JeTexas Posted November 2, 2011 Share #1 Posted November 2, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have an M8 and use the following lenses: VC Ultron 28mm f2.0 VC Nokton 50mm f1.1 Leica Elmarit 90mm f2.8 Leica Elmarit 135mm f2.8 I usually use the Nokton at f1.4 for headshots, but they recently started coming out blurry with the focus on the person's ear rather than their eye. I did a quick test with all my lenses and found that the 28mm and 90mm were focusing normally but the 50mm and 135mm were both back focusing by almost an inch when wide open. First question, does anyone know of a shop in the Houston area than can adjust my lenses, so I don't have to send it off for weeks? Second question, do I just need to have the lenses adjusted or do I have to have the M8 adjusted as well? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 2, 2011 Posted November 2, 2011 Hi JeTexas, Take a look here Back-focus adjustment. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
lct Posted November 2, 2011 Share #2 Posted November 2, 2011 I would ask Howard (ho_co) who lives in Texas as well and knows the M8 perfectly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ho_co Posted November 2, 2011 Share #3 Posted November 2, 2011 I'm unaware of anyone doing this kind of work around Houston. I would recommend sending the questionable lenses to Don Goldberg (DAG). No need to send the body. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeTexas Posted November 2, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted November 2, 2011 After several phone calls this afternoon, I found this place, Professional Camera Repair - Houston, Texas, Sensor Cleaning, Digital Camera Repair, Film Camera Repair, Medium and Large Format Camera Repairs . He gave me a pre-emptive disclaimer on the Nokton 50mm f1.1 and said that some were known to have back focus issues from a factory defect and that I might have to contact Voigtlander. I don't THINK that is the issue with mine since it was focusing fine before this problem materialized about a week ago. Since the 28mm and 90mm were focusing correctly, he said he didn't need the camera. He's going to check the 50mm and the 135mm and let me know what he finds. He said he probably won't get to them until early next week. Here's a crop of how bad the back focus on the 50mm has gotten. I was focusing on the center dart. 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! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/165398-back-focus-adjustment/?do=findComment&comment=1833106'>More sharing options...
ho_co Posted November 2, 2011 Share #5 Posted November 2, 2011 Sounds like he knows what he's doing. Thanks for the heads-up! Glad to know there's someone in the Houston area. It's interesting that the two lenses have just developed the problem. Keep us posted on what he discovers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeTexas Posted November 2, 2011 Author Share #6 Posted November 2, 2011 It's interesting that the two lenses have just developed the problem. Keep us posted on what he discovers. I know that the 50mm has just recently picked up this problem, but the 135mm Elmarit is a 1970s model off of eBay, and I'm usually shooting with it focused to infinity, so I'm not sure how accurate it was to start with. However, these are the two lenses that are always on my camera, so they get knocked around a lot more than the 28mm and the 90mm, which only come out for special circumstances. Going through all the lenses today to test them, I realized I really need to use the 90mm Elmarit more often because it was the sharpest of the lot. The shop also had some used Leica equipment -- a few R bodies and a IIIc, but I didn't see any lenses other than the 135mm Hektors that seem to be stacked up in every camera store in the entire country. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeTexas Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share #7 Posted November 7, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Well, I'm on my way to pick up the lenses. He said there were no loose elements or obvious problems with the Voigtlander, so there was nothing he could do with it. Guess I'll have to ship it off to them. Not good news since I have a big shoot Wednesday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeTexas Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted November 8, 2011 I've been in contact with DAG and CameraQuest regarding repair/adjustment of the 50mm f1.1. CameraQuest is requesting a prepayment check for $250 + $15 return shipping to be sent with the lens and said it may be up to $400 depending what the tech finds. No price yet from DAG, but Don has been much friendlier and more communicative. I pulled a couple photos up to show the change in this lens. Both were taken with the M8 and the Nokton 50mm at f1.4 with the same lighting and at approximately the same distance with focus on the eyes. (My sincerest apologies that the models are not better ooking.) The left photo was taken in August. The right photo was taken in late October. 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! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/165398-back-focus-adjustment/?do=findComment&comment=1838341'>More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 8, 2011 Share #9 Posted November 8, 2011 I had the same problems with a Zeiss 21. These lenses - Zeiss and CV- are made with each element shimmed separately,not the whole optical cell like Leica, In my case the shim of the last element had slipped, so the whole lens had to come apart. It was a near-desperate job for Will van Manen, but he returned the lens better than new after fighting with it for month. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeTexas Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share #10 Posted November 8, 2011 jaapv, is there anything to stop the shims from slipping again? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 9, 2011 Share #11 Posted November 9, 2011 It is pretty rare to happen. I guesss in my case it was a misassembly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeTexas Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share #12 Posted November 9, 2011 Cameraquest estimate: $250 - $400, an additional $200 on top of that if they have to reset the helical focus. DAG estimate: $125 It's headed to DAG tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
don_panko Posted November 10, 2011 Share #13 Posted November 10, 2011 When taking portraits I check the image just taken by enlarging the eye area to see if the catch lights (reflections from the umbrella flash or other major light source) are sharp. It's a quick test that works for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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