50mm Summilux VerII focus issue?

[benmacphoto]

Not sure if this subject has been discussed before, but after a search I have found nothing.
I have a 50mm Summilux VerII that is showing some odd focusing.
Wide open and close focus the lens is spot on.
However it's suffering from back focus at medium - infinity focus.
I thought it could be the range finder in the M8, however shots with my 90 Tele Elmarit are showing up perfect.
Was the lens originally designed to be perfect wide open at close focus and slightly off at medium - infinity?
Or has this lens been modified, or in need of calibration?

As shown here the focus was on the light pole, though the branch which was five feet behind appears to be in focus.
50 Summilux on M8, focus around 30 feet.



50 Summilux on M8 at f2.8, focus around 30 feet.


90 Tele Elmarit on M8 at f2.8, focus around 30 feet.


50 Summilux on M8 at 2.8, focus infinity stop on lens.


90 Tele Elmarit on M8 at f2.8, focus infinity stop on lens.


50 Summilux on M8, wide open close focus. Spot on.

[DonaldJ.]

You will have to send your M8 and lens to Leica to be adjusted to focus correctly. I forget how much the service costs, but the lens has to be adjusted for the M8. Although I do not own a digital M, many people have to do this as their lenses do not focus correctly on a digital M.

[astro8]

DAG will adjust the lens to focus on a digital body. He cla'd and adjusted focus on my 35 'lux pre-asph which changed it from a 'coke bottle' into a razor sharp lens.

Before he worked on it, it was useless.

My lens was only gone for a couple of weeks...and that's from Sydney, I couldn't be happier with it now and I can't recommend Don enough.

[JayC]

Does doing this type of adjustment affect how the lens will perform on a film Leica?

[astro8]

Originally Posted by JayC

Does doing this type of adjustment affect how the lens will perform on a film Leica?

From what Don told me...no, it will improve the focus on film as well.

I told him I wanted it to be just as sharp on my M2 as my R-D1.

I'm pretty sure he used an M8 to test the focus. I didn't send my camera in with the lens.

[benmacphoto]

Thanks for the replies so far.
My main concern about this is that the lens is perfect at close focus
but off at medium to infinity.
I thought if the lens needed to be adjusted it would be the whole range.
I've got a roll of film to develop which has shots taken with this lens.
So I'll see if the shift shows up there.

[DonaldJ.]

There is no exact science to it. It can be off at any distance. I'm pretty sure it will go away if you send it to leica or DAG, I know that sherry is unable to do this due to not working on digital cameras. This happens to many digital M owners like I said.

[Michael Wögerbauer]

Hi Ben,

I have the same kind of Summilux v2 (from 1977) and the same kind of problem. At short and mid-distance it is even wide open a wonderful lens, but at infinity, the pictures won't be sharp. Have you had yours repaired? How exactly? Is it better now?

I enjoyed your gallery from Philadelphia a lot - great photos!

Michael