Need a focus screen for Visoflex -- suggestions?

[wparsonsgisnet]

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I hauled out the Visoflex III last night to check it out on my M8 and discovered that the ground glass screen appears smoky.

 

I can't see much, all is out of focus, and it could be summed up as not working.

 

I can see fine thru each of the components, except for the ground glass, but the lack of focus bothers me.

 

I've got a 35mm 'lux asph mounted on a 16469Y adapter, on a V-III using the right-angle eyepiece. Light comes thru, but no image.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

[doubice]

Bill,

 

I am not sure that I understand "smoky". And - you definitely do not need a new focusing screen, no matter what the problem may be.

 

Is the image out of focus no matter the subject distance or, does the image come into focus but is hazy?

 

Is the prism finder clear? Can you check lenses that can focus to infinity for accurate focus? To be trying a 35mm lens with a 16469 tube on a Visoflex is not a good test - your subject will have to be just about touching the front lens element to be in focus......

 

Just a quick diagnosis would be that the mirror of the Viso III is not sitting perfectly at 45 degrees. But - first try a lens mounted in a correct adapter allowing infinity focus. Do you own any lenses where the optical unit can be removed - i.e. Elmarit 90mm, Tele Elmar, Elmarit, Hektor 135mm etc.? Can you try those with a correct focusing adapter?

 

All the best,

 

Jan

[robsteve]

I hauled out the Visoflex III last night to check it out on my M8 and discovered that the ground glass screen appears smoky.

 

I can't see much, all is out of focus, and it could be summed up as not working.

 

I can see fine thru each of the components, except for the ground glass, but the lack of focus bothers me.

 

I've got a 35mm 'lux asph mounted on a 16469Y adapter, on a V-III using the right-angle eyepiece. Light comes thru, but no image.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

Bill:

 

I don't think you will get the 35mm Lux to focus with that much extension to it. Keep in mind when using a non viso lens on the visoflex is like using that lens with an extension tube the length of the visoflex plus what ever adapter you mounted it with.

 

Try a longer lens, but keep in mind it will only be good for macro unless it is a viso mount lens with the appropriate viso focusing helical.

 

Robert

[Philippe D.]

Hello Bill,

I've got a 35mm 'lux asph mounted on a 16469Y adapter, on a V-III using the right-angle eyepiece. Light comes thru, but no image.

With this combination, you have to come, at least, 2cm (0,75in) to the subject !

[luigi bertolotti]

I hauled out the Visoflex III last night to check it out on my M8 and discovered that the ground glass screen appears smoky.

 

I can't see much, all is out of focus, and it could be summed up as not working.

 

I can see fine thru each of the components, except for the ground glass, but the lack of focus bothers me.

 

I've got a 35mm 'lux asph mounted on a 16469Y adapter, on a V-III using the right-angle eyepiece. Light comes thru, but no image.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

Have to try with a lens that has some sense on the Viso: at least a 90 or 135 so that you can focus 10-20 cm from the front lens...

If the problem is limited to the ground glass, a good Leica service can repolish it: i did it years ago on my VisoII; of course, if the problem is in the prism, much more critical, but you can change it... not difficult to find. Go on, anyway: the VisoIII is an intelligent device, and I suppose that in the M8 world it can regain a certain usefulness... I would not be surprised if some 3rd party (Cosina or similar) put something like a "new Viso" in the market... or even if Leica decides to do something about...

[wparsonsgisnet]

Thanks to all. I was looking at the Viso lens chart in a thread in the digital forum and merely saw the 35 and 50 mounted using the 16469 adapter.

 

There was a question in that thread about using lenses directly.

 

So, I just went to my copy of Matheson's "The Leica Leicaflex Way" and read that the 35 and 50 will only close focus. The book says I should be ok at 5.5 inches with the 35.

 

I'll play with this.

 

Many thanks.