken threads, so the only option is doing what can be done without breaking it open and send it back...

Anyways, I've sent it out to Fototechnik Langer, see what he can do. In the end its probably best to look for a mint one in the first place.

Andi

Robbie Bedell · May 8, 2017

Andi, I am hoping all works out for the best for you. Since the earlier posts I managed to acquire by two more Focotar 50s... A version 1 and a second Schneider version, both like new. I will not say how much because I don't want anyone to feel bad.....Bad GAS...

~andi · May 8, 2017

Thanks Robbie. I really hope that too. Otherwise I'm just going to sell all my focotars, get a brand new Rodagon-N 50 and never think about EL-lenses again

Andi

Robbie Bedell · May 8, 2017

I am sure all will work out...Never sell your Focotars!! I just went back and re-read the old posts. I had already bragged about my 'new' lenses. Sorry about that...Please keep us posted on tour progress.....

Patrick Robert James · May 9, 2017

Andi, if you tried to remove that large ring on the back of your Focotar-I, it doesn't come off. I have an Elmar that is the same. I cleaned it up by going through the front and it makes a good enlarging lens for portraits since it is a little soft comparatively. It kind of surprised me when I discovered I liked it for that reason. I have always gone after sharpness.

I do have a few lenses that I don't need anymore. I haven't been switching lenses like I used to since I picked up a Focomat. All of them hand picked over the years, so if you are looking for something great and don't want to spring for another Focotar II let me know.

Malcolm Stewart · May 9, 2017

Patrick Robert James said:
... large ring on the back of your Focotar-I, ...

I've assumed that this ring is the one closer to the film negative.

~andi · May 9, 2017

Malcolm, yes the large ring on the side which points to the negative is the one I got off. The rings on the front don't have slits or holes which I could use to screw them off.

PRJ, I'm in that selection process now. I'm looking for two great lenses (one for the Valoy and one for the Ic) and be done with it. Its not as easy as I thought.

The large ring did indeed come off. Very easy too. It allowed me to remove the outer casing which is also used to set the the aperture. That outer assembly is also responsible for the aperture click-stops and there is a spring and a little ball which come out as well. Then I am left with the naked barrel, barely wider than the individual lenses.

How do you open it from the front? There seem to be two retaining rings in the front but they are very small with no way to grab them. I tried with a wine cork and a rubber cylinder, but they won't move. I then gave up and put it together again.

Andi

Patrick Robert James · May 10, 2017

I pulled out the Elmar tonight and used a different spanner to take off the large ring. I thought it was stuck on but it came right off. Must have been my old spanner. Fixed the aperture clicks. The grease on mine was sticky. I'd be sticky too if I was born in 1951....

Getting the little rings around the elements off I remember being a pain. I would assume since the lens is pretty much built like the Focotar I that the Focotar would be a pain as well My Elmar had some fog in it as you can imagine, but it cleaned right up easily.

~andi · May 10, 2017

I'll give it another shot as soon as I got new tips for the spanner

Focotar-2: Leica CLA experiences?

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