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90 SAA/2 focussing issues


biglouis

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I purchased a s/h SAA 90/2 back in the summer and truth be told I have used it rarely. It is a lovely lens but it is very hard to focus on my M8. I have a megaperls 1.15 magnifier permanently fixed to my M8 eyepiece to help with focussing.

 

Here is my question, or questions.

 

Is the SAA 90/2 a particularly sharp lens, especially wide open? I've been using it for the last couple of days in very low light outdoor conditions and I would say that 90% of my captures are unacceptably sharp at 100% (whereas it is almost impossible for me to get an unsharp capture at 100% using my 24/2.8).

 

I know you shouldn't really pixel peep and perhaps I need to be realistic but I am concerned that my pictures for a forthcoming Blurb book might also appear unsharp when printed, when using this lens.

 

Secondly, should I be having problems with this lens wide open at infinity? Or should it be miraculously sharp at that setting? Again, wide open there is a feeling of softness.

 

At less than infinity but say in the 30-50 foot range is focus super critical at f2. Again, pardon my naivity but I really do not use anything above 35mm very often.

 

My main reason for using this lens is to capture building detail for 'cameo' pictures in my book. I doubt if any would be more than 7x5 inches on the page. Am I worrying too much about sharpness?

 

TIA for any advice

 

LouisB

 

PS One thing I have deduced is that as it is such a heavy lens, I really should aim for 1/90 or above as a minimum speed when using this lens. Is this the case or should I be able to shoot down to 1/30 like I can with my smaller lenses?

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Lotw

 

Thanks for the examples: stellar work. Somewhat embarassingly, I actually commented positively on the first example and enthused about how great a lens it was, so back in the summer I must have gotten some good results.

 

Below is a capture from this morning, low light and shot at f2 iso1250. This is straight from the camera. It took maybe 4-5 shots to get an acceptably sharp one.

 

When you say 'get it adjusted', can you explain what I would ask to have done? If it involves the camera as well I've heard that you can then introduce problems with other lenses which I clearly don't want to do.

 

Thanks for your advice

 

LouisB

 

[ATTACH]116884[/ATTACH]

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Hi Louis I have no problem focusing my 90 elmarit at f2.8, but I prefer to keep the shutter speed up over 180 for good sharpness. I would not be able to get many keepers at 1/30.

 

Longer lenses are more demanding for accurate focus, the DOF is very low at f2.

 

Is anything in focus or is everything soft?

 

Jeff

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Lotw

 

Thanks for the examples: stellar work. Somewhat embarassingly, I actually commented positively on the first example and enthused about how great a lens it was, so back in the summer I must have gotten some good results.

 

Below is a capture from this morning, low light and shot at f2 iso1250. This is straight from the camera. It took maybe 4-5 shots to get an acceptably sharp one.

 

When you say 'get it adjusted', can you explain what I would ask to have done? If it involves the camera as well I've heard that you can then introduce problems with other lenses which I clearly don't want to do.

 

Thanks for your advice

 

LouisB

 

[ATTACH]116884[/ATTACH]

 

This seems to be slight movement unsharpness, I see no back- or frontfocus problems here. (I take it you focused on the A of commercial)

But you're right; I've sent in my M8 with all my lenses , the 90 however was the only one that did not need adjusting

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Louis,

 

Sorry to hear you're having focussing problems with your 90 SAA; I use the HK 1.25 magnifier and, like Jeff, try to stay above 1/180.

 

I was unimpressed with the results I was getting wide open, and at infinity the rangefinder patch and image didn't line up perfectly so I suspected that my VF needed some TLC. I upgraded the shutter and the VF was adjusted at the same time and now it's razor sharp.

 

There's a tale in this RFF thread about a mis-focussing 90 SAA, where the OP had bought it second hand and had to send it to DAG for adjusment. Don ended up rebuilding the focus system because there was a degree of slop and the main culprit was the modern teflon grease; Don replaced it with the traditional Leitz grease and it focuses properly now.

 

I guess you'll already know if your VF is spot on so it might help to to do a front/back focus test.

 

I think the lens is superb when everything's lined up.

 

Pete.

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You know, looking back at previous images I have some pin-sharp results taken in the summer in good strong sunlight.

 

I think the problem here may be the explained by good old camera shake. I was working just after dawn both time I tried using the lens and even at iso1250 I was forced to use a relatively slow speed at f2 - even 1/30 vs 1/60. I think most of my work during the summer I was probably working a 1/4000!

 

I need to do some testing with this lens to improve my technique and restore my confidence in using it.

 

Thanks for the advice

 

LouisB

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