Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/03/13

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Subject: [Leica] Is it just me, or are these new Leica lenses a huge step up?
From: photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman)
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 21:54:31 +0100
References: <532216E6.7040305@threshinc.com>

Hi Peter,

I don't have the CV 1.2/35mm anymore. My main lens on the M8 is the 2.5/35mm 
Leica, and I have not noticed any focus shift with it. But as I said, maybe 
I am just not looking for it. I don't doubt that the phenomenon exist; I am 
just saying that it does not seem to be relevant for the kind of photography 
I do.

Cheers,
Nathan

Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu
http://www.greatpix.eu
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/

YNWA









On Mar 13, 2014, at 9:36 PM, Peter Klein wrote:

> Nathan: All lenses have focus shift, but some more than others. The 
> original 35/1.4 ASPH without the floating elements is one, and it is my 
> principal lens on my M8. At f/1.4 and f/2, the RF is accurate. At 
> f/2.8-5.6, the actual point of focus is a bit behind where the RF says it 
> is. At f/8 and smaller, the DOF covers things. I confirmed this with 
> testing, but it was pretty apparent without testing. So if I want to shoot 
> it at f/2.8-5.6, I focus a little closer than I actually want. It bothers 
> me to have to do it, but the lens is so good otherwise that I put up with 
> it.
> 
> IIRC, you are using the Voigtlander 35/1.2 on your M8. That lens handles 
> focus shift in a very sneaky way. As you stop down, the actual focus point 
> oscillates back and forth around the point the RF is focused on, but only 
> very slightly. You can see it if you pixel peep, but not in real life.  
> When I first tested my 35/1.2 on the M8, I did pixel peep, and I couldn't 
> believe my eyes. I repeated the tests, same results. So I asked Erwin Puts 
> about it. He confirmed my observations. Erwin said that what the Cosina 
> designers did is a less expensive way of minimizing focus shift, but that 
> Leica would never do it that way, because there are some other optical 
> drawbacks to it (I think involving contrast).
> 
> So for all practical purposes, your normal M8 lens doesn't have focus 
> shift. So you don't notice it.   :-)
> 
> --Peter
> 
> 
> 
> > I have never seen any focus shift on my M8 with any of my lenses. 
> > Perhaps I
> > don't know what to look for. Heck, I just take pictures.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Nathan
> >
> > Nathan Wajsman
> > Alicante, Spain
> > http://www.frozenlight.eu
> > http://www.greatpix.eu
> > PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
> > Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/
> >
> > YNWA
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 



Replies: Reply from grduprey at mchsi.com (grduprey at mchsi.com) ([Leica] Is it just me, or are these new Leica lenses a huge step up?)
Reply from john at mcmaster.co.nz (John McMaster) ([Leica] Is it just me, or are these new Leica lenses a huge step up?)
In reply to: Message from pklein at threshinc.com (Peter Klein) ([Leica] Is it just me, or are these new Leica lenses a huge step up?)