Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 - Play in the lens causing knocking sound

49thstreet · Feb 10, 2016

Can anyone that has the Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 tell me if they also have noticed the slight side to side play in the lens?

I am on my second copy. I sent the first one back thinking there is no way an expensive lens should have play to the point where it has an audible knocking sound when you rotate the focus ring. The second copy is exactly the same.

To be clear this is not coming from the mount. It is coming from the focus ring. There is also zero play vertically. It is only on the horizontal. It is most obvious when I focus with one finger on the bottom of the lens (like you would a Leica lens).

I have searched the internet, read and watched all the reviews and seen no mention of this.

Gorillaaa · Feb 10, 2016

I just noticed exact the same issue with my 35/2. It only happens when I try to focus fast with only one finger. No problem when I focus with two fingers holding the focus ring tightly. I have no idea where it comes from.

49thstreet · Feb 10, 2016

Well that is good news I guess. At least it sounds like it's not a faulty lens that I have. I think it must just be from all the weight of the glass in there.

I bought a "Taab" for mine which adds the finger tab like a Leica. This is wonderful for quick focus and pre-focusing as you lift the camera to your eye, however as it means I focus with one finger...I get the knocking sound EVERY time.

Otherwise it's a great lens so I will likely keep it. Have you been happy with yours?

Bobo Hodls · Feb 11, 2016

I can barely feel a little play, and hear a slight clunk or tick, on both Loxia's.

JDLaing · Feb 11, 2016

Not with mine...........so far.

49thstreet · Feb 11, 2016

I have taken a video of this. You can see and hear what I am talking about.

You can't really SEE the lens moving but you can hear it. Also, when I pick up and am just handling my camera (rotating from portrait to landscape) I can hear it and feel the lens shifting in my hand.

Yes, it's minor but for $1300, I want to make sure I don't have a bad copy of the lens.

Video here...

Astrophotographer 10 · Feb 11, 2016

No, no sound in my 35 2. It completely smooth and quiet. If I put my ear to it I can hear a soft sliding motion but no clunk like yours. Seems there is a batch with some play in the mechanism.

When turning towards the infinity symbol and hit the stop it makes that sound. But when you reverse it does not. Are you hitting the infinity stop when this occurs?

I tried my Loxia 50 and same, no sound. But if course if you turn the focus to infinity there is a clunk as it hits the infinity stop but not when you reverse. Away from the infinity stop backwards and forwards like that makes no sound and is smooth.

Does your lens clunk like that further away from the infinity stop?

Greg.

49thstreet · Feb 11, 2016

Yes unfortunately it DOES clunk away from the infinity stop also.

Snikt228 · Feb 11, 2016

0 play or noise from Loxia 50 here

alextardif · Feb 11, 2016

I've had this exact phenomenon on the Loxia 50 - focus ring was very easily pushed horizontally (the way you've described on your 32) during normal use with barely any force. It was wobbling. Tactile, visual, and audible click. My 2nd copy had a terrible wobble with the aperture ring (rendering it problematic for video work that I bought the lens in the first place) until I finally got a 3rd copy which was finally flawless. This was very disappointing as I've bought dozens of lenses of the years and only had to through a defect swap 1 time in my life before.

See my recent thread about it here.

In short, on my Loxia 35 I also have the ever so slight horizontal click if I push on the focus ring hard enough, but it's barely noticeable and not present in normal operation. My 21 Loxia is flawless.

For a mechanical lens that supposed to be of top tier build quality I expect it to be... near perfect. Zeiss and everyone loving Zeiss can claim amazing quality control, but in my experience, they're prone to sample variation like everyone else. Just a reality of things.

olstrup · Feb 12, 2016

I wouldn't worry about that lens.

Through the years I have accumulated quite a number of older and newer lenses. Some of them have play in the focusing ring, others have not. But all of them have worked flawlessly for years on end.

Sometimes "no play" is just = more lube in the mechanism. 30 years ago I was worried about play in a Leica lens and asked my old, seasoned repairman who answered: "I can grease it away if it makes you feel better, but it won't shoot any better for that. It doesn't matter and it doesn't get worse." He was right. The lens has exactly the same amount of play today after all these years use.

49thstreet · Feb 12, 2016

Wow, thanks everyone for the excellent feedback.

I also wrote to Zeiss and they were fast to respond. They watched the videos and said its just normal tolerances in the focusing threads. They said they could take a look at it if I wanted.
After reading the last response from 'Olstrup', I have a feeling they will just pack some grease in there and send it back to me.

I can't say I'm delighted with this knocking but I have been happy with the overall image quality I'm getting out of this lens and that's what mattered right?

gdoering · Feb 12, 2016

This is happening on both my 35 and 50 Loxias. It does not happen on the newer 21 Loxia. I've noticed the knocking occasionally but I didn't realize it was from play in the focus ring until now. I can't say it hinders my enjoyment of using either lens; the entire Loxia lineup is a joy to use.

darrellc · Feb 13, 2016

I had it on a Loxia 50, Zeiss replaced right way with a new lens without issues. My Loxia 35 has no such problem.

drmarkf · Feb 18, 2016

49thstreet said:
Well that is good news I guess. At least it sounds like it's not a faulty lens that I have. I think it must just be from all the weight of the glass in there.

I bought a "Taab" for mine which adds the finger tab like a Leica. This is wonderful for quick focus and pre-focusing as you lift the camera to your eye, however as it means I focus with one finger...I get the knocking sound EVERY time.

Otherwise it's a great lens so I will likely keep it. Have you been happy with yours?

I'm considering getting a TAAB for my Loxia 35mm (fortunately it lacks the added sound effects!).

Can I ask which size you went for, please? By my approximate measurements the circumference is around 200mm which lies at the border between the 'standatd' and 'hefty' TAABs: http://www.reddotcameras.co.uk/336-taab-focus-tabs

49thstreet · Feb 21, 2016

Standard TAAB. Fits great. Tight to get on but once on it was perfect. It's a tough rubber so you can stretch it a bit to get it on.

drmarkf · Feb 22, 2016

49thstreet said:
Standard TAAB. Fits great. Tight to get on but once on it was perfect. It's a tough rubber so you can stretch it a bit to get it on.

Great, many thanks.

In a couple of weeks I'm going to be in London quite close to red Dot Cameras who stock them, so I'll be able to check the fit (and save myself the postage) on that trip.

AndrewinNYC · May 23, 2017

Which size TAAB did you get?

Search

Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 - Play in the lens causing knocking sound

49thstreet

New member

Gorillaaa

New member

49thstreet

New member

Bobo Hodls

Forum Pro

JDLaing

Veteran Member

49thstreet

New member

Astrophotographer 10

Forum Pro

49thstreet

New member

Snikt228

Leading Member

alextardif

Senior Member

olstrup

Veteran Member

49thstreet

New member

gdoering

Member

darrellc

Forum Enthusiast

drmarkf

Leading Member

49thstreet

New member

drmarkf

Leading Member

AndrewinNYC

Member

Similar threads

Keyboard shortcuts