Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/08/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]My first thought was that the rangefinder was out. I tried the 35/3.5 w/eyes on both an M3 and and M6 and got the same results with both bodies. Next (as long as I had the tripod set-up and measured distance, I tried all of my longer focal length M lenses. They all focused at 8 feet. (50/2, 75/1.4, 90/4). I have owned the 35/2 w/eyes for more than 30 years and have never had a problem. But as I think about it, I realize that I have very seldom used the rangefinder with it. Usually, I set it at the hyperfocal distance for f/5.6 or f/8 and shoot. Else, I estimate the distance and zone focus. (Usually, as I walk down a street with it I am fiddling with the focus ring to account for whatever situation I am in --- sort of a point and shoot mentality on my part). I think that Marc posted a method of calibrating the 50/DS eyes by rotating the lens over the rangefinder window. I guess that I need to try that next. My chagrin is that after 30 years, I should have known that everything was not "spot-on." Regards, Bill Larsen Mike Quin writes: |It shouldn't indicate 10 feet! But I began to doubt, so I just tested my 35 |summicron with eyes again. |Results: |With the eyes on and the subject at eight feet from the film plane, the |rangefinder images coincide at an indicated distance of 8 feet. Without the |eyes, the images coincide at an indicated distance of 5 feet (not 5.5 feet). | |Perhaps your rangefinder is out of adjustment? I had that happen once and |didn't figure out what the problem was until I tested a lens and found that |the resolution was higher at the edges than at the center of the field. | |Do your other lenses focus at an accurate indicated distance? | |Mike Quinn | |---------- |Bill Larsen said: | |> With "eyes" the |> indicated distance was 10 feet. Without eyes, the indicated distance was 5.5 |> feet. Thus the eyes are necessary. (Unfortunately the true object to film |> plane distance was 8 feet). |