Re: [Leica] Re: Vario-Elmar 80-200 focus problem

[Ted <tedgrant@home.com>]

> Bob Gibson wrote:
> >When I set the focus ring on infinity and object 1km away is out of
> >alignment in the split image on my R8.
> >I need to shift the focus ring back to almost the 15m mark for the split
> >image to indicate correct focus. If I rely on the split image for focusing
> >all images are sharp so its not a real bit problem just a bit annoying.
> >I have two other lenses a Elmarit-R 19mm and the standard Summicron-R 50mm,
> >neither of these lenses show this problem.
> >I would appreciate some feed back from other owners if this is common to
> >their lenses or do I have a problem lens.<<<<<<<

Jim Brick responded::
>>>>>The first thing most people do when getting an R camera is to change the
factory supplied split image ground glass to a plain ground glass thus
eliminating the split doodad, which is always disrupting your view of the scene
you are about to photograph. You can focus anywhere on a plain GG.

Ted likes the completely plain GG screen. In either case, your use of your R8
will be enhanced as you will be able to focus on anything visible on the GG
without moving the camera. And your scene composition will be better because you
see only the scene displayed on the plain GG rather than the scene with a bunch
of circles and splits in the middle.<<<<<<<<

Hi Bob,
I see Jim has already pretty well filled you in on the GG view finder screen,  I
concur with his post completely. I might suggest the first thing you do as soon
as you get up to-morrow is throw away the standard viewfinder, oops! :-) Well OK
order a new one first and get it in hand ready to install , then throw the other
one away, as it's as useless as teats on a bull!  It's nothing but a bloody
distraction,  just points up another failing of the technical people of Leica
being theory and not practitioners of the cameras they design!

I've not much else to add, other than you wont have a sorry moment of viewfinder
use after installing the new ground glass screen. Whichever type you choose.

And in use with the 80-200 the GG is the only way to use the camera and that
lens,  as it makes the screen appear much brighter and allows that lens to just
pop the scene in and out of focus wonderfully.

ted