Disillusioned new M8 owner

[Lance]

I had a thread a short while back about my quest to get an M8 and how CV glass would work on digital.

Now that I have the M8, I am almost ready to get rid of it fast. My 35/1.4 Nokton Classic is just horrid and my Summicron is barely OK.

The 35 has a bad focus shift and is just very soft all around and has serious CA even in the center of the image. Sorry I have no test shots to show this.

I wish I payed more attention to the issue of focus shift on the M8 before I bought it. Now I see a lot of people talking about focus shift on a lot of lenses. Some only wide open, some stopped down and some only at close focus.

And this is not only "cheap" CV or Zeiss glass but also top of the line Leica Lux'es. And sometimes it seems a trip to Solms does not help.

I don't have the time or the money to chase down and try a heap of lenses to find a usable lens to use on my M8.

My Nokton Classic is no longer an option for me. It plainly sucks...

I'm looking at two focal lengths. 25 or 28 and 50. And I think I will go with Zeiss.

Are there any focus trouble with either of these lenses?

25/2.8
28/2.8
50/1.5

I have heard of a slight focus shift on the 50/1.5 wide open or stopped down, depending of how it is calibrated. Is this a serious focus shift?

It's important to me that I can focus on short distance. 0.7-1.5 meters for portraits.

Please give me some hope. Leica glass is out of the question for the time being.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

You probably need to have the M8 looked at. I don't think your problem is the lens.

 

[Lance]

You probably need to have the M8 looked at. I don't think your problem is the lens.

Even while the Cron seems OK?

 

[yanidel]

Have you checked that the rangefinder of the M8 is not misaligned before you start trying many lenses ? I had a similar issue at some point until I realized the problem came from the M8 and not the lenses.
You should be fine with the 25 and 28 lenses, even slightly off the extended DOF usually takes care of it.

 

[sojournerphoto]

I'd start by getting the MS rf aligned, ideally with the lenses.

The ZM 25/2.8 is outstanding and you should be fine. I've not got a 28, but people sing its praises. The 50/1.5 does focus shift, so if that's a problem you might try the 50/2 planar - very different look but no focus shift.

Mike

 

[Makten]

Why on earth would focus shift differ on different cameras? It's an optical phenomenon related to the correction of spherical aberration of the lens, which has nothing with the camera to do.

Edit: I hope you are well acquainted with what focus shift really is? It's not "back focus" or "front focus", but rather focus shifting upon stopping down.

 

[sanmich]

Does the RF looks ok at infinity?

 

[ferider]

.... my Summicron is barely OK. ......

Have your camera checked.

 

[Lance]

I'm pretty sure it's focus shift and not back focus, but I need to conduct more tests to be sure.

The CV has a lot of other problems that just don't look good on M8 - in focus or not. So that is no good to me anymore.

 

[Lance]

I should say that the Cron is a 50. Sorry.

 

[hans voralberg]

Most lens don't have focus shift I think, shifting is a by-product of the optical design. I think what you're experiencing is a lack of tight calibration between the body and the lens. I've never had any problem with all my lens on my M8 at all. If you're want to be absolutely sure have the lens and the body calibrated to work together.

 

[Makten]

I'm pretty sure it's focus shift and not back focus, but I need to conduct more tests to be sure.

The CV has a lot of other problems that just don't look good on M8 - in focus or not. So that is no good to me anymore.

Isn't it that you are allowed to see more of the aberrations than you did on film? The M8 is probably bringing out alot more detail from a shot, which should reveal the less good sides of things.
Furthermore, the slight crop magnifies every flaw of the lens a bit more.

I hope I don't appear like a besserwisser here. I'm just trying to help. 🙂

 

[Photon42]

I don't have any of the lenses you refer to. The 35 Nokton/1.4 is mentioned in different contributions for focus shift. Just as the Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5.

From first hand experience, the Zeiss Biogon 35, the Nokton 35/1.2 and the Heliar 15/4.5 work very well for me. All of them are coded. Don't know if this is useful for you.

Your camera may have an issue, but so may your Nokton. Just step back a bit and don't make an emotionally quick decision. The M8 does work well with non Leica lenses. This is a proven fact.

Cheers
Ivo

 

[tjh]

I've used the Summicron 50mm and lots of other lenses on my M8.2, all with tack sharp focus at close distances. True, some lenses are better than others. My Summicron 28 and 35 ASPH are super sharp but my old screw-mount Nikkor 50mm 1.4 is softer, as one would expect.

I am thinking of buying the Nokton 35mm f/1.4 for low light black and white work. Have others used the single or multicoated 35mm Nokton on M8/M9 bodies and, if so, would they comment on its performance?

 

[faris]

I would suggest you have your M8 looked at for vf alignment.

I have the zm 25/2.8, the 28/2 asph and both focus spot on.

The issues of front/back focus has been dealt with at length at the leica forum and might help if you take a look there also.

the 35 cron asph is said to have focus shift as does the cv 35/1.4. I have the cron but not the cv. the lux 35 asph is notorious for focus shift and front/back focus!

I have not read about focus issues with the zm planar or other leica 50mm lenses. cron or lux.

If your M8 suffers from front or back focus it might be corrected by yourself. vertical alignment issue needs a trip to solms, unfortunately.

lastly, can you try your lenses on another M8?

Good luck.

 

[Roberto]

I'm pretty sure it's focus shift and not back focus, but I need to conduct more tests to be sure.

The CV has a lot of other problems that just don't look good on M8 - in focus or not. So that is no good to me anymore.

The focus shift is a change in the position of plane of best focus with change in aperture, it is usually related to under-corrected spherical aberration. It is not related to the camera, only the lens.

I'm pretty sure you have your RF out of alignment...

Cheers,
Rob.

 

[aka5ha]

M8 and CV 35 1.4 are perfect

M8 and CV 35 1.4 are perfect

Hi,

It sounds like your M8's rangefinder is out. The CV 35 1.4 is razor sharp even wide open on my M8. Enough to resolve single hairs from a few feet away. And I love the beautiful bokeh, I have never seen "harsh" bokeh from the CV 35 1.4 as others have suggested.

 

[wintoid]

Go to a shop and try some lenses out on your M8. Then you'll know for sure, quickly and cheaply.

 

[swoop]

I'm pretty sure it's focus shift and not back focus, but I need to conduct more tests to be sure.

The CV has a lot of other problems that just don't look good on M8 - in focus or not. So that is no good to me anymore.

If you're absolutely sure then it's your lenses and not the M8. Cameras don't have focus shift.

 

[photogdave]

Maybe it's your technique? How long have you been shooting rangefinders?
Please don't take offense, I'm just trying to be constructive.
I'm forever reading on the internet about all these phenomenon like focus shift, lens sample variation, chromatic aberration etc., and yet I never seem to experience these problems myself.
Are you looking at actual prints or magnified images on your monitor?
I've had nothing but great results with my CV 35 1.4 on the M8 and M9:

CV 35 1.4 M9