infinity lock Like it? Hate it? cool? Uncool?

[RayPA]

I like it only for removing ltm lenses; otherwise, it's usually a PIA to deal with.

.

btw, aren't choices #2 and #4 basically the same. Didn't vote no choice for me. 🙁


.

 

[Philippe D.]

I hate it too, difficult to focus at 20m (65ft).
It was obviously the case of many others who hated it, then today no lens is made any more with this damned feature.

It was just useful with a screw lens.

 

[LeicaTom]

Well, honestly if anyone has a undamaged infinity lock assembly for a
1939 f2.0 50mm Leitz Summar, please let me know, I can use it to restore a lens back to original

Thanks

Tom

 

[Philippe D.]

if anyone has a undamaged infinity lock assembly for a
Summar

Ask Don Goldberg (dagcam@chorus.net) , he have almost everything somewhere. 🙂

 

[LeicaTom]

Ask Don Goldberg (dagcam@chorus.net) , he have almost everything somewhere. 🙂

Geeze, that totally slipped my mind, thanks Philippe!

Tom

 

[steverett]

I'm probably wrong but I thought that they were originally mainly useful on LTM's to help remove/mount the lens.

On my LTM cameras, I always focus to 1m when I mount the lens, to avoid pressing on the rangefinder cam the wrong way if I don't like up the threads right. Also, on my Industar-22, the focusing tab won't clear the slow speed dial on my Leica III unless it's focused at 1m. So for me a 1m lock would be more useful; I don't see any practical reason to lock at infinity (maybe to prevent burning holes in your shutter, since this only happens when the lens is focused close)

 

[JNewell]

The only one I ever warmed up to was the first version 35/2.

 

[pvdhaar]

I filed the infinity lock off of my FED-50/3.5.. because it did what it advertised to do, that is it really locked the lens at infinity when mounted on the Bessa-T.

I'd have to take the lens off the body to unlock it.. Totally annoying and very uncool!

 

[peterm1]

I find the focus lock most useful when removing and mounting the lens. It allows me to rotate the lens easily especially on an LTM lens.

 

[Krosya]

I hate locks, tabs, levers, etc. Thats the reason I have sold many lenses, some that I liked a lot optically, but handling just never became comfortable. Just me I guess...... I'm very happy that most Hexanons don't have those. 😉

 

[Roger Hicks]

Someone mentioned the Infinity lock on Kiev/Contax cameras. That's the one I hate the most and the reason I've given away the last couple of Kiev's I had. When the Kiev bug bites again, I'm going to go in and epoxy the $#$@%^$% thing down in the unlocked position. What a terrible design flaw, in my opinion.

No need. Cut a tiny piece of wood and stick it in the lower lock release (the one that is unlocked automatically by the rim of a lens mounted on the outer bayonet). This has always worked for me. Add a dab of weak glue if you like but no need for epoxy. That way it's reversible.

Cheers,

R.

 

[richard_l]

I can't imagine operating my LTM 3.5cm/3.5 Summaron without the infinity lock.

Richard

 

[ruben]

No need. Cut a tiny piece of wood and stick it in the lower lock release (the one that is unlocked automatically by the rim of a lens mounted on the outer bayonet). This has always worked for me. Add a dab of weak glue if you like but no need for epoxy. That way it's reversible.

Cheers,

R.

Then, how do you dis-mount the lenses ?

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Roger Hicks]

Then, how do you dis-mount the lenses ?

Cheers,
Ruben

Dear Ruben,

Lock the wheel with your finger.

Cheers,

R.

 

[oftheherd]

Someone mentioned the Infinity lock on Kiev/Contax cameras. That's the one I hate the most and the reason I've given away the last couple of Kiev's I had. When the Kiev bug bites again, I'm going to go in and epoxy the $#$@%^$% thing down in the unlocked position. What a terrible design flaw, in my opinion.

I missed that and was wondering why no one did mention the Kiev. I just got my Kiev so I don't know if I like it or not, but on mine, which I think is a 4A (no light meter), if you use the thumb wheel, you will depress the mechanism to unlock the infinity lock. If you prefer to use a hand on the lens, then of course first you have to unlock at the thumb wheel or on the body. I take it other models don't have that?

 

[iridium7777]

i found it annoying on my borrowed summicron this weekend and if all leica lenses have it i'll seriously consider never getting one. i think i can operate my zeiss much faster.

 

[KoNickon]

sitemistic is right -- on the C/K/Ns it's more of a pain, since you can easily blunder into locking it (especially if you focus by turning the lens, rather than using the wheel). With the Leica mount lenses it requires an affirmative effort to lock the lens at infinity, which can slow you down if you need to collapse and/or dismount the lens quickly.

Either way, a minor hassle, all told.

 

[Didier]

It's depending from the ergonomy whether I dislike an infinity lock or not. The collapsible 50/2 Summicron's and the LTM 50/2 Nikkor's are much easier to unlock than the LTM 50/1.2 Canon's, especially when used together with a grip or a halfcase.

Cool? Don't know. I could live well without it, I just use it because these lenses got it and I'm afraid to modify it not to lock. But after all, its an uneeded feature, except you shoot landscapes at infinity and your lens gets often unfocused while carrying.

Didier

 

[Roger Hicks]

i found it annoying on my borrowed summicron this weekend and if all leica lenses have it i'll seriously consider never getting one. i think i can operate my zeiss much faster.

No new Leica lenses have had this feature for decades. (Except maybe the collapsible Elmar -- can anyone confirm or deny this?)

Cheers,

R.

 

[rogue_designer]

doesn't bother me all that much - they're hand on LTM lenses, since it makes many of them easier to unmount.

The way I grab the lens to focus pretty much automatically depresses the button for the early canon 50 1.8 style - and it helps me quickly index for focus by feel (ie. 6oclock = 20ft).

The one on the 50 1.2 never really bothered me anyway. I've got a list of destructive and non-destructive ways to disable it if I ever found a need. But I haven't.

*shrug*