focusing hektor 135mm on IIIc body

[gesualdo]

I just had my IIIc restored by Don Goldberg. Thanks to you all who advised me to go to him! I've been shooting with a cheap Russian 50mm which focuses just fine. I bought a Hektor 135mm and cannot get it to focus properly. I have a Walz viewfinder but that does not help with the focus. Sorry for the simpleton question but I am new to old Barnack cameras.

Thanks. This is a wonderful site!

enrique

[doubice]

Hello Enrique,

Yes, Don is a Master with a capital 'M' ! As to your focusing problems - can you ellaborate as to what they are?

I'll give you just a few hints to start with....: The thread mount Leicas have a relatively short rangefinder base so, accurate focusing is critical and requires more care than focusing a 50mm lens. First of all, your IIIc has a diopter adjustment next to the rewind knob - is it adjusted properly for your eyesight? If you move the lever back and forth, you'll see the rangefinder image go in and out of focus - leave in the sharpest position.

When you say that you are having problems focusing - does the lens focus to infinity when you use the rangefinder? I would assume that Don would have callibrated the rangefinder so, if your rangefinder images do not coincide at infinity, the problem could be the lens' focusing cam. On the other hand, if the rangefinder images do coincide at infinity, but the image of an object at infinity is not sharp, the problem most probably lies with the lens that is out of adjustment.

When I refer to 'infinity' - that is not just an object across the street, ideally you should focus on something at least 500 meters away. A moon in the night sky is the best infinity test subject.

As to your Walz finder, that is used only for framing and has absolutely no effect on accuracy of focusing.

That is about all I can diagnose over the net without having any other information from you.

Best,

Jan

[gesualdo]

Here it is.

[gesualdo]

Jan,

Diopter? I wondered what that little lever was! Adjusting it did have an effect on the sharpness of the rangefinder image. I am not sure what you mean about images coinciding at infinity. But now that I know about the diopter that gives me something to work with and explore. Lucky for me there is a moon out tonight. I did notice I was finally able to see the image separation I was used to with the 50mm. It's not nearly as distinct but it's there.

What a wonderful experience it has been learning about these cameras! Thanks!

enrique

[doubice]

Originally Posted by gesualdo

Here it is.

OK, so it is...... The picture of the Hektor does not tell me what focusing problems you are having....

It seems to be a pre-WWII or early post-WWII lens. That is all I can tell from the picture.....

Best,

Jan

[doubice]

Originally Posted by gesualdo

Jan,

Diopter? I wondered what that little lever was! Adjusting it did have an effect on the sharpness of the rangefinder image. I am not sure what you mean about images coinciding at infinity. But now that I know about the diopter that gives me something to work with and explore. Lucky for me there is a moon out tonight. I did notice I was finally able to see the image separation I was used to with the 50mm. It's not nearly as distinct but it's there.

What a wonderful experience it has been learning about these cameras! Thanks!

enrique

Enrique,

I see that our posts crossed. By rangefinder images coinciding at infinity I mean exactly that - when you set the lens' focusing mount to infinity, do the rangefinder images become one?

And if they do, is the picture of an object at infinity sharp? The lens you use has no effect on the rangefinder separation (or distinction between the two images).

Best,

Jan

[gesualdo]

Jan,

Yes I know the picture really didn't help illustrate my focusing problem. But I thought perhaps it might excite someone enough to respond to my question. I hadn't seen your first post yet. Call it faith in the power of Leica porn.

Focusing on this camera is completely different from what I am used to. My first and only camera for decades was a Pentax K1000. The split image focus of the rangefinder is so alien to me I can't always tell what I am supposed to look for. Using the moon and playing with the diopter with the lens set at infinity has given me the point of reference I lacked before. As for sharpness, I think it looks pretty good. But I'm sure I will know better after using this lens more and trying a few others out.

Thanks again. I really appreciate your advice. I tried using the Google to answer my questions for several days and come up empty handed.

~enrique

[lars_bergquist]

The Leica II (the first one with a rangefinder, in 1932) did not have any focusing lever for it. It went in with the III, which had its rangefinder magnification raised from unit to 1.5x, in order to improve focusing of the 13.5cm lenses, in fact! This made focusing for far and near necessary. Note that there is an infinity mark on the lever!

It was NOT for eyesight correction. That would have been fairly useless as the finder is not helped by it. Correction was done with separate lenses screwed into the two eyepieces, and these lenses were sold in pairs! But 'authorities' who have never even tried to use a LTM Leica but only copy each other's errors have perpetuated the 'dioptries' myth.

The old man from the Age of the IIIc

[bill]

Hi Enrique,

I have not tried to focus a 135 on my IIIc - the longest focal length I have used on it is 9cm - but further to the good advice you have already been given, can I suggest you get yourself an OKARO.

This is the orange filter that you can see in the picture below.

My IIIc.jpg

Mounted over the rangefinder window it turns the "mobile" part of the double image orange. This helps you to differentiate when you achieve sharp focus, because the orange tinge disappears when you do.

They are relatively inexpensive, and turn up on eBay regularly.

As a footnote, I actually find it easier to focus my IID than my IIIc...!

Regards,

Bill

[brianv]

Check that the RF and Distance scale agree using some known targets. Try infinity and some that are close up. If the RF and distance scale disagree, the Cam might be off. If the RF and Distance scale agree, but the actual focus is off, the optics need "shimming". I've had both cases occur, the latter with a post-war Elmar 9cm F4. It works quite well now.

[doubice]

Originally Posted by lars_bergquist

The Leica II (the first one with a rangefinder, in 1932) did not have any focusing lever for it. It went in with the III, which had its rangefinder magnification raised from unit to 1.5x, in order to improve focusing of the 13.5cm lenses, in fact! This made focusing for far and near necessary. Note that there is an infinity mark on the lever!

It was NOT for eyesight correction. That would have been fairly useless as the finder is not helped by it. Correction was done with separate lenses screwed into the two eyepieces, and these lenses were sold in pairs! But 'authorities' who have never even tried to use a LTM Leica but only copy each other's errors have perpetuated the 'dioptries' myth.

The old man from the Age of the IIIc

Lars,

There have been a few threads about diopter correction lenses for the Thread Mount Leicas... Yes, there was an attachment, which slid over the dual eyepiece - check your IIIc or IIIf eyepiece, there are slots in their sides. Those were used for diopter adjustment eyepieces when the one built into the camera was not sufficient enough. There never were screw-in correction lenses for thread mount Leicas; there are no threads on the rear eyepiece to accept them.

I have noticed that, as my eyesight changed over the years, the position of the lever that made the finder easier to focus, changed as well. My wife, who has a pretty bad eyesight, could never focus a IIIc after I used it - she had to move the lever to a different position to adjust for her own eyesight.

The OKARO is a great suggestion, it will increase the contrast somewhat and will make it esier to see the difference between the two rangefinder images.

"The old man who started his photography hobby 45 years ago with his mother's IIIb, progressed to a IIIf, than an M3, M4, M5, M6, M7 and the rest is history"....

All the best,

Jan

[gesualdo]

Thanks again for all the great tips. I'm looking for an OKARO now.

On the 135mm the main problem is focusing close in. There is a pretty wide gap between 5 and 6 feet. Once the images merge I find it hard to fine tune the focus. There seems to be a pretty wide distance where the images still look pretty much merged. Also I have a hard time focusing on small objects like leaves. But I'm getting better with practice!

[Philippe D.]

Hi,

Originally Posted by gesualdo

I'm looking for an OKARO now.

Ask Don. He have one for 25$, but specify "for IIIc" as there is an OKARA model for older bodies.

[luigi bertolotti]

Originally Posted by Philippe D.

Hi,Ask Don. He have one for 25$, but specify "for IIIc" as there is an OKARA model for older bodies.

... actually, it was ORAKO...

the old man of the times of 5 letter codes
(sorry, Lars, I know is a copyright of you...)

[bill]

Originally Posted by gesualdo

Thanks again for all the great tips. I'm looking for an OKARO now.

On the 135mm the main problem is focusing close in. There is a pretty wide gap between 5 and 6 feet. Once the images merge I find it hard to fine tune the focus. There seems to be a pretty wide distance where the images still look pretty much merged. Also I have a hard time focusing on small objects like leaves. But I'm getting better with practice!

That will definitely help then. The effect is hard to describe, but instant to see. A couple of further comments, from personal experience:

1. It's a push-fit, quite snug, but be careful not to knock it off if you have the camera over your shoulder or in a pocket. I have found mine at the bottom of a pocket more than once.

2. Make sure you put it on the right window, otherwise you will turn your whole world orange!

Regards,

Bill

[Philippe D.]

Originally Posted by luigi bertolotti

... actually, it was ORAKO...

Yuo'er ghtri Luigi