At what point did the 135 Tele-Elmar's focusing link change from a sliding bar to a "ramped" focusing tube like other Leica lenses? Was it concurrent with the redesign to add the built-in lens hood and sqaure off the focusing ring/aperture ring?

I've run across a few of the older style and several had 'sticky' focus because the sliding shaft was hanging up on it's 'shoe'. I definitely prefer the ramped tube style of cam (as, presumably, did Leica).

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), July 20, 2001

Answers

I've never seen the E39 version with a rotary cam. Mine is a later version (with the fine-milled focus ring vs the scalloped ring on older ones)and has the sliding tab. It did need un-sticking at first but has worked fine thereafter. The E46 model I traded on the APO- Telyt had the rotary cam. I've always regretted making that trade.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), July 20, 2001.