What am I doing wrong?

[_larky]

Everything probably!

So, my question is this, why is nothing in any of my shots in focus? I didn't thank that was possible, it's not blur, it's out of focus.

I have an M6, Voigtlander 35 and 75 lenses. The image below (sorry about the size) is the sharpest I've ever got. I was still when I took it. I've shot at f22 on the 35, that gives me DOF from my feet to the Moon, but I still get soft images. I'm really bugged out by it because as we all know, this stuff ain't cheap.

With my X100 I guess the focus and the images are pin sharp. With the Leica I do the same thing, with a greater DOF ,and every one is blurry. What am I missing?

 

[Nomad Z]

I see no image.

What film? What scanning method?

 

[umcelinho]

if you're scanning at home, it might be the scan, some flatbed scanners do give that "effect". at f22 rangefinder accuracy wouldnt be an issue, i assume...

try posting the pics again, they didn't show up and might help identify the problem

 

[tlitody]

how are you defining sharp? Contrary to opinion by some, the smaller the aperture the less sharp your image will be. The sweet spot for maximum shapness is around f5.6 to f8 but it does depend on the lens as some are sharp at f2.8.

Smaller aperture means greater DOF not sharper and by the time you get to f22 it will definitely be showing noticeable effects of diffraction from the aperture blades. Then combine that with a low quality scan and your images will never look sharp. Scanning always softens the image to a lesser or greater extent depending on the quality of it and whether it focuses properly or if its scan bed is where a fixed focus lens actually focuses. They usually focus a little above the glass.

 

[rpsawin]

WAG here but is your film laying flat...pressure plate issue?

Bob

 

[kuzano]

Unless you start with digital capture....

Unless you start with digital capture....

WAG here but is your film laying flat...pressure plate issue?

Bob

You clearly did not give us enough information to try to help you.

You describe a film process, but you don't tell us who and how you are digitizing the film.. Ie. you scan, other scan, type of scanner. etc.

As far as I am personally concerned, I am done with scanning negatives or transparencies. From ever post I see on this process, the weakest link in digitizing film is the scan. Far to much inequity in the devices used. Far too much variable in the software used to scan. Far too many places in the process to weaken image quality.

As far as I am concerned, digital images should only be acquired with a digital camera. I have a Canon 5D and and Olympus m4/3 for that.

For film, I do 4X5 with a Super Graphic and 6X9 with a Fuji BL690.

If one want to shoot and process the film to negs/transparencies (self or other processor), then one should also set up an enlarger and print and process prints the good old way.

I am done with the variables of film, with an intermediary process of digitizing. Say what you will, protest if you will, agree if you've tried this, but film should be processed all the way to the finished product as film has been for years.

Now my only relent on this argument. If you're wallet is bottomless, continue to pay what it takes to shoot film, transfer it to digital, and end up with consistently good products. Protect your insanity by having the scan portion done by professionals, if you can find one.

Personally, I have other expenses to take care of like health care, rent, food, and a bit of fun, not photography related. :bang:

 

[_larky]

That's odd, ok here goes:

 

[_larky]

OK, I've run Acros 100, Neopan 400, Agfa 400s, Velvia, Adoc CHS25 through this camera. I never had a problem on any other film camera.

I scan with a Plustek 7600i with Vuescan. The slide and Agfa lie totally flat in the tray, but the tray is pretty good anyway at holding the negs flat.

 

[_larky]

If you look at this thread, these are sharp:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=107429

I cannot get anywhere near that, even with slide. Dodgy M6?

 

[Harry S.]

I usually have the same problem with film (all film, not just Leica). My pics look soft and crappy. I think its the scanning. From now on I plan to get the lap to do high resolution scans when they develop the film.

Id love to do darkroom prints but Enlargers are expensive and hard to come by in Australia.

 

[kzphoto]

Looks like you have digital ICE turned on. It won't work with true silver emulsions.

Turn it off and try it again.

It's either digital ICE or grain reduction software. Turn off all the 'automatic correction' and 'dust removal' features. See if that helps.

 

[Scrambler]

I usually have the same problem with film (all film, not just Leica). My pics look soft and crappy. I think its the scanning. From now on I plan to get the lap to do high resolution scans when they develop the film.

Id love to do darkroom prints but Enlargers are expensive and hard to come by in Australia.

??

I could name the location of perhaps dozens of unused enlargers, and I live in regional Australia. They regularly come up on the "unnamed auction site", and usually sell for a song, sometimes less.

If your particular locality is lacking advertised enlargers, try the local photographic club and ask to borrow, buy or simply carry away a member's unwanted enlarger.

Apologies for the hijack. Returning you to your regular program.

 

[huntjump]

Its the scanner. As kzphoto said, turn off any software feature, such as ICE if you have that, and scan again. I think you will see your m6 and lenses are quite fine. Have you checked your negatives

 

[_larky]

Sorry, ICE etc is all turned off. I never use any of that. I've checked the negs asbest I can, I have no loupe so at that size they look super mega sharp. I'd like to find somebody with an enlarger so I can look at them bigger.

 

[huntjump]

you could have your next roll professionally developed/scanned. See how that turns out

 

[Richard G]

That girl and the right edge of the column she's on and the chain are sharp.

 

[_larky]

I'd not call that sharp. Maybe I'm expecting too much? This image is reduced, therefore will look sharper than it is. It's not sharp at all.

 

[bobbyrab]

If it was the M6 then I can't think of any fault other than inaccurate focus point, but then something would be sharp if not the subject, in front or behind the subject. The film plane can't be out nor the lens position, it could be the lens but all of them being out is too remote a possibility, so I think it has to be the scanner. Get a print done at snappys, they'll scan it on a noritsu machine, not drum scan quality but it will be as sharp as the neg allows. I can't get my epson v750 as sharp as the Noritsu without quite a bit of sharpening, and they dev and scan a c41 film for less than a tenner

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I have seen A LOT of Leicas that have rangefinders out of adjustment. I had Don Goldberg adjust one of my M6 bodies a few months ago because everything was focused about an inch behind what I thought I was focusing on. The lenses may be out of adjustment too. I've had lenses recalibrated too, though new ones are usually perfect.

 

[brainwood]

It looks like the scanning to me as well. The girl on the bollard looks looks compressed rather than soft. What size is the scan output and what type of file are you outputting ( try Tiff)? The pavement in the foreground also shows signs of digital compression and looks like its been heavilly sharpened.

The shot you have posted is obviously shot at a large aperture and unless you are absolutely spot on with the point of focus it may not be bitingly sharp. It may be worth getting the neg printed professionally to see how sharp it really is

Chris