Summilux 1:1.4/50 mm and M8

[thpeters]

Pictures taken with M8 and Summilux 50 mm, Iso 160, shutter speed 1/90, F 4.0
Focus on the eyes, but in the second picture with 100% crop you could clearly see the hand is sharper then the eye, I have crop the eye also to 100%, the hand is much sharper in detail, maybe a front focus problem?. The eye is not tacky sharp, it looks to me something is not right, or lens or camera?.
Maybe some of you can tell me if I am right in this, before I send things back.

I used the magnifier with diopter +3.0.

Thank you for looking and the comments.

[guy_mancuso]

No the hand and the right eye are on the same plane

[thpeters]

Guy,
Thanks for your reaction,

But,
If the hand and the right eye is on the same place then I should have sharper detail in the eye or eyelashes?

Theo

[rondeb]

I can't tell, but could you have had your camera tilted up or down a bit? If you're shooting at f4.0 it shouldn't be that quick a falloff unless you were focusing much nearer and the hand is at the back of your focus range.

Just a thought.

Best,
Ron

[thpeters]

Hi Ron,

Thanks for your commnent.

No focusing was on his right eye.
If you see the first picture, camera wa exactly at the hight of his eyes, not tilted up or down.

Theo

[guy_mancuso]

It could have a touch of shake. Also look at his hair on the right side with his eye that looks sharp . I would give it a test and see what's up . Just go out and try a real simple test to start . Go outside and while you are standing find a intersection in a sidewalk about 10 ft away this will give you almost a 45 degree angle. Than focus right on the intersection and you will immediately see even on the LCD zoomed in if it is going back. I do this all the time on location just to check things first. Than if it off than go for the more standard test with tripod and all that but this is a quick and dirty way to see were your at right away.

[thpeters]

Guy,

Thank you, for your advise.

By the way, love the pictures from your trip to Europe.

Theo

[Lotw]

Is this really F4.0? It seems weird that the back of the hair is sharp while the shoulders are not, nowhere, since you stated that you did not tilt. This does not seem the right picture to start worrying about your lens.

[carstenw]

Theo, I would do a series of pictures to test the focus, not one. I would also ask others to focus with the same setup, and see what results they get. Use a tripod. If all results say the same thing, send it back. If not, continue testing until you are sure. It is quite easy to miss focus on a single shot, even with the loupe.

I presume your eye prescription is +2.5? The M8 has -0.5 built in.

Early on I was so certain that I was having focusing trouble with my 75 Lux, until the manager of the Leica store nailed a series of shots with it in front of my eyes. Then I started practicing more

Btw, the outside eye lashes of his right eye are in focus. This shows how narrow the depth of field is...

[thpeters]

Originally Posted by Lotw

Is this really F4.0? It seems weird that the back of the hair is sharp while the shoulders are not, nowhere, since you stated that you did not tilt. This does not seem the right picture to start worrying about your lens.

Hi Lotw,

I am not worried at all, just want opinions if I see things wrong or right and the Leica Forum is a great oppertunity to discuss things. It was F.4.0 I think more what Guy was saying it could be a little shake. anyways thanks for your comments.

My first M8 was completely out of wack with the rangefinder, an a lot of other problems

In the past couple of weeks ago, I had a Nocti, that was also outfocus and discus here also in this forum and that time there where many opinions, till Tom A, testesd it and I was right, not that I am right now an l am not looking for that, just want some imput from the members.

Gaat alles goed in Holland?

Theo

[guy_mancuso]

I had a hell of a time when i first got my 75 cron and it was all shake and even at high speeds like 125 or 250. What i discovered instead of squeezing the shutter i was pushing down. Took me a bit to get that under control but here is a technique i use and really like . I now go down to the last stop just before the release of the shutter than squeeze from there but i hesitate or wait until I am ready to shoot. The shutter has a 3 stage release first stage turns the meter on, second holds the meter setting and 3 shoots . I just get it past 1 and 2 than squeeze it down. I can go as low as 1/2 second handheld , that is pretty good . So your probably slamming the shutter down and not realizing it. So just go out and try that technique , i think it will help you.

[thpeters]

Originally Posted by carstenw

Theo, I would do a series of pictures to test the focus, not one. I would also ask others to focus with the same setup, and see what results they get. Use a tripod. If all results say the same thing, send it back. If not, continue testing until you are sure. It is quite easy to miss focus on a single shot, even with the loupe.

I presume your eye prescription is +2.5? The M8 has -0.5 built in.

Early on I was so certain that I was having focusing trouble with my 75 Lux, until the manager of the Leica store nailed a series of shots with it in front of my eyes. Then I started practicing more

Btw, the outside eye lashes of his right eye are in focus. This shows how narrow the depth of field is...

Hi Carsten,

Thanks for your input, I appreciate that, yes I do in the coming days a couple of test shots on tripod etc and let you know.

After many troubles with my first M8 and the nocti, I want to be sure it s ok,but still have my doubts about the focus problem regarding the leica lenses and the M8.
To many people have problems with different lenses, sometimes camera, sometimes lenses. All used on the M8.

Theo

[carstenw]

Agreed, and I have had enough trouble myself, but on the other hand, that doesn't mean that every unfocused picture is due to Leica QC I have fallen into that spiral of doubt myself, but discovered that I needed to improve my technique.

[thpeters]

Originally Posted by guy_mancuso

I had a hell of a time when i first got my 75 cron and it was all shake and even at high speeds like 125 or 250. What i discovered instead of squeezing the shutter i was pushing down. Took me a bit to get that under control but here is a technique i use and really like . I now go down to the last stop just before the release of the shutter than squeeze from there but i hesitate or wait until I am ready to shoot. The shutter has a 3 stage release first stage turns the meter on, second holds the meter setting and 3 shoots . I just get it past 1 and 2 than squeeze it down. I can go as low as 1/2 second handheld , that is pretty good . So your probably slamming the shutter down and not realizing it. So just go out and try that technique , i think it will help you.

Hi Guy,

Thank you again for your excellent advise, but have to tell you a secret I have working with a leica camera for more then 25 years and have that feeling what you talking about the shutter, thanks anyways, and what you said before, it could be shake, but I have a lot more pictures in different situations and see the same.

Theo

[guy_mancuso]

Than I would run some tests, it could need a shim. Mine is being shimmed right now in NJ

[Lotw]

Originally Posted by thpeters

Gaat alles goed in Holland?

Theo

Nee echt niet! Het is al 3 weken geen fotografisch weer en voor de rest ook bagger, letterlijk. Dus wij zijn helemaal klaar voor de start naar Toscane vlg week.
Succes met de lens!

Lot

[carstenw]

Be sure to post pictures from Toscana! (I hope I got that right; it appears as if Dutch is about 50% similar to German)

[Shootist]

Simple fact is the lens you have is off. I know I have at least 3 lenses that are off.
Here is a shot from my 75 Cron at 9 feet from subject. I am focusing on the line at the 24" mark.

The second is with my 50 Cron. 75 Cron back focuses and get worse as the distances get greater and the 50 Cron front focuses as the distance get greater. I see the same FF with a Tele-Elmarit 90. So I know it's not the camera. And by the way it happens on both my M8 bodies.

I'm about ready to send off the black M8 and the 50/75/90 and have them fixed to each other and use the chrome M8 for just the wide lenses. I suspect the wide Leica lenses are also off but because of the greater DOF you don't notice it that much. About the only lens I amd truely happy with is a 21mm Skopar CV. Who would think that a lens that cost 1/8 the cost of a Leica lens, almost any leica lens, would be so good.

[okram]

The boy blinked.
1/90 caught the part of the blink. also the eye moved, probably due to a blink...
His right eye(left on the picture) is sharper than a hand.

[Lotw]

Originally Posted by carstenw

Be sure to post pictures from Toscana! (I hope I got that right; it appears as if Dutch is about 50% similar to German)

Ok, mache ich! Pardon, I'll try.