RE: [Leica] Bessa T, 29/1,9 and 21/4 (long!)

["Dan Honemann" <danh@selectsa.com>]

Frank,

True enough, but it would make sense to test the lens on a tripod first to
be sure that the lens isn't the culprit.  If the lens misfocuses wide open
at min. distance on a tripod, then that is useful information even if you
shoot handheld.  I know now, for instance, to focus on an ear if I want the
eyes in focus.  Whether or not I successfully hold focus on an ear is
another matter altogether.

Dan

> On a practical note, my concern with the Bessa T and its use with the noct
> or 75 f1.4 wide open is not whether it focusses accurately enough but
> whether I could hold the camera still enough whilst moving my eye from
> rangefinder window to viewfinder for the desired area still to be
> within the
> depth of field. People who fine focus these lenses by moving slightly fore
> and aft will know what I mean.
> I have no intention to use a tripod with such lenses.
> cheers Frank
>
> Dan wrote
> >
> > Tom,
> >
> >> The 75/1,4 did show some mis-focus at extreme
> >> close-up, but that could have been my doing. It was a bit of a
> >> hit and miss.
> >
> > If you haven't done so already, you will want to test the 75 at nearest
> > focus, f1.4, on a tripod with both the Bessa T and an M6 body
> (.85x pref.).
> > Since the Noct focuses fine close and wide, I suspect your 75
> may suffer the
> > same problem as mine (and other samples): at < 1.5 m, its focus
> begins to
> > creep closer than the RF indicates.  At .7 m, mine focuses a
> full 3 inches
> > closer than its target (as tested on two different bodies).