Calibration Variances

[d.s.]

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Hello,

I recently had the calibration of my M6 0.85 tweaked at Leica NJ while I waited. The lens mounted on it was my 50mm Elmar-M. The resulting images are now spot on. Upon scanning some more recent negatives photographed with a couple of third party lenses I noticed they're all back focusing just enough to not want to make any print of them. So with that back story I ask, do you know if Zeiss and Voigtlander calibrate their M mount lenses differently?

 

Thanks in advance,

Daniel

[PaulJohn]

I don’t believe so. There may be issues with specific lenses both Leica and third party. There are well known issues with Leica 35mm Summilux Asph pre fle and zeiss 50mm sonnar for example. 

Then there is sample variation which is less likely to be a problem with these brands but you can still get lemons. Given that you have more than one lens back focusing it may be that your Elmar is the problem.

[LocalHero1953]

The Zeiss Sonnar 50 1.5 has known focus shift (I had one), and I believe it came in two versions: calibrated for accuracy at f/1.5 and at f/2 (and could be recalibrated to match the other). I don't know details.

[d.s.]

11 hours ago, PaulJohn said:

 Given that you have more than one lens back focusing it may be that your Elmar is the problem.

It looks like you're right.

I checked focus of my four M lenses at 1m and 3m, and they all coincide. Focusing on a building just before infinity at about 70m (according to my 85mm Batis), the Elmar reaches the hard stop, my two 40mms focus before their hard stop as they should, and my Planar reaches its hard stop before the building.

Things get muddier comparing  medium distance coincidence to EVF focus points on my work Sony. This is fun.

[TomB_tx]

The Elmar-M I picked up last year also required calibration. DAG did it well and quickly.

[d.s.]

I think I'll be pushing with my Elmar until I get my MP back from Leica before sending it off. Does anyone  have experience with TMY400 in Diafine (or some better speed compensating developer)?

[jaapv]

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On 11/28/2018 at 3:48 AM, d.s. said:

Hello,

I recently had the calibration of my M6 0.85 tweaked at Leica NJ while I waited. The lens mounted on it was my 50mm Elmar-M. The resulting images are now spot on. Upon scanning some more recent negatives photographed with a couple of third party lenses I noticed they're all back focusing just enough to not want to make any print of them. So with that back story I ask, do you know if Zeiss and Voigtlander calibrate their M mount lenses differently?

 

Thanks in advance,

Daniel

That depends on the age of the lenses. They used to do so to compensate for film thickness. Nowadays they will adjust "to digital" However, seeing that you have an M6, it appears that Leica NJ made the basic  newbie mistake of adjusting the camera to the lens, instead of both to the common standard. They should know better! 😡

Either that or all your other lenses are out - unlikely.

[d.s.]

12 hours ago, jaapv said:

However, seeing that you have an M6, it appears that Leica NJ made the basic  newbie mistake of adjusting the camera to the lens, instead of both to the common standard. They should know better! 😡

 

That may be. I assume it was a simple miscommunication and/or I should've unmounted my Elmar before handing the M6 over.

[pico]

12 hours ago, jaapv said:

it appears that Leica NJ made the basic  newbie mistake of adjusting the camera to the lens, instead of both to the common standard

 

Should a lens or a body be put to the standard?

 

Edited December 1, 2018 by pico