0.5m minimum focus. What do you do?

[sanmich]

I'm really annoyed by the 0.5m min focus.
The RF disconnects and you are left to guess if your image is still in focus or not.
I would love to buy some of the new VC offering (nokton 1.2), but this issue stops me from doing so.
Any elegant solution?

 

[Jack Sparrow]

I use my camera strap! Many happen to be just the right length, if you hold a finger in the middle and stretch taut. If yours is longer, try to work out a method of knowing where .5m is; be it "by holding the shoulder pad at the ends" or marking it with a Sharpie, tape, etc.

 

[sanmich]

I use my camera strap! Many happen to be just the right length, if you hold a finger in the middle and stretch taut. If yours is longer, try to work out a method of knowing where .5m is; be it "by holding the shoulder pad at the ends" or marking it with a Sharpie, tape, etc.

That is not really my question, although it opens new possibilities.
I don't want to take any picture under 0.7m (at least I didn't until you put that idea in my head 😀). I want the lens to show me that it's under 0.7 and the RF is dead.

 

[sanmich]

Reverse engineer the 25/4.0 "snapshot" Skopar (From CQ: Unusually, it has CLICK STOPPED focusing at 1, 1.5 and 3 meters...a very nice feature) and do something similar at 0.7 meters, perhaps.

Exactly. that would have been a great idea to put such a bump/click at 0.7m

 

[Spanik]

Use an slr with macro lens? Seriously, an RF isn't a good tool for close-up. And you're lucky to be able to even go to 0.5m, MF RF's often don't go closer than 1m or worse.

 

[Freakscene]

Buy a different lens. It drives me completely nuts too.

Marty

 

[sanmich]

I see the title was misleading, so I updated it.

 

[Freakscene]

I enquired with several technicians about the feasibility of putting a focus stop in a ZM 25 Biogon, but all the technicians said there wasn't a reliable or simple way to install one.

Marty

 

[sanmich]

I enquired with several technicians about the feasibility of putting a focus stop in a ZM 25 Biogon, but all the technicians said there wasn't a reliable or simple way to install one.

Marty

Yeah, I was just asking DAG about this. no clear answer about the Nokton.
I really wonder what were they thinking. It's not only dinos shooting film like me, but any RF user is screwed with this design :bang:

I was thinking about adding two little tabs to the lens, one on the body, the other on the focus ring, so that they would stop the motion at 0.7m. It's really ugly though, and I would be concerned about removing them without too much damage (is there a glue that would work?)

 

[jsrockit]

Buy a different lens. It drives me completely nuts too.

Marty

Agreed....

 

[mfunnell]

Use an slr

Right answer!

with macro lens?

Not necessary. If all you want is close focus. Real macro is a whole different animal (often involving a real animal).

Seriously, an RF isn't a good tool for close-up. And you're lucky to be able to even go to 0.5m, MF RF's often don't go closer than 1m or worse.

Pick the right tool for the task... (or use a Visioflex; in which case, see rule 1 - ie. use an slr).

...Mike

 

[kbg32]

In 35+ years of using a rangefinder, this has never bothered me. It just became part of the beauty in using a rangefinder.

 

[sanmich]

In 35+ years of using a rangefinder, this has never bothered me. It just became part of the beauty in using a rangefinder.

Keith, I fear you misunderstood my question. 🙂

 

[froyd]

Michael, I agree it's a very annoying "feature" requiring one more thing to keep in mind when working at close focus.

I wonder if CV designing with digital camera's in mind, more than film rangefinders. The Leica M with EVF would not have an issue with 0.5m focusing, nor would any of the Alphas bodies that accept M-mount lenses , or the Ricoh

 

[DavidKKHansen]

I think everyone is misunderstanding:

The OP doesn't want to focus close! He doesn't want a macro lens. He only wants to focus to 0.7m, which is the limiting distance of the rangefinder. Therefor, it annoys the OP ever so much, that the new Voigtländer lenses don't have a physical notch of a sorts, that would indicate to the OP when you've gone from 0.7m towards 0.5m... it's not possible to know this by looking at the focus patch in the viewfinder, only by looking at the lens itself.

He wants the new Voigtländer lenses, because they're oh so lovely.
He doesn't like the new Voigtländer lens, because he wants them to stop focusing at 0.7m

Do we all understand now? So no suggestions about SLR's, macro lenses or mirrorless cameras... these suggestions aren't helping the OP find a solution to make the Voigtländer lenses stop focussing at 0.7m

 

[DavidKKHansen]

I was thinking about adding two little tabs to the lens, one on the body, the other on the focus ring, so that they would stop the motion at 0.7m. It's really ugly though, and I would be concerned about removing them without too much damage (is there a glue that would work?)

I have an idea (though probably not a good one, you might have to dismantle the lens):

Take a file, and file a small notch into the focus helicoid - the part that comes into contact with the wheel on the focusing arm on the camera. My idea is that if you make little notches on the helicoid, it might create a small visual "bump" when turning the focus ring whilst looking at the focus patch. If this would work, my suggestion is to place this notch right before the 0.7m point. Hence in your viewfinder when you see the bump you will know that any more turning the focus ring and you'll be below the 0.7m mark.

EDIT: Instead of filing a notch, a better thing would be to have a very small bump on the helicoid, at the 0.7 mark.

 

[Erik van Straten]

The OP only wants to focus to 0.7m, which is the limiting distance of the rangefinder. Therefor, it annoys the OP ever so much, that the new Voigtländer lenses don't have a physical notch of a sorts, that would indicate to the OP when you've gone from 0.7m towards 0.5m...

The OP is right. The same thing is one of the reasons I never use my RF Nikkor 50mm f/2 on my Leicas. This lens - that focuses to 0.5m - however gives a light click when passing the 0.7m border.

Erik.

 

[f16sunshine]

This RF uncoupled focus is a bad idea. I don't care for it at all.
It's almost impossible to compose at that range... why bother having focus so close.
This practice should end.

My first copy of the ZM 25mm f2.8 Biogon developed a problem with the focus due to the .5 RF uncoupled focus.
The focus became very stiff and rough at the uncoupled point.
It was new so I returned it and then received a lens that developed really very bad wobble in only one month.... returned that one as well.
That was it for the lens. I would love to try another one.

 

[Vics]

Use an slr with macro lens? Seriously, an RF isn't a good tool for close-up. And you're lucky to be able to even go to 0.5m, MF RF's often don't go closer than 1m or worse.

Plus one. I switched back to Nikon FM with 2.0/35 lens. Goes very close. I switched for different reasons, but close focusing was a nice side benefit.

 

[Lss]

It's a terrible feature for anything else than perhaps the super wides. Less critical with those.