Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/02/09

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Subject: Re: [Leica] focus inaccuracies: my test results
From: Christer Almqvist <christer@almqvist.net>
Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 00:11:37 +0200
References: <NBBBIDNIGLFOKNLJCPLHOECDFFAA.danh@selectsa.com>

snip

>: the point of focus is
>about 1-2 inches (2-3 inches on the slides, but the ruler is at roughly a 45
>degree angle) closer than the target (the area in which the RF perceived

snip

I have always found the method you use to determine if the camera 
focuses correctly (i.e. taking pictures of a ruler at 45 degrees 
angle) gives results that are difficult to interpret.

In my opinion it is better to draw a thick vertical line on a  sheet 
of paper  and stick the paper to the wall. With the camera on a 
tripod, at the distance you want to test, focus using the rangefinder 
and make one picture. Then make four more photos, each time turning 
the lens one sixteenth of an inch in the same direction. Then focus 
again and take one picture. Then make four more photos, each time 
turning the lens one sixteenth of an inch in the same direction, but 
the opposite direction from the first row of pictures. Repeat the 
whole thing for infinity (no need to turn lens in both directions 
here!) and any other distance you want to check focusing for. Open up 
the lens as much as possible to get shallow dept of field. It helps 
to put small "post it" stickers on the lens with markings for 1/16th 
inch, and you may want  to include something in the picture  telling 
you which way you turned the lens, at least when you are 
photographing lines on paper. Then develop the film and look at the 
negatives with a good loupe. All my Leica lenses (21mm, 35mm and 
90mm) focus percectly on both my M6s according to my test as per 
above.

Chris
- -- 
Christer Almqvist
D-20255 Hamburg, Germany and/or
F-50590 Regnéville-sur-Mer, France

In reply to: Message from "Dan Honemann" <danh@selectsa.com> ([Leica] focus inaccuracies: my test results)