Leica LTM Lens Troubles

Two23 · Dec 20, 2022

I have a Leica IIIc and a IIIf. Also have Canon 28mm LTM (1950s), Leica 35mm (1940s), Leica 50mm Elmar (1930), 90mm Elmar (1940s). All of these were working fine in the past. I pulled them all out tonight and checked. The Canon 28mm and Leica 35mm will not focus on either camera. What I mean is the focus lever seems frozen and will not move. Both are pushed all the way around clockwise to the stop pin. I put a fair amount of force on the 35mm (by hand) and it still won't move. Is this a known issue with these lenses? How do I unstick them? The 50mm and 90mm focus will move.

Kent in SD

BradS · Dec 21, 2022

infinity lock ?

chriscrawfordphoto · Dec 21, 2022

Will the focusing move when the lenses are not mounted on the camera?

gone · Dec 21, 2022

Look for something within the camera that may be blocking the lens. But if it is happening on ALL your cameras,......... it is undoubtedly something wrong w/ the lenses.

Two23 · Dec 21, 2022

chriscrawfordphoto said:
Will the focusing move when the lenses are not mounted on the camera?

No.

Kent in SD

gone · Dec 21, 2022

There you go. Lens(s) issue.

Two23 · Dec 21, 2022

momus said:
There you go. Lens(s) issue.

Yes, definitely the two lenses. Who can unstick them?

Kent in SD

Two23 · Dec 21, 2022

OK, I'm embarrassed. Haven't used these lenses in a couple of years. I discovered that by pushing down on the little knob on the end of the lever, it's actually a button. Pushed down on them and the focus lever now turns. Embarrassing, but at least it was cheap to fix.

Kent in SD

Huss · Dec 21, 2022

Two23 said:
OK, I'm embarrassed. Haven't used these lenses in a couple of years. I discovered that by pushing down on the little knob on the end of the lever, it's actually a button. Pushed down on them and the focus lever now turns. Embarrassing, but at least it was cheap to fix.

Kent in SD

Brad did mention that a couple of posts up.

Two23 · Dec 21, 2022

Huss said:
Brad did mention that a couple of posts up.

Yes, but I didn't know what or where it was.

Kent in SD

Moose22 · Dec 21, 2022

Two23 said:
Yes, but I didn't know what or where it was.

Kent in SD

Live and learn, my friend. We've all been hamfisted with gear we haven't used recently at one point or another.

Glad it wasn't anything real.

Huss · Dec 21, 2022

Two23 said:
Yes, but I didn't know what or where it was.

Kent in SD

When I received my Light Lens Lab 8 Elements Replica lens (a copy of the Leica lens), it had a little button on the end of the focus tab that releases the infinity lock. I had never used a lens w that before, and I too thought something was wrong!

250swb · Dec 24, 2022

It is all too easy to forget that some people have led a sheltered life devoid of knobs.

guangong · Dec 24, 2022

We do forget the dumbest things. Yesterday took me several minutes to remember how to close my Fuji folding 645 camera. Just refused to close. Finally remembered to cock camera THEN close.

Two23 · Dec 24, 2022

250swb said:
It is all too easy to forget that some people have led a sheltered life devoid of knobs.

Maybe some. I'm mostly a wet plate photographer, Kodak 2D 8x10. For film I use a 1937 Voigtlander Bessa RF and Kodak Retina IIa.

Kent in SD

250swb · Dec 24, 2022

Two23 said:
Maybe some. I'm mostly a wet plate photographer, Kodak 2D 8x10. For film I use a 1937 Voigtlander Bessa RF and Kodak Retina IIa.

Kent in SD

Does that mean you are proficient at playing with knobs?

Two23 · Dec 25, 2022

250swb said:
Does that mean you are proficient at playing with knobs?

Possibly, especially the bigger ones. I have become a master at pouring liquids onto an 8x10 plate.

Kent in SD

250swb · Dec 25, 2022

Two23 said:
Possibly, especially the bigger ones. I have become a master at pouring liquids onto an 8x10 plate.

Kent in SD

Size isn't important.

Leica LTM Lens Troubles

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