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Ultravid, BN focus wheel stiffness (1 Viewer)

P

Pileatus

"Experientia Docet”
United States
After looking at several Leicas I'm convinced that new BN's and Ultravids all have stiff focus wheels. I'm guessing that this is the result of very close tolerances. Furthermore, I'm wondering if it improves with regular use (read friction).

A few Leica users have said they saw improvement over time, but I've never heard a definitive "Yes, it gets nice and smooth with regular use". I guess the only way to know is to ask if there are long-term Leica users whose focus is still relatively stiff. I don't find initial focus a problem, but fine tuning is a real hassle on many of the new samples I've looked at.

I've asked Leica and they don't answer. Can Leica owners shed some light on this topic?

John
 
Unlike every other Leica owner here, I believe that the focus gets stiffer over time. I never realized how stiff and jerky my 8x32 BAs were until I bought the Ultravid. I've considered sending them into Leica, but apparently their service dept may leave something to be desired.
 
Bill Atwood said:
Unlike every other Leica owner here, I believe that the focus gets stiffer over time. I never realized how stiff and jerky my 8x32 BAs were until I bought the Ultravid. I've considered sending them into Leica, but apparently their service dept may leave something to be desired.
Click to expand...

Bill,

I simply cannot understand why all top-end focus actions aren't steady and smooth. I find it to be one of the most important aspects of using a bin.

John
 
I have had my 10x42BN's for nearly 3 years. The focus has always been fine and I have not noticed any change with time.
 
My experience is different than Bill's. I bought 7x42 Ultravid last November. The focus was originally a bit stiff, rough, "ratchety," or however else it has been described on this forum. I had to use two fingers to achieve fine focus but got used to it. Also, the focus offered resistance when returning to close focus from infinity or vice versa.

I have now used these for at least a few hundred hours in the field. The focus has become extremely smooth, and I no longer need to use two fingers for fine focus. It is still a hair tighter than either a new 8x32 EL or a new Nikon 8x42 LX/HG--both of which I handled recently. The resistance at each end of the focusing range has also loosened up, though it is still there. The conclusion is that I like the focus now, and it never varies whether the temperature is 100 or -10 fahrenheit.

I agree that a new Leica BN has a similarly tight/rough focus. So does a new Swarovski SLC. I handled several SLCs in shops over the past five years, and all but one had a rough focus. Out of curiosity I have handled several used SLCs to see if it changed, and indeed most of the used ones were smoother.
 
My understanding is that the focussing helicoid of the Leica BA/BN series (and presumably the Ultravid models) relies solely on the natural lubricating characteristics of aluminum and brass screw threads - i.e., no grease whatsoever. This is the same approach Leica has used for years for its 35mm camera lenses. Smooth focus, therefore, is a function of the machining of the two screw threads (which, sadly, varies, even for Leica) and wear, which helps a lot over time. If Nikon also follows the aluminum against brass approach,the Nikon LX/HG incredibly smooth focus may indicate either much finer machining of the screw threads (a possibility) or the addition of grease (also a very real possibility). If the latter, Nikon focus control will not improve over time.
 
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i have owned a pair of 10x42bn's for five months now, they're still the same as the day i bought them, (used daily). they are not supposed to be slack, the way they are engineered for fine focusing means they cant be adjusted to one extreme to the other quickly. in order to get more precise focusing they are geared to be more slower for a easier change in view.
 
My 8x32 BA's were a little stiffer when I got them secondhand, but now the focusing is as smooth as silk - no problems at all.
 
chartwell99 said:
My understanding is that the focussing helicoid of the Leica BA/BN series (and presumably the Ultravid models) relies solely on the natural lubricating characteristics of aluminum and brass screw threads - i.e., no grease whatsoever. This is the same approach Leica has used for years for its 35mm camera lenses. Smooth focus, therefore, is a function of the machining of the two screw threads (which, sadly, varies, even for Leica) and wear, which helps a lot over time. If Nikon also follows the aluminum against brass approach,the Nikon LX/HG incredibly smooth focus may indicate either much finer machining of the screw threads (a possibility) or the addition of grease (also a very real possibility). If the latter, Nikon focus control will not improve over time.
Click to expand...


Ummmm....I'm not an expert (there's a term for this but I forget) but when you put dissimilar metals in contact with one another a very small current is generated and one of the metals corrodes.

Usually not a good thing.
 
Fascinating thread!

On top of the other problems that keep us up at night (pondering our next premium pair of binoculars), I don't think
galvanic corrosion needs to be one of them. The process needs H2O, and these bins are supposed to be nitrogen-purged and dry as the Sahara.

The brass-on-steel construction is plausible. I own many manual-focus lenses, including Leica M, and have heard about this construction principle. However, fogging (an opaque deposit on glass surfaces) is common in older lenses, and the cause is attributed to volatile compounds in the lubricants. Hmm.

In addition, certain mechanical devices like watches and Leica rangefinder cameras can be winterized. This involves changing the lubricants, or removing them altogether. Russian watches are said to be fully pre-winterized (lower production cost, too). I'm sure the Leica Sport Optics division is aware of the tradeoffs in smoothness, low-temp handling, and parts wear - no one solution.

Break-in of focus and sample variation are also known qualities in photography. I have two otherwise identical Zeiss Planar 50/1.4 lenses and while one has stiff action, the other glides like hot butter. Optical variation in cheap brands like Sigma are so bad that the buying public is serving as the QA dept (not a business model I endorse).

I follow the focus discussions vis-a-vis Leica Ultravid because it remains the sole obstacle to my purchase; I can live with the other shortcoming from perfection. ;)
 
Rico said:
Fascinating thread!
<snip>
I follow the focus discussions vis-a-vis Leica Ultravid because it remains the sole obstacle to my purchase; I can live with the other shortcoming from perfection. ;)
Click to expand...

Rico,

My sentiments exactly concerning the Ultravid.

John
 
After reading this thread I started playing with the focusers on my Leicas. The focuser on my 8x42BN is noticably easier to turn than the focusers on my 10x32BA and 12x50BA. My 8x42BN is maybe 3 years old but hasn't had a lot of use. When I got my Swarovski 8.5x42EL I used most of the time.

The focuser on my new Zeiss 10x42 FL is only a little easier to turn than my Leica 8x42BN. The focuser wheel on the Zeiss has a better ribbed surface. It is easier for my finger to get traction.

So, maybe if one looks around they can find a Leica BN with a not too stiff focuser.

Good luck,
Rich
 
Not to get off topic too much, but the focusers on my Nikon 10x42 SE and Nikon 12x50 SE are quite stiff. I don't know if this is normal for the Nikon SEs?

Rich
 
Rich N said:
Not to get off topic too much, but the focusers on my Nikon 10x42 SE and Nikon 12x50 SE are quite stiff. I don't know if this is normal for the Nikon SEs?

Rich
Click to expand...

I think it is. The focus on my 8x32 SE gets extremely stiff in cold weather, to the point where it is hard to use. I put up with it because the optics are so good IMO.
 
I think the problem with the Ultravid is not stiffness in the focusing, but rather a slight roughness (at least in my 8x42s) that makes fine-focusing less than pleasurable until you get used to it. I use two fingers now. I would describe my Nikon SEs as stiff, in the sense that the wheel offers a lot of resistance, especially in cold conditions, but the action is nonetheless smooth.
There have been many adverse comments on this forum about the Ultravid focus, so I've assumed it's a design trait rather than a quality control issue.

Sean
 
If I could make the surface of the focuser wheel on my Leica 8x42BN feel more "grippy" I think the wheel would feel easier to turn. I can think of several ways to make it feel more "grippy" but don't want to do something I can't take off if I don't like it or it looks bad.

Rich
 
Hi guys
Has anybody else noticed just how many pairs of dogs b@llock$ bino's Rich owns
is this now the norm do I need a loan for 3 more pairs etc !!!

Any way I have recently purchased a second hand pair of 8 x 32 BN's - these were originally purchased new in April 2004 so when I got them they were 5 months old
whoever had them before me did a fine job of 'breaking them in' as they seem to be perfect however I suspect they are fine anyway

As regarding Electrolitic corrosion (Galvanic corrosion) Aluiminium(-.75V) and Brass(-0.3V) are separeted by 0.45V which is at the limit of the design parameters we use so some action MAY occur but as the elements are in a 'dry' atmosphere this will be limited if any

Gaz
 
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