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Help! 135 Tele-elmar on Viso III - no infinity focus


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I'm just assembeling a visoflex III kit for the fun of it. Mainly because I have a 135 tele-elmar with a detachable lens head, but also to do some close up work.

 

According to the docs, using a OTZFO/16464 I should be able to focus from infinity down to about one meter. I found an old OTZFO (16464 isn't inscribed onit) that the head attaches to and the asssemby onto the viso. So far so good. But, I can't focus on objects further than about two meters away, almost like I have a close focus ring attached as well. Does anyone know if there were different generations of the universal focusing mount? Or, am I simply missing something obvious?

 

Below is a snap of my setup.

 

Thanks,

- Carl

 

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Thanks.

- Carl

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1) Are you sure, everything is allright with your Visoflex? They can be adjusted and if somebody played with it (disassambled for curiosity), it could be out of focus. When you focus this unit to the nearest possible point, is that distance equal to the minimum distance printed in the brochures? (must be 98 cm NOT LESS without extensions with the TE 135). If less (and the Viso is focussing well), you might have an extension-problem to figure out.

 

2) Check the way of the bellow inside the OTZFO, is everything running well and nothing in the way?

 

3) Is the TE-head screwed in to the maximum? (I know that a part of the outer screwmount remains visible when you don´t have the "beauty-ring";) )

 

Ron

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Ron,

The adapter seems ok from looking at it, but close focus is more like 85 than 98 cm (that's an estimate). You can see how far the TE screws in in my shot above. The adapter screws far enough in hat the focusing ring touches the base. Can't see it coming further in than that.

 

- Carl

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My M6 has film in it so can't do a quick test using that and greasproof paper. I tried some shots with it mounted on the M8 and it backfocuses about 50 cm (!) something is clearly not up to snuff. I don't have any other viso compatible lenses except that I can mount 50's and 35's directly on the viso.

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Guest liesevolvo

Ooops! I compared your pic with my Viso-II plus TE-head. Looks the same, with that 'gap' between lens and 16464.

 

Just an idea, when I look into my books: I use a Viso-II, as said, and there is engraved '16464K' on the focussing-advice. Works perfectly. When I look into other books, there is a focussing-advice '16464', without 'K', shown with the Viso-III. Might there be a difference????

 

Ron should know.

 

Most simple: Try out an Elmar 65 or the head of an early Elmarit-90. Then you should know, where the problem is.

 

Good luck!

 

Sorry, missed some postings......

 

Leonard Liese from Cologne/Germany

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No, "K" works on both up to infinity, Viso II and III (and MP, M3, M6, M8 etc.). I use a "16464K".

 

Just an idea, when I look into my books: I use a Viso-II, as said, and there is engraved '16464K' on the focussing-advice. Works perfectly. When I look into other books, there is a focussing-advice '16464', without 'K', shown with the Viso-III. Might there be a difference????
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Too bad, Oslo is not around the corner for me :(

Could you do and post some macros with all the gear disassembled (lens-head, Viso, Viewfinder of Viso, OTZFO etc.)?

Thanks for helping! Here are a bunch of q&d shots

 

- Carl

 

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Some more.

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There seems to be a 6mm 'washer' inserted under the ground glass. Can't see this on other shots of the viso III. That should have an effect on focusing distances, shouldn't it?

 

yes, this is the "calibration"..:D :D ..normaly it is perfect, but if somebody....;)

 

what is with the check of the 50mm, is the focus in place?

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Made a quick and dirty shot with my G3 - you see the difference to your Viso?

Try the paper-trick with an unloaded camera like Jan mentioned, set the OTZFO to infinity, don´t use the Viso-finder. The projection on the film-layer should be sharp (when pointing on an infinity-subject).

Someone altered your Viso focussing-screen for some reasons. Not for infinity anymore. Maybe for very different lenses? A "standard" setup with "standard" Viso-gear (like OTZFO and TE 135-head) will result in defocussed photos when using this Viso-body, even for Macros, i fear.

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Carl,

 

It should be relatively easy to return the Viso back to normal. The screen and the finder frame are held by four screws - remove those and the frame, screen and the nasty spacer should come off.

 

Be careful - there are a couple of springs and ball bearings which you can see from the top, on the short sides of the frame, sort of in the middle between the screws. Make sure you do not lose these; as a matter of fact, I think that one of those balls is already missing. Also, observing your Visoflex from the top, the four screws holding the screen frame down are not original, as the original ones have a chrome head. Obviously, longer screws were needed to install the spacer and the original screws were discraded.

 

Should not be a big deal - the screws can be cut to correct length, If you need the length and diameter of the screws, let me know - I can unscrew mine, measure it and advise.

 

The reason for the modification must be that the Visoflex was used on a camera with a different film plane to lens flange distance from a Leica.

 

From what I recall, there are no correction spacers between the Viso body and the screen frame; once put together correctly, your Visoflex should focus fine to infinity. You should still do a check with a ground glass on the film plane of your M6. If you have an M8 or an R-D1, the testing should be even easier.

 

Good luck!

 

Jan (the other one)

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