Wacky focus issue

[kalina]

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So after using my M8 for some time, I noticed that some of my pictures look rather sharp and others don't using my 50mm Summilux. The strange thing is I tried an experiment where I focus sharp in the viewfinder and then rotated the focus ever so slightly counterclockwise and then took the shot. Voila! Super sharp image.

 

So I concluded that at least with this lens I have some sort of focus (misaligned focal plane?) problem. Since I now know the trick to get super sharp photos with my lens, I don't feel the need to send anything back to Leica, at least not yet.

 

Does anyone else have this kind of problem and do you just live with it?

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[ho_co]

Kalina--

No, you don't 'live with it.'

 

You might want to formalize your observations by using a focus test like that offered at Home.

 

Use the lens wide open. Rotate the camera to shoot the chart in 'portrait' mode since that's the way the rangefinder works.

 

Wide open, the lens and the rangefinder should agree completely.

 

-------------------

 

The problem could be the camera or the lens. If you've got other lenses, you should check them as well: If they're all out, then the camera's rangefinder is not properly adjusted. If only one is out, it's the lens.

 

Once you're pretty sure where the problem is, send that element (camera or lens) to Leica for adjustment.

[rob_x2004]

If only one is out, it's the lens..

 

Not necessarily. One of the myths perpetuated. It can still be the camera. Just because one lens work right doesnt mean the rangefinder engagement in the camera body is right for other lenses. Often wonder how much of the 35Lux "problems" were actually due to dud M8 manufacture. But the comments are right you shouldnt have to live with it. Leica gets away with murder.

[dpattinson]

I had a similar issue with my 50 Summilux. In the end I sent both the lens and my M8 into Leica (camera had other issues, lens got coded) and they fixed it perfectly. It was a combination of the lens being out of spec, and my M8 being out of spec. I know the camera was partly to blame because until this fix - I had the same issue with many 50lux or 35lux that I tested (at f1.4, not focus shift). Now when I pick up a new lens to test - almost all of them focus accurately on my M8.

 

My advice, get both camera and lens fixed by Leica - especially if you still have warranty cover. It is just too frustrating to miss shots due to misfocus.

[epand56]

So I concluded that at least with this lens I have some sort of focus (misaligned focal plane?) problem.

 

Kalina, when I had to deal with the vertical misalligned of my M8's range finder, i had the problems you describe with the short lenses. Sometimes pictures were very sharp some other they weren't. The real trouble was with the long lenses such as the 90mm. It was not at all possible for me to focus with them. For example, if I focused on a building facade with the 90, then in the picture it came out completely blurred and the focus was several meters in front of the wall I was focusing on. I mean I become aware of the rangefinder problem when I bought my first 90mm (on a couple new M8 and M8.2 in a shop it was spot on).

After the trip to Solms and the rangefinder re-allignement anything was ok and even those lenses (50 or 35mm) I thought were back or front focusing a little were spot on.

I thought I could live with compensating my focus issues, but when my camera came back perfectly alligned, well it was a completely different story.

I would do as David says if I were you.

[kalina]

I thought I could live with compensating my focus issues, but when my camera came back perfectly alligned, well it was a completely different story.

I would do as David says if I were you.

 

Hmmm... okay, I guess I'll have to send it off to Leica. I'll have to do it during an off-time when I don't need it so badly because my last Leica (a D-Lux 4) took two months to repair. How much did it cost to realign the focus? Or did you have it covered under warranty? My warranty expired.

[dpattinson]

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I would first go to a leica shop and test your M8 focusing using a couple of different new lenses (check they are coded, hopefully properly calibrated) something like the 50lux asph at f1.4 and the 90cron or 75cron at f2 should be fine.

 

If all of them are out, then it's almost certainly the camera. If they are fine, but your lens is out - then you only need to send in the lens. (If it's a one-camera-one-lens situation then you might as well send in both).

 

It's possibly worth getting a friend to try testing your lens/camera too, just in case the problem is actually an astigmatism or something.

[epand56]

Hmmm... okay, I guess I'll have to send it off to Leica. I'll have to do it during an off-time when I don't need it so badly because my last Leica (a D-Lux 4) took two months to repair. How much did it cost to realign the focus? Or did you have it covered under warranty? My warranty expired.

 

Kalina, I had it covered with warranty and while the M8 was at solms i asked them to make the brightlines upgrade that at the time costed me around 550 euros.

However, I'm sure that (in the case you need it) they will re-allign your range finder for free even if your warranty expired. It is a problem a camera should not have.

I remember I could perfectly see the problem in my range finder looking into it.

The two figures in the patch were not at all superimposed when they should be. One was up and the other was down, half a milimeter between them

So, I think that if you carefully look into your RF you will see if that's your problem as well.

In bocca al lupo as we say here in Italy.