phovsho Posted June 19, 2007 Share #1 Posted June 19, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've been told that the 90 macro (with goggles) will be arriving in a few days. My question is what tests should I undertake before walking out the door with my new baby? I understand there have been focus issues with this model, so any quick tests people could recommend would be appreciated. Best M Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 19, 2007 Posted June 19, 2007 Hi phovsho, Take a look here Checks when picking up a new lens. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
tashley Posted June 19, 2007 Share #2 Posted June 19, 2007 I've been told that the 90 macro (with goggles) will be arriving in a few days. My question is what tests should I undertake before walking out the door with my new baby? I understand there have been focus issues with this model, so any quick tests people could recommend would be appreciated. Best M Hiya, Jono has had problems with his version but mine is good. Firstly, do you trust, from your experience with other lenses, that your M8's RF is correctly calibrated? If so, then with the new lens WIDE OPEN, take a shot of a rack of film in the store, from about a metre away. Focus on the letter on the boxes, use a tripod or speed of over 1/500th. Use a magnifier too, and be really sure that you have given the focus effort your best shot. Next, go outside or through a window and shoot something about thirty feet away. Maybe a numberplate. Now choose an infinity object. This is tough, because IMHO it needs to be something tall and vertical with detail on it and at least a couple of miles away. I use a radio mast that is about six miles away. Using a tripod or shutter of 1/500th or more, set the lens hard at infinity and take a shot. While you're at it, see if the distant object is aligned in your focus patch when the lens is set like this. Now, shoot the same scene but with the focus pulled a tiny bit closer. Do this three times, a tiny bit closer each time. Now chimp all these shots but if you want to be sure, get them to 100% on a computer screen. The film boxes and number plates should be very very sharp, as should the first of the infinity shots. If any of the other infinity shots is sharper, that's a Bad Thing! Were this a 28 cron, 35 lux or cron, 50 lux or nocti I'd suggest some backfocus tests as well but the 90 macro has had no reports of this I've seen... And Good Luck! Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
phovsho Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share #3 Posted June 19, 2007 Thanks Tim That was really useful. Murray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
phovsho Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share #4 Posted June 22, 2007 Tim The lens arrived today. Did the test. Perfect in close. Bit wobbly at about 30 feet. Terrible at infinite. Tried tripods etc but still poor. The poor folks at the camera store couldn't believe it. They had worked so hard to get it to me before my trip to europe tomorrow... In the end I went out and took a photo of a road sign at about 30 feet, once with the 90 Macro at 4.0 and another with my 28/2.8 at 2.8. The resolution was infintely better on the 28 - a wider lens at the same range. That was enough for me, and made me realise that it was the lens not the camera. So gutted. Really wanted it. Guess I will take the 75/1.4 (the Beast) instead. Thanks Tim for the insight. Murray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tashley Posted June 22, 2007 Share #5 Posted June 22, 2007 Murray, I'm really sorry to hear this - how extremely frustrating for you. It puts me in fear that my Macro Elmar 90mm will get botched: I just heard that when they were coding it they decided to re-do various other things (on an lens I bought new a few months ago and have taken about 300 shots on, and which focussed perfectly) so Lord knows what it'll be like when it comes back 'fixed'. I wish someone at Leica would sort this out - or someone like Sean would do some digging to find out what is really going on here and why! :-( Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted June 22, 2007 Share #6 Posted June 22, 2007 Tim The lens arrived today. Did the test. Perfect in close. Bit wobbly at about 30 feet. Terrible at infinite. Tried tripods etc but still poor. The poor folks at the camera store couldn't believe it. They had worked so hard to get it to me before my trip to europe tomorrow... In the end I went out and took a photo of a road sign at about 30 feet, once with the 90 Macro at 4.0 and another with my 28/2.8 at 2.8. The resolution was infintely better on the 28 - a wider lens at the same range. That was enough for me, and made me realise that it was the lens not the camera. So gutted. Really wanted it. Guess I will take the 75/1.4 (the Beast) instead. Thanks Tim for the insight. Murray Hi Murry I'm sorry to hear it. Console yourself though - I got mine for a trip to France in March - relised it wasn't any good, but I'd already registered it. 6 weeks in Solms, and it just failed to get back for a trip to the Peloponnese, when it did arrive, it was better, but still no good - it's now gone back again - and I don't really have any confidence that it'll be okay when it gets back. At least you can spend your hard earned on something else! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
phovsho Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share #7 Posted June 22, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) yes, I was looking at the olympus 35/3.5 macro which would work on my wife's digilux 3... 1/10th of the price and auto focus. Plus, maybe this is the excuse I need for the 50/1.4. I loved the look and feel of the 90 macro, but... was something of a hassle to use for macro. Well, I'm off to the airport. Good lck to you all with your lens as well. Best M Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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