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Presume focus shift is non issue in live view ?


colonel

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It might be interesting to see the extent of focus shift using live view on the M240. I owned this lens twice (and tested at least three other examples) and it focus shifted quite noticeably for me (to the extent where the plane focussed on became soft) by F4. I liked the lens very much but the shift did cause me real problems whenever I wanted to stop down and I am rather glad for the existence of the FLE version. All that said, I know that other users report different findings with the lens.

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Thanks

I presumed this lens is fine at F1.4 and f2 ?

And shifts between 2.8 and 5.6 ?

 

At the time I was buying my second example of this lens (I think about a year after the M8 was released) I found that all the ones I tested in the shop actually slightly backfocussed at all apertures and this compounded the problem of focus shift (which, as you know, is an entirely separate matter). Len at RG Lewis liaised with Leica and obtained for me an example that had been specifically tested to ensure that it wasn't backfocussing and indeed the focus was spot on at F1.4. This lens was great but still showed noticeable shift to the degree where I would avoid F2.8 to F8 for anything where focus was crucial. To answer you question, F2 was "fine" but (and this gives you an idea of the shift involved) it was still less sharp than at F1.4, all other things being equal (point of focus on RF, etc.).

 

Even with the EVF and apparently more accurate RF of the M240, I'd advise checking the shift of any of these lenses that you propose to buy to see if it is acceptable to you or not. Some supposedly shift less than others.

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I tested mine a while ago - and did it again more thoroughly today upon reading this post.

Camera on tripod, LV on with 10x magnification. Subject was a bookshelf at about 1m. Focus set wide open manually and confirmed to be spot on through LV.

Perhaps a tiny (and I mean tiny as in "almost unnoticeable upon very close pixel peeping") amount of shift at f/2-f/2.8, but a total non-issue in real life.

Could have been my lucky draw, but there must be more good copies out there. The good news is that LV enables you to 'test before you buy', as long as you stay away from auction sites and internet shops.

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i..e if I buy the 35mm f1.4 ASPH (non-FLE) it will work fine using centre point focus (no other!) on LV ???

 

If there is indeed any focus shifting, you will be fine only if you focus at the aperture you are going to use for the exposure. That might make focusing more difficult.

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I tested mine a while ago - and did it again more thoroughly today upon reading this post.

Camera on tripod, LV on with 10x magnification. Subject was a bookshelf at about 1m. Focus set wide open manually and confirmed to be spot on through LV.

Perhaps a tiny (and I mean tiny as in "almost unnoticeable upon very close pixel peeping") amount of shift at f/2-f/2.8, but a total non-issue in real life.

Could have been my lucky draw, but there must be more good copies out there. The good news is that LV enables you to 'test before you buy', as long as you stay away from auction sites and internet shops.

 

I did a similar exercise after buying a used lens from a Leica dealer about 6 months ago and more or less arrived at the same conclusions. With the M240 being the first Leica camera I have ever owned and having used a Ricoh GXR before with EVF, I am tending to use LV most of the time.

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I have the pre-FLE lens myself and have not found focus shift to be a problem in the real world. But I'm intrigued by the FLE redesign. From the diagrams on Leica's PDFs the lens design looks very similar but in the FLE the group rear of the diaphragm moves. Out of curiosity has anyone experienced focus shift on the pre-FLE at infinity, or is it generally at closer focus distances?

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I've not run exhaustive tests on my version of the pre-FLE 35 lux, but I've never found a problem.

 

I tend to use the lens either wide open or stopped down to 5.6/8 for street photography, so maybe that's the key. Its on my MM continually and I must use it for 80% of my work.

 

Personally I don't like the 'busier' bokeh of the FLE version. I think its quite ruined the rendering of the lens. I would never part with mine and dread it being stolen or damaged and having to find another.

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