Re: [Leica] weight difference with lens

[Jeff Alford <alford@batnet.com>]

>Recently I bought a used Summilux 35mm/f1.4 Titanium lens.Without filter
>or lens hood, I  check out the weight of the lens on an electronic
>jewellery scale.It weights 223.33gr (0.49lb).According to the Leica M6
>brochures and the Leica M Compendium by Eastland , the weight for the
>titanium lens is 195.00gr (0.43lb).It seems that there is more than 11%
>weight difference! Is this normal? I check my other R lenses with the
>same scale and they are the same or very close to the book's figures.
>Next, I used a 6x loupe(can't see it with the naked eyes) to check tke
>srew heads. I found out that two out of three screws on the furthest
>front chipped(like marks left over from over tightening with the screw
>driver). There is another one screw that fasten the aperture scale has
>this same mark.I doubt that they came out from the factory in this
>condition.What is your opinion?
>As I look through the lens with wide aperture against a light source
>(the usual buying used lens procedure ) I could not see anything unusual
>i.e. clean glass from the front or the back.When I check the inner glass
>from the back with the 6x loupe, I SAW a mass of very thin lines ( f
>iber-like ) spreading all over the inner surface.I could not tell what
>are those as there are small sratches also which I can see because they
>reflect light differently.
>I just like to figure out why the outermost glass are smooth and clean
>but inner ones has all these extras.
>I THANK YOU for your opinion.
>Tjandra
>
>
>
195g is the correct weight for black version of the 35/1.4. The titanium 
version weighs more due to the fact that the titanium finish is coated 
over brass instead of aluminum. Current chrome lenses are also heavier 
than their black counterparts.

Jeff Alford