jlamarca
jlamarca
I have a Zeiss Ikon. I've recently started shooting from the chest, guessing my focus with the help of the lens markings. That led me to break out the measuring tape, and I noticed something: the lens distance markings and the rangefinder do not match.
For example, I set the camera on a tripod so that the front of the body is exactly one meter away from a stripe on the wall. If I use the RF to focus on that stripe, the lens barrel tells me that I am focused at 1.1m. And if I set the lens scale to exactly 1.0m, which I know is the distance from my camera body to that stripe, the RF patch shows the stripe as out of focus. I get the same discrepancy with all three of my lenses: biogon 25, biogon 35, and CV40/1.4.
Of course, I did test shots and when I get them developed next weekend I'll see the results, but wondered if anyone else can weigh in on this. I've been using this ZI body for 6 months now and have never noticed a problem in my photos, but I haven't been doing much close distance focusing either.
Does anyone else have this issue? Is this what is referred to as a misaligned rangefinder, or is it something else? And if so, how can I get it fixed?
For example, I set the camera on a tripod so that the front of the body is exactly one meter away from a stripe on the wall. If I use the RF to focus on that stripe, the lens barrel tells me that I am focused at 1.1m. And if I set the lens scale to exactly 1.0m, which I know is the distance from my camera body to that stripe, the RF patch shows the stripe as out of focus. I get the same discrepancy with all three of my lenses: biogon 25, biogon 35, and CV40/1.4.
Of course, I did test shots and when I get them developed next weekend I'll see the results, but wondered if anyone else can weigh in on this. I've been using this ZI body for 6 months now and have never noticed a problem in my photos, but I haven't been doing much close distance focusing either.
Does anyone else have this issue? Is this what is referred to as a misaligned rangefinder, or is it something else? And if so, how can I get it fixed?
aizan
Veteran
there's no way to know until you get the test results, but chances are that the rangefinder is out of alignment.
My guess is that the markings on the lens barrels are just an approximation. If your photos are in focus using the rangefinder, you've got nothing to worry about 
Roger Hicks
Veteran
The old rule of thumb is that if the RF is OK at infinity, it's probably OK at closer distances too.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Well I guess by then you would have noticed anyway if the rangefinder was off.
Don't bother too much. In guess focusing I guess you couldn't guess the difference between 105 and 110 cm that accurately, so your guess is at least as big a source of error as the distance scale. If you want to photograph using a tape rule for distances, you could just use an SLR instead.
Measuring to the front of the camera is inaccurate. For obvious reasons this error will increase proportionally as you get closer. Like many of the Bessas, the ZI apparently doesn't have film plane markings, but you can probably get a general idea if you measure to the rear center part of the hot shoe. This will likely still be off by a couple of millimeters. However, this is a great way to waste lots of film and time and energy on very nerdy "testing" which will likely only give you something to be disappointed with. Take pictures instead.
Philipp
sebastel
coarse art umbrascriptor
quite often you find the film plane mark underneath the film wind lever.
jlamarca
jlamarca
I measured from the front of the camera body, not the film plane. That is about 2cm further back. I really don't care about 2cm, but if the rangefinder is 10cm off, that would be significant if I were to actually use it and focus on someone at 1.0m.
It's true that if I'm guessing, then my margin of error will usually be greater than the small discrepancy in the lens markings or RF, but I do use the RF to focus some shots, especially closer ones. And for the shots that I am guessing, I need all the help I can get, without an additional margin of error to factor in. I know it sounds nerdy but that's why I ask.
It's true that if I'm guessing, then my margin of error will usually be greater than the small discrepancy in the lens markings or RF, but I do use the RF to focus some shots, especially closer ones. And for the shots that I am guessing, I need all the help I can get, without an additional margin of error to factor in. I know it sounds nerdy but that's why I ask.
funkaoshi
Well-known
If your shots are in focus when you are using the rangefinder than the issue is with the markings on the barrel.
kram
Well-known
You would think that with the ZM being released at a time when more digital cameras are comming out, that it would have that 'zero with a line through it' to show you where the film plane was