Direct Sunlight & Best F-Stop To set a RF lens when not in use, on, or off the camera

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Direct Sunlight & Best F-Stop To set a RF lens when not in use, on, or off the camera

Dear Tom-

Thanks in advance for reading this thread.

What is the best F-STOP to set a RF lens when you are not shooting; be it on the camera, or stored by itself? In addition, if the RF camera has film in it as well?

Also, when walking with a loaded camera, (with film), & say your f-stop is preset to an f-stop that you have pre-determined; is their a danger of direct sunlight burning the cloth shutter, or exposing the film to a degree.

In closing & lastly, what is the best way to change lenses on a RF camera, (in my case an "M")? Some say SHADE, or not out in the open... What if your moving fast on the street to keep up.?

Just wondering here?

Thanks,

LV1
 
Absolutely irrelevant what you do, except: (if you keep a cap on with cloth shutter RFs like some Leicas: sun may burn a hole into it.).
 
If you are moving about, there is little danger of focussed light entering and damaging either film or shutter. If your shutter curtains are good and are properly assembled -- unlike those of the M2 I have just sold -- you need only to take reasonable precautions. For example, do not change lenses in a way that exposes the mouth of the camera to bright light. Be careful how you put your camera down in sunlight without a lens cap. Worry less and take more good pictures.
 
LV1,

The f-Stop you set your lens to on or off the camera does not make a difference in the RF world. In the SLR world recent system (those newer than say 1960) have auto-return aperture. This allows you to view through the widest aperture and then when you take the picture the camera tells the lens to close down to the aperture you selected to take the picture with. Some of the old and new systems have spring issues that over the life of the lens may degrade if not set correctly. The vast majority of RF systems (I think all, but not sure about some AF stuff from Contax) do not have this sort of system. As you do not view through the lens you do not need to have this sort of complexity.

If you are walking around, moving there is no danger of your lens burning a hole in your shutter curtain. If you sit in bright sun with the lens pointed at the sun for a long period of time you will burn a hole. Turn your camera around from the sun (sun pointed at the back), hold your camera in your hand, point it down from time to time, you will not have a problem.

I always turn away from bright sun when changing lenses on any camera but it SLR or RF. I just turn with my back towards the sun, bend over to make some shade or sneak under a tree and make the swap. One thing I learned many years ago that has made it faster for me to do this is to make double rear lens caps. Epoxy glue two caps together (leica makes one that is smaller but costs a lot more) and use come cloth tape to improve the grip (around the place where the two are joined). You hold the new lens with cap in one hand, pull the old lens off the camera with the other and attache it to the new lens cap combo (that now has two lenses attached). With the first hand remove the new lens from the combo and put it on the camera. This allows you to switch lenses quickly with only two hands. Without a mirror RFs are a bit more sensitive but use your good judgement and you will be fine.

Good questions, let's see what Tom says.

B2 (;->
 
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uhligfd said:
Absolutely irrelevant what you do, except: (if you keep a cap on with cloth shutter RFs like some Leicas: sun may burn a hole into it.).
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The way that's worded makes it sound like having a cap on the lens will let the sun burn through the cap (or the curtains - or both?)! :D

I think we know what you mean though. I have pondered this question myself. I reckon that if you're not standing still for too long with the sun glaring right into the lens you're gonna be fine. Plus, if you're already shooting in bright sunlight, you're likely going to be stopped down fairly well and that should automatically keep your curtains' sun exposure to a minimum. Regarding caps, I always have hoods on my lenses so I never use a cap when I'm out and about. Even when I find myself sitting down in the sunlight for a while, I just point the camera away from the sun. It'd be too easy to miss a shot if I had to take the lens cap off and reverse the hood.

I agree with payasam. Take reasonable precautions but by all means, worry less and take more pictures! Speaking of reasonable precautions, I have streaked some exposures from changing lenses in daylight. I was in the shade but bright shade and I made an effort to shield the camera during the lens change but apparently it wasn't enough since some light streaks showed up in those frames. Now I make even more of an effort and I haven't had any streaking or fogging since.
 
BillBingham2 said:
One thing I learned many years ago that has made it faster for me to do this is to make double rear lens caps. Epoxy glue two caps together (leica makes one that is smaller but costs a lot more) [big surprise!] and use come cloth tape to improve the grip (around the place where the two are joined). You hold the new lens with cap in one hand, pull the old lens off the camera with the other and attache it to the new lens cap combo (that now has two lenses attached). With the first hand remove the new lens from the combo and put it on the camera. This allows you to switch lenses quickly with only two hands.

Good questions, let's see what Tom says.

B2 (;->
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What a clever solution! I have often fumbled with the end caps during lens changes and this makes perfect sense. I'll be fashioning my own very soon!
Thanks!
 
f22, focus set at 1m and not leaving the camera on, say, a table directed towards the sun and you're pretty safe.
but as payasam said, if yo're moving about, there's very little danger.
I stopped worrying too much about this, all it takes is a certain awareness and the habit of not letting the camera admire the beautiful sunset.
 
Put it this way, I've yet to burn a hole in a shutter in 40 years of using Leicas. The only tme I worry at all is then the camera is in the Land Rover, with the strap over the front seat, facing forwards; then I stop down to f/16 (very few Leica lenses offer f/22) or put a Hood-Hat on: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/review optech shower cap.html.

I realize that saying the above is tempting fate, but it's one of those things you really don't need to worry about very much unless you leave the camera pointing into the sun -- and it soon becomes second nature not to do that. Besides, on a bright sunny day, if the lens is at f/5.6 to f/8 (typical shooting apertures in the sun, for me) it will take a surprisingly long time to harm the shutter even if the camera is pointing straight at the sun.

Cheers,

R.
 
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Please listen to Roger and ignore the myths.
I bought my first new Leica in 1951 and have yet to burn a curtain.

FWIW to LV1: Try carrying the camera 'backwards' ie: the lens nestled to your back, rather than hanging out - you will never have to worry about the sun... and, you're not knocking the lens against everything you pass. Try it.
 
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In most cases you dont have to worry. I have had 3-4 instances were I have had shutters "burned" - usually by my own inattentiveness. Using wide angles can be one culprit. You "think" the lens is out of direct sunlight - but the steep acceptance angle can cause sun to hit the shutter.
Last time it happened was in Tokyo several years ago - a 21f3.4 made a nice little hole in the curtain. I was waiting for a ferry to the "science island" and never realized that the camera on my shoulder was facing the sun!!!
As a rule, all my cameras are set to f8 and 1/250 and infinity when not being used. This way I know instinctively which direction to turn an aperture ring or focus ring when I put it up to my eye.
NEVER put the camera down on a table with the lens facing up! That is a recipe for disaster. The body of an M is light enough that you can safely put the camera down, resting on the lens and the hood.
I rarely use lens caps - particularly on non-metered cameras. The chagrin of having someone pointing out that I just shot several frames through a piece of black plastic or rubber is enough.
Dont fret too much over protecting the camera. That slows you down and you will miss shot's. M cameras are extremely resilient and can take a lot of abuse - and they can be fixed if something happens.
I do double up on cameras as I hate changing lenses - most disasters with cameras and lenses happen when you a/change lenses or b/reloading. Of course b is inevitable but a/ can be solved by 2 bodies and 2 lenses - which also gives you 72+ frames without reloading. A multipocket vest helps - stick things like baseplate or 2nd lens in a pocker - dont try to hold it in your hand while you remove the one on the camera.
The back-to-back caps (Leica used to make these) are good for carrying lenses - but like the base-plate lens holder (Benser etc) - it allows you to drop two lenses at the same time too!
If you are changing lenses on the go - it is probably a good idea to shade the opening in the camera - but more important is to keep dust or rain from getting in there. Again, this is coming back to my philosophy of carrying at least 2 bodies at all time - usually 35/50 or 35/75 and then a 3rd body in the bag with either a wider lens (15/18/21) or possibly a longer lens.
The key is of course - never leave home without at least 1 camera and a spare roll of film. Imagine being abducted by aliens and having no exposures left and no spare film!!!!! There goes the Pulitzer price!
 
perhaps i am mistaken, but i have been under the impression that your focus matters more than your aperture when it comes to the risk of burning a hole in shutter curtains. according to what i have been told in the past, infinity focus is the most likely to burn a curtain. think of burning leaves with a magnifying glass. you have to move the magnifying glass closer to or farther away from the leaves to focus the sun's rays in order to cause the leaves to set fire. again, i could be mistaken about infinity focus being the most dangerous, perhaps others will know for sure.
 
Merkin said:
perhaps i am mistaken, but i have been under the impression that your focus matters more than your aperture when it comes to the risk of burning a hole in shutter curtains. according to what i have been told in the past, infinity focus is the most likely to burn a curtain. think of burning leaves with a magnifying glass. you have to move the magnifying glass closer to or farther away from the leaves to focus the sun's rays in order to cause the leaves to set fire. again, i could be mistaken about infinity focus being the most dangerous, perhaps others will know for sure.
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If you're worrind about the sun, then I believe you're correct-- it's the infinity setting that's problematic. A bright studio light could potentially do the same thing, which might be closer than infinity (50 feet or so).
 
A friend had a bright halogen light over his desk and someone carefully put his M4-2 on the desk, lens facing upward. Didn't take long for a hole to appear on the curtain!!! You have to be a bit observant about it - but not paranoid.
 
Response...

Response...

Tom & Everyone else-

Thank you so very much for your superior knowledge on this subject. In addition, all your keen advise!

Best,

DM Brown
 
The only time I've had a problem changing lenses in bright light was with high speed infrared film. The rubberized cloth curtains aren't entirely IR proof. No problem when shading the body well or with a lens attached.
 
I burned a hole in a friend's black m5 during a music festival. First time I ever used a Leica, she had no lens caps. I was shooting in bright sunlight, efke 25 and 50, wide open, focused at or near infinity. Put the camera on my lap facing up, as, due to the incredible amount of sun I didn't like to have the camera strapped to me at all times since the black made it hot as hell.

Anyways, developed my film to find these little holes in my pictures. Neither I or the person I borrowed the camera from had any idea this could happen, and I ended up having to pay Leica USA a hefty sum to repair it. Cost more to replace her curtain than the cost of my m2+repair.
 
Infinity isn't the culprit, as the shutter curtains are a little in front of the film plane, so perfect burning focus will be closer than infinity.

By how much? Changes with focal length, as it's the amount (extension) the lens moves that's the issue.

Or just move to Britain - you have to go out of your way to find any sun here...
 
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