blank
Member
Hey guys. I just recently bought a Mamiya 7 online and the 80mm separately. When I first got the camera it was way out of calibration, so I sent it back to them to calibrate it. Got it back again, put my new lens on... still wrong. So I brought it to a local repair shop with a good rep to do it.
Finally it looks nearly right! But I can tell the infinity adjustment is slightly off, and I'm having some major trouble focusing this thing. I have never owned an RF before, but I have 20/20 vision and I do understand the concept. But practically any time I try to put something in focus, it takes me 20 seconds or so to figure out if it really is in focus. I have to keep going back and forth to make sure I'm in the right spot, and it never looks obviously very sharp to me.
Especially when I try to take a picture of something lying on a table, like a piece of paper. I'm relatively close so I know I've got to be more precise, but even if I concentrate on one part of the paper I want to put in focus, it sometimes seems like things never line up. Almost like what was wrong before, where the vertical adjustment was way off and the patch image would always be a lot lower.
So before I give it back to the repair shop to try again, do you guys have any suggestions as to why I'm having such trouble? The main reason for my concern is I had heard rangefinders were supposed to make for very accurate focusing, and I can't imagine being accurate at all if this is the way it's supposed to be. Thanks,
Joe
EDIT: By the way, I was just going to shoot a test roll and see how things came out, but I didn't think I was having any luck because certain things I could never get to look like they were in focus.
Finally it looks nearly right! But I can tell the infinity adjustment is slightly off, and I'm having some major trouble focusing this thing. I have never owned an RF before, but I have 20/20 vision and I do understand the concept. But practically any time I try to put something in focus, it takes me 20 seconds or so to figure out if it really is in focus. I have to keep going back and forth to make sure I'm in the right spot, and it never looks obviously very sharp to me.
Especially when I try to take a picture of something lying on a table, like a piece of paper. I'm relatively close so I know I've got to be more precise, but even if I concentrate on one part of the paper I want to put in focus, it sometimes seems like things never line up. Almost like what was wrong before, where the vertical adjustment was way off and the patch image would always be a lot lower.
So before I give it back to the repair shop to try again, do you guys have any suggestions as to why I'm having such trouble? The main reason for my concern is I had heard rangefinders were supposed to make for very accurate focusing, and I can't imagine being accurate at all if this is the way it's supposed to be. Thanks,
Joe
EDIT: By the way, I was just going to shoot a test roll and see how things came out, but I didn't think I was having any luck because certain things I could never get to look like they were in focus.
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nksyoon
Well-known
Focus on a vertical line at about 3 yards/meters from you - does the focus patch line up correctly? Try the same at infinity and at minimum focusing distance.
kipkeston
Well-known
It should be really simple. Match the images, then take the picture. If it's not in focus, have them look at it again.
I go to Bob at Precision Camera. He seals the screws so the camera doesn't need to be realigned frequently. He's said he's never had an M7 back for realignment after such treatment.
I go to Bob at Precision Camera. He seals the screws so the camera doesn't need to be realigned frequently. He's said he's never had an M7 back for realignment after such treatment.
Atto
Established
Probably is a question of confidence. seems that you need to double check.
The focus Patch of the Mamiya 7 or 7ii are really bright and easy to use. When you get used to, you will be able to focus very fast, do not worry about it.
Congratulations for the camera. I am looking for a M7 or M7ii also.
The focus Patch of the Mamiya 7 or 7ii are really bright and easy to use. When you get used to, you will be able to focus very fast, do not worry about it.
Congratulations for the camera. I am looking for a M7 or M7ii also.
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
How to check close range focus: Put a piece of tape on a mirror. set the lens to one meter on the focus scale. Put the rangefinder on the tape, and move back and forth until you get coincidence (rangefinder images lined up). Without changing your distance to the mirror, refocus on the the image of the camera in the mirror. Finally, look at the focus scale. It should read two meters. If not, close focus is off.
When checking infinity focus, your test target must be at some considerable distance. It doesn't have to be miles away, but at least a few blocks would be best. If there is a TV or radio tower visible in the distance, or if you don't have to go too far to find one, I recommend using one as a focus target.
When checking infinity focus, your test target must be at some considerable distance. It doesn't have to be miles away, but at least a few blocks would be best. If there is a TV or radio tower visible in the distance, or if you don't have to go too far to find one, I recommend using one as a focus target.
Finder
Veteran
To test for infinity, use an object at your horizon. A few blocks away will be too close--I was yelled at by Mamiya service in Japan for doing that.
If the vertical alignment is slightly off, the patch will not look sharp. You also want to test a target that is parallel to you--a target going away or toward you can be confusing when close.
The only real way to test this is to shoot some film. Take a bunch objects and place them in a line going away from you. Focus on the middle one and take a picture. I set up playing cards about an inch apart using the queen of hearts as the focus target. Do this close to the minimum focus distance.
If the vertical alignment is slightly off, the patch will not look sharp. You also want to test a target that is parallel to you--a target going away or toward you can be confusing when close.
The only real way to test this is to shoot some film. Take a bunch objects and place them in a line going away from you. Focus on the middle one and take a picture. I set up playing cards about an inch apart using the queen of hearts as the focus target. Do this close to the minimum focus distance.
blank
Member
Hey guys, I see my problem. I drew a line on a piece of paper from one side to the other, and tried to focus on it. What I noticed is that the image in the patch was always ever so slightly higher up. This made it difficult to tell when it was in focus, because things never looked totally aligned. I guess I'll bring it back to the repairman and see if he can fix it once and for all!
Mzungu
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I have the same problem, the ghost image is lower than the 'real' one. so if you have all horizontal lines to focus, its nearly impossible to focus right.
I guess the ghost image should match perfectly the 'real' image?
thanks
I guess the ghost image should match perfectly the 'real' image?
thanks
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Juan Valdenebro
Truth is beauty
Yes, it should...
Rangefinders go out of alignment easily with bumps... Sometimes the require a technician, sometimes you can fix it yourself, and sometimes you can focus anyway...
Cheers,
Juan
Rangefinders go out of alignment easily with bumps... Sometimes the require a technician, sometimes you can fix it yourself, and sometimes you can focus anyway...
Cheers,
Juan
Mzungu
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cheers Juan, I was wondering this since all the problems I've heard regarding focusing were always on the horizontal difference between the images, so maybe it was something normal.
I have bought the repair manual today on Ebay, I will try to understand how to fix this and will hand it to my local technician since when I brought my camera to his shop he said: 'this is the first time I see one of this'
hahaha.. oh Lord.. gotta love medium format hahaha..
I have bought the repair manual today on Ebay, I will try to understand how to fix this and will hand it to my local technician since when I brought my camera to his shop he said: 'this is the first time I see one of this'
hahaha.. oh Lord.. gotta love medium format hahaha..