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Focus shift with R lenses on 5D cannon


dritz

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I'd appreciate any advice on this problem.

 

Just acquired a mint 5d. My R lenses (the 80 lux for example) appears to be in perfect focus but the image is not. I've tried using the default focus screen as well as the E-S screen (optimized for manual focus lenses). The shutter speed is > 1000th, so no camera shake. I'm using the fotodiox R-to-EOS adapter which has worked just fine on a digital rebel.

 

Why would I have a perfect image in the finder but not in the file itself?

 

Any suggestions? And, no, I do not have a Cannon lense on which to test the beast.

 

Dean

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Guest guy_mancuso

Dean you where able to get a 80 lux on a 5d. Wow i need a mirror mod for that. Anyway it could be a bad adapter , sometimes they are junk and the not centered properly or thinker on one side or the other , like being out of round. Is one part of the image sharp and another not. Basically are you getting smearing

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Canon is pretty relaxed when it comes to the specs of the mirror and the focusing screen bracket on the 5D. Make sure that the viewfinder diopter is on the right setting for you. If you still have problems, the focusing screen may not be in the right position. This can be due to the screen bracket not in the correct position, or the screen not being the correct thickness. Play around with opening and shutting the screen bracket repeatedly. You may actually need a shim for the screen.

 

Now here's a kicker. With the Summilux lenses, even on the Leica, several of us noted that the lens front focuses on the microprism. That is, you need to set the focal plane slightly farther from the point where you see the image in focus on the screen to get critical focus. If you use a plain matte screen, the focus is right on.

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Guest guy_mancuso

Thanks Peter for jumping in , got to get going here . But Peter also has a great working knowledge of the 5D and the Leica glass so his advice will be spot on. Thanks

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Thanks for the advice. I did check the diopter -- it's set to the the neutral mark. Yes, I did reset the focus screen, and getting that little screen frame shut does not instill confidence in it's build quality. I'll use a tripod, compare the 80 at f2.8 with the 100 APO-Macro, and then grab some samples. Hey, maybe I can't handhold a non-M camera anymore... middle-age catching up with me.

 

What we do for Leica glass...

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When you buy the Brightscreen focusing screens, they ship with a thin metal frame which you can use to space the focusing screen a little further, which apparently helps to get the focusing screen in the right place. You could try cutting a little frame for the focusing screen out of thin plastic and putting it between the screen and the camera, to see if a little extra distance helps.

 

Guy, are you sure you aren't thinking of the 50 Lux and 35 Lux? I don't recall anyone having mirror trouble with the 80 Lux.

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Have you tried manually focusing a Canon lens on the 5D? There is a lot written on this on the Canon forum. This would eliminate the whole adapter question. Many 5D s require adjustments to achieve accurate manual focus.

I purchased my 5D especially for manual use with Zeiss and Leica glass.

 

However, I have not as yet bought any Leica glass for the 5D. My experience is with Zeiss glass. From the outset I was particular to get Brightscreen to calibrate very fastidiously. However, he did this for the 25-105 L IS so, it could be that like Lecia glass, the Zeiss lenses is not focusing in the same plane as for the set up.

 

I use the 5D with a Brightscreen™, with a central diagonal split circle surounded by the matte glass.

 

If needed, I rotate the camera till that the split circle line crosses at right angles over some edge or line to really focus well.

 

So you can imagine it can be slow and tough when one is doing portraits in dim light.

 

I use the Distagons 18, 21, 28 the Vario Sonnar 28-85 and 50 1.4 Planar with the 1DII with no problems.

 

The 18 does need mirror shaving of the 5D and for worry of problems with eventual resale of my 5D, I let that one go*.

 

The 21mm distagon is a dream, but frankly I do a lot of bracketing. I focus perfectly and then also bracket.

 

My 1DII got sidetracked by the 5D. Then the 5D got forgotten for a month as I shot only with the M8 and the 28mm 2.0 and now the 5D with the 50 1.2L is my workhorse.

 

So I am not using all the lenses I own but still, the non-canon primes always come with me for the special shots and different feeling with the German Glass.

 

I have not as yet found perfection with the manual focus and the adpaters, no matter the brand.

 

I am interested in the modification of these lenses now with an added adapter with the circuitry and contacts for the lens to get focus confirmation with the Zeiss lenses. I do not know whether or not it's also available for Leica R lenses.

 

There are, I hear, even adapters which allow lens motors to work too but that is something else.

 

In summery, I have not yet hit MF Nirvana but still get wonderful results by bracketing.

 

Asher Kelman

 

The Open Photography Forums Initiative

 

Extra tidbit, which most everybody of course knows, but just in case, adjust the dioper ring for the sharpest focus of the eye optical finder with both eyes open and using the aperture ans shutter info in those green lights. One must focus one eyes to infinity on the green numbers NOT the lens view of the scene!

 

*Rather than grind a mirror, I'd go for the the great Sigma ultrawide zoom which Nicolas Claris uses to make huge murals in Bordeaux and wins prizes and major new work with.

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It seems that the solution was in reseating the focus screen. Definitely not a Leica camera body.

 

The following images are with the 100 APO Macro, ASA 200 f2.8@125th handheld. The first is the uncropped image and the second is the 100% cropped at the desired focus point. Looks good! I just need to turn down that saturation a little.

 

Thanks for the advice. As I get more experience I'll post more images.

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