I've owned eight Zeiss ZM lenses from 25mm to 85mm: 25/2.8, 28/2.8, 35/2.8, 35/2, 35/1.4, 50/1.5, 50/2, and 85/4. One developed the wobble, the Biogon 28/2.8, which I'd hardly used. I'm waiting to find out the cost of having it repaired before selling it but I doubt it will be worth it. I now have just the Distagon 35/1.4.
p.1 #2 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
I've read this before, and for the ZM lenses like the Planar 50/2 and Biogon-C 35/2.8 I cannot see any teflon rollers. Perhaps on the bigger lenses like the 35/1.4 or the ZF lenses. I've seen this in my Makro-Planar 100/2 with a partial disassembly. My Makro-Planar 100/2 ZF and Distagon 35/2 are now about 13 or so years old. Looks a bit battered from careful use, because the anodisation is crap on the ZF lenses. But no wobble or slop issues.
On the ZM lenses, the wobble can easily come from the retaining ring becoming a little loose. Hence Zeiss and even Voigtlander using thread lock on the lower part of the threads. And/Or tend to use a very sticky grease on these threads to prevent them from working loose with vibrations.
I've taken apart my ZM 50/2 to adjust the focus ring guide. Many ZM lenses are very light to focus from a light helicoid grease, but this guide contributes to this feel too and is often a tiny tiny tiny bit smaller than the slot it runs up and down. While this helps with a light focus feel, it also can create a little loose feel when changing focus directions quickly. I've had to thicken mine by what is probably an almost immeasurable amount Now it has no looseness. Voigtlander does this better, as they have tuning forks instead of solid brass tabs. Tuning forks are easy to adjust by removing then and prying them apart very very carefully and very very little.
But back to the point of the wobble, the whole optical block, ie everything in front of the focus ring can be loose if that retaining ring is slightly loose. And I'm willing to bet it can happen easily on older lenses with no thread lock or grease. It's certainly easy with older Leica lenses.
Also on the Zeiss 21mm ZF tend to get a loose front part of the lens where the silver bayonet mount is. This is also a 5 minute job to fix. Remove the front ring with the lettering on it, and fasten the screws preferably with a light thread lock.
Having said this, I feel Zeiss has gotten a lot of flack for the wobble which I feel may have a simple origin and a simple fix. But thats just me... If I ever happen to disassemble a ZM lens completely again I'll take pictures and post them. Hopefully that would clear up an build quality concerns. The Elmarit 28mm ASPH I I bought had this issue. Slight looseness of the front optical block.The retaining ring was a little loose. A 20 Second fix.
p.1 #3 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
I guess I never use(d) my ZM lenses enough to cause the wear & tear that results in the wobble. So far, for me, it has been a non-issue. I was the first owner of all my ZM lenses other than the ZM50/2, purchased used from B&H in 2011. Still no wobble with it.
I've had more trouble with Leica M lenses. My 50 Lux ASPH silver version (all-brass construction), the lens body loosens up over time and eventually loses optical and RF calibration. My 28 Lux's periodic tendency for the focusing ring to partially decouple from the helicoid, resulting in several mms of dead space when changing focus direction... As with anything purely mechanical, periodic servicing is required. But my copies of these two seem to need it more often.
p.1 #4 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
Leica’s 50 Lux ASPH is an interesting example you raise..
I have had probably 3-4 copies of this lens over the years and every single example has been different in terms of focus tightness.. quite dramatically.
p.1 #5 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
After each Leica service visit the 50 Lux ASPH comes back quite tight but eventually loosened up, then loosens too much and has to go back. This process generally takes a few years to play out. Mine is probably close to needing to go back again. I'm tempted by the BC version in the hopes that it's mechanically improved, but have no real way of knowing this before buying one.
p.1 #6 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
rscheffler wrote:
After each Leica service visit the 50 Lux ASPH comes back quite tight but eventually loosened up, then loosens too much and has to go back. This process generally takes a few years to play out. Mine is probably close to needing to go back again. I'm tempted by the BC version in the hopes that it's mechanically improved, but have no real way of knowing this before buying one.
I’ve never touched a standard Lux 50 ASPH but I’ve had the BC version for three years and its mechanical construction seems on a par with that of my Dual Range and Rigid Summicron 50mm lenses.
p.1 #7 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
Thanks, i did not know about it.
I was watching around for the 25mm, so i have something to consider, even if it is easy to fix with some tools.
About construction, my opinion, Being metal do not mean better made or more dirable.
The worst lenses i got was a Venus Laowa. Lens elementa unsrcrewed, cause massive shimming, not even lubrification of helycal with aluminium shaving inside the barrel, structural parts, that cannot be tighten or aperture ring cannot be moved, and a broken bolt with head missing.
About wobble, i remember an Elmarit 28/2.8 v. III Tiger Claw (1979), it was only a play in external focusing ring at MFD. I dismounted it for cleaning and lube check, assembled it back and the little play stopped.
p.1 #8 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
Maknof wrote:
Thanks, i did not know about it.
I was watching around for the 25mm, so i have something to consider, even if it is easy to fix with some tools.
About construction, my opinion, Being metal do not mean better made or more dirable.
The worst lenses i got was a Venus Laowa. Lens elementa unsrcrewed, cause massive shimming, not even lubrification of helycal with aluminium shaving inside the barrel, structural parts, that cannot be tighten or aperture ring cannot be moved, and a broken bolt with head missing.
About wobble, i remember an Elmarit 28/2.8 v. III Tiger Claw (1979), it was only a play in external focusing ring at MFD. I dismounted it for cleaning and lube check, assembled it back and the little play stopped....Show more →
I bought the 25/2.8, 35/1.4, 50/1.5, and 85/4 lenses new whereas I bought used copies of the 28/2.8, 35/2.8, 35/2, and 50/2. The used 28/2.8 developed the wobble. If I was going to buy another ZM lens, I’d get a new one, as the author of that article recommends.
p.1 #10 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
rscheffler wrote:
After each Leica service visit the 50 Lux ASPH comes back quite tight but eventually loosened up, then loosens too much and has to go back. This process generally takes a few years to play out. Mine is probably close to needing to go back again. I'm tempted by the BC version in the hopes that it's mechanically improved, but have no real way of knowing this before buying one.
I wonder if the focusing tab is at least partially to blame for this by putting more pressure on one side of the lens as you focus versus the pressure being more evenly distributed – and over time that leading to increased wear. My 28 Lux for example: it feels more stiff when using the focusing tab than when using the ring. My 35 Lux pre-ASPH: I can provoke increased resistance by putting pressure on the focusing tab in the direction of the camera versus parallel to the camera.
p.1 #11 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
It might be one factor. But I think I'm mostly to blame. I switch lenses a lot and often quickly. I tend to handle the lens by the hood when mounting and removing it from the camera. This transfers torque down the length of the lens, which I'm guessing affects the fit of various components. The right way would be to handle the lens at its base when doing this. But it's not my habit and it will be a difficult one for me to relearn. This habit is a reason I dislike the 50 Lux ASPH's built-in hood and instead use a screw-in hood, which consequently probably more directly transfers torque down through the lens.
p.1 #14 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
The only ZM lens I have left is the 35 1.4 Distagon - I sold off all my other ZMs - so this little excerpt from that website makes me feel a little bit better:
Skyllaney, however, has not encountered The Zeiss Wobble in the 35mm Distagon or 15mm Distagon ZM lenses. As such, Chris cannot comment as to whether or not Teflon rollers are present in those two lenses because Skyllaney has never needed to service either lens for issues.
p.1 #16 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
Desmolicious wrote:
The only ZM lens I have left is the 35 1.4 Distagon - I sold off all my other ZMs - so this little excerpt from that website makes me feel a little bit better:
Great minds think alike. I too kept the Distagon 35/1.4 and got rid of all my other ZMs.
p.1 #18 · The Zeiss Wobble On Zeiss ZM Lenses Explained
It is good to see the Distagon 1,4/35mm ZM getting these votes of confidence, because I have bought two of them, the first pre-owned, and the second new, having waited for the seemingly-annual price promotion, late in the year, in the USA. I originally bought the second one, to have the silver-tone finish, which is easier to handle in the merciless southern Texas sunlight, but I had liked the first one so much, I could not persuade myself to sell it, and, in addition to the best insurance policy being a second lens, in reserve, I sometimes use one on an M10, and one on an M Type 246 Monochrom, at the same time.
The Distagon 2,8/15mm ZM being made in Germany, it may share little “DNA” with the Cosina-made ZM lenses, perhaps?
Now it has no looseness. Voigtlander does this better, as they have tuning forks instead of solid brass tabs. Tuning forks are easy to adjust by removing then and prying them apart very very carefully and very very little.
