Jump to content

Digilux 2 manual focus problem @ infinity?


Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I love my D2, but unfortunately I found a problem in Digilux 2 manual focus @ infinity. Basically manual focus @ infinity will not focus on infinity at all.

 

Here is my test:

[1] Put camera on tripod, set aperture @ F2, set zoom @ 28 mm, and set focus distance at infinity. I took a picture, and I found both foreground and background are blur, and I don't even know where is the focus.

[2] Set focus @ AF, point to infinity, and took second picture when AF indicate light is green. this picture is very sharp, both background and foreground, which is expected.

 

It looks like this problem only occur at bigger aperture (F2, F2.8, F4), when I use F5.6 and F8, manual focus @ infinity seems work fine, I got sharp image.

 

I think this issue will make manual "zone focus" difficult. I am not sure if this happened to me, or someone else also experienced the same issue?

 

thanks a lot!!

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited by qu9542
Link to post
Share on other sites

The focus in the first shot appears to be on the dark Land Rover's hood at the bottom to the left hand side of the picture. I would guess that the distance between the camera and the car is in the vicinity of 8 meters which happens to be the last engraving on the camera's distance scale before the infinity mark. Are you quite sure you turned the distance ring to the very end of the range to the stop?

 

I have an LC1 which is the same camera as sold by Panasonic, and manual focus is no problem at all.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Philipp,

 

Thanks for your confirm, and I am glad there is no such issue in your copy.

 

Are you quite sure you turned the distance ring to the very end of the range to the stop?

>Yes, I did set the distance ring to infinity.

 

[Another test]

Just in case, I did another test of two shots, and unfortunately I got the same result as the previous test.

 

[summary]

I confirmed that there is manual focus issue @ infinity when using aperture @ F2.0~4.0 in my Digilux 2 camera.

As a workaround for my D2, I can use Auto Focus for infinity shot @ F2.0~F4.0. Or if I want to use manual focus @ infinity, I will set my aperture to F8 ~ F11.

 

 

thanks a lot & best

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I too have the same problem, it will focus to around 5ft then nothing just blurs out.

Damn shame as I love it. Leica in the UK cannot do anything with it now. 

Up close it works well and portraits are great, take any landscape shot and its not good at all.

If you find a solution please let me know,

Regards

Simon

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
  • 7 months later...

I realize that it's unlikely that anyone is still watching this post but I bought a D2 yesterday with the same problem.I suspected the auto focus sensor or the motor in the lens itself.It was quicker and simpler for me to remove the sensor and circuit board and fit them in a spare body I have.I was surprised that the fault also transferred.Close in images are pin sharp and distance shots are out of focus.

So this means that the fault is either the sensor or the board.I shall transfer the sensor to my good camera to eliminate one or the other.I'm hoping it is the sensor as I can repair them with new chips but I cannot repair the boards and cannot find anyone who is prepared to try.The boards have components on them which are now obsolete so eventually the D2 will become extinct.

 

Not so the M3.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
It is a shame that this manual focus issue happens to many other D2 users.

 

This let me to start wondering if this issue is just quality control problem or it is actually happen to all D2 cameras?

 

It will be interesting to know if the Panasonic LC1 has the similar issue or not.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Corson,

 

That's great news!! Congratulation!! You are super handyman indeed!!

So the D2 manual focus infinity issue has something to do with IR filter … 

 

I already sold my D2 due to this issue, now I am thinking about to buy a Panasonic LC1 since other user reported LC1 does not have this issue.

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

This let me to start wondering if this issue is just quality control problem or it is actually happen to all D2 cameras

 

Once a camera is out of the factory (and out of production) for over 10 years, "quality control" is an inappropriate concept.

 

Panasonic built these cameras to work for the warranty period, plus a reasonable margin. And even replaced the faulty sensors (appropriately) well beyond that margin.

 

But at some point, factors beyond the manufacturer's control may create problems. Stuff wears out. Or perhaps simply drifts out of factory tolerances.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Corson,

 

That's great news!! Congratulation!! You are super handyman indeed!!

So the D2 manual focus infinity issue has something to do with IR filter … 

 

I already sold my D2 due to this issue, now I am thinking about to buy a Panasonic LC1 since other user reported LC1 does not have this issue.

I cannot say with any certainty that the IR filter is the problem.Someone else said it was something to do with the distance between the filter and the chip and the only thing in that space is a little rubber frame.

 

I am no expert and have no training at all in fixing cameras.However over the past 2 years I have stripped and rebuilt dozens of D2s and LC1s.They are identical inside.Every internal component can be swapped over.So the only difference there can be is the firmware.Therefore the probability of the same thing happening in an LC1 is  there.

 

I ran a comparison test last year between the D2,LC1 and put the results on a D2 Facebook page.2 out of 3 people thought that the LC1 image was Leica.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Corson,

 

That's great to know, and you are defficiently D2/LC1 expert for sure.

 

Now it up to us to fix our cameras since they are way out of warranty!! Hopefully other users who have infinity manual focus issue may find a way to fix their cameras. 
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I think we should remember that the D2 only has a tiny 5mp sensor and a sensor designed over ten years ago. Perhaps you are expecting too much from it. Like all very small sensors, performance is better at closer ranges.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Even though I sold my Digilux 2 close to 2 years ago, reading this thread brought back some memories……  My camera had the CCD replaced in 2007 (when Leica USA still did it for free). It worked fine after that, until one day in 2012, when it would not power on.

 

So - I shipped it off to New Jersey and received a US$250.00 estimate to replace the motherboard. The camera came back in about a month, with a new motherboard and couple of notes:

 

…1) Upgraded to current standard

and

…2) Checked and adjusted for good working order

 

 I checked the camera and found that the focusing was rather slow, particularly at distances beyond 8 feet. I shipped it back to New Jersey with an explanatory letter and a rather sarcastic remark: …"can you please explain what ‘current standard’ means and how was this camera ‘checked and adjusted for good working order’ if it is unable to focus?"….

 

When I received the camera back in about 3 weeks, the focusing issue was even worse - I guess I deserved that for my earlier sarcasm.

 

Subjects further than 8 feet were out of focus…… I contacted the service department again, explained the problem and insisted to speak to somebody in the Service Dept., so that I could explain the problem and maybe suggest how to check the camera before shipping it back. I was never contacted……

 

To make the long story short - the Digilux went back to New Jersey 4 (four!) times after the initial motherboard repair, before the focus issue was finally resolved. When the 6-month marathon was over, I had to give Leica credit - in the end they replaced the whole lens / CCD unit assembly; I guess they could not figure out what caused the focusing problem.

 

So - I can now see that my Digilux was not the only one with this problem. I am not sure how or if my experience may help the OP; just wanted to share the info.

 

I sold the Digilux about 2 years ago and like everybody else who owned this wonderful camera, still miss it. Looking strictly at the specs, it was a dinosaur but the results were superb, as was the handling and ergonomics…..  Now I have supplement my M's with a V-Lux typ 114……

 

Cheers,

 

Jan

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...