Leica R8 lens questions...

[Voyager]

...I've just received a 50mm f2.8 3-cam (R) (Canada) lens from Adorama, and I have two questions, please: 1) I haven't been able to figure out the open-aperture metering, in that when the lens is mounted it remains at the f stop it was set for, so the lens isn't metering wide open, and the preview/depth of field lever is therefore useless, and 2) there is visible oil on the diaphragm blades (neatly follows the blade pattern, not smeared all over)--should I be concerned about this?...

 

[vysk]

About the oil, yes, be worried. An SLR lens should not have oil on the blades. Eventually (ie. soon) it will clog up. What is worse is that it may slow down the closing of the aperture, ruining your photos.

About the open aperture metering, is your R8 set to stop down mode? Does it have a permanent stop down mode?

Is the 50/2.8 an "R" cam lens? I didn't think Leica made an f2.8 lens in R mount for 50mm.

 

[Voyager]

Vysk...the lens will be returned to Adorama--their description did not mention oil, and they are good about returns/exchanges...also the lens is a 50mm 2.0 Summicron, so my mistake there...as for the open-aperture metering and your mention of a stop-down mode: I see nothing in the instructions about setting the camera to a stop-down mode, other than the preview/depth of field lever which, though it can be moved partially (down), doesn't seem to go the full extent of its travel, and doesn't cause anything to happen with the lens...

...and thank you for the quick the response...