Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/02/25

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Subject: Re: Making pictures with the M Leica
From: c.blaue@bmsg.de
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 13:51:23 +0100

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>   Date: 	Tue, 25 Feb 1997 04:33:52 -0500
>   From: Dan Cardish <dcardish@microtec.net>
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>   At 11:18 PM 24-02-97 -0700, Ben wrote:
>   >>When focusing a rangefinder camera, you
>   >>should start either at infinity or the closest setting, and move the ring in
>   >>one motion until the two images coincide--do not rack it back and forth, as
>   >>you might with an SLR, to improve the focus.  The reason this works, I
>   >>understand, is due to the nature of the mechanical linkage between lens and
>   >>rangefinder--racking it back and fortyh produces inaccuracies.
>   >
>   >This is an old machinists trick. As the bed screw of a mill or lathe wears
>   >it develops slop. When moving the bed to make a cut you back up so that the
>   >screw is engaged fully when your tool touches the work. Same with the
>   >rangefinder.

>   Let me see if I understand this.  Start at one end of the focusing scale.
>   Focus by turning the focus ring in one direction until images coincide.  Do
>   not rack it back and forth.  If I overshoot and am not satisfied with the
>   state of focus, what do I do?  Go back to infinity and start over?

>   Dan C.

Dan,

if you are not satisfied, you have to adjust (of course).
The way I understand it is, that you have the possibility to see immediately,
when it is in focus. So more precisely it might say: start focusing quick and
slow down the focusing speed until you made it. 

With an SLR you might not be able to determine the first time that you are in
focus.

christoph