Halliday

Dear dugby, I would be most interested if you could check your lens to see if the same thing happens. The procedure is a way of trying to maximise DOF. I was reporting the above effects from aligning the centre of the infinity mark with the f5.6 mark on the right side of the lens barrel. The theory is that you gain more foreground sharpness while maintaining sharpness to infinity. On my lens the consequence is an image with a sharp enough foreground and centre of image (including middle and distant objects), but middle and distant objects to the sides of the image are weak/blurred when only slightly enlarged. Does your lens do this, what Wattsy would call, 'eccentric' thing? Best, Halliday

Many thanks for the many useful replies. No lens can do everything, and while my 35/f2 was fine with the hyperfocal adjustment discussed, this one isn't. But I am particularly keen on experiences with this lens in order to determine if my performance is atypical, and hence that I have a duffer. No doubt I can work around the issue. But has anyone had this 'curved plane of focus' when set-up as I have described?

Hi again from Halliday. Here are some images to support my point. I have not blown-up the centres as there is no difference worth arguing about, but the sides.... To remind you, the blurred enlargement is with hyper focus added, the sharp, without. Thank you for the very interesting responses already posted.

Dear fellow users of this lens, I wish to query an effect of this lens, which is new to me. Your experience will be invaluable. Close-to the lens is sharp side to side when wide open. But, sometimes when in the hills or in general situations I will use the lens at 5.6, and add the appropriate hyperfocus (infinity mark centred on the 5.6 on the barrel etc.) to maximise my depth of field. The result is as follows: the centre is sharp, the foreground is as sharp as expected, but the middle and far distance objects to the sides are weak/blurred. If I forgo hyper focus and set to infinity, sacrificing depth of field, the sides and centre are fine. Is this a characteristic of the lens or a faulty lens? My old 35mm f2 never did this. Please advise. Best, Halliday