ebl, wide open, rangefinder accuracy?

[rangefound]

Ok so i have a bessa R and a wonderful canon 50mm f/1.4 and have shot almost exclusively with this kit for 2 to 3 months, but I'd say that about 50% of my photos shot wide open are either a little bit out of focus or missed focus. Is this a byproduct of the 1m close focus (doubt it, because usually im further away than 1m) or rangefinder misalignment (also doubt it, as infinity focus is spot on with both 2 fsu lenses and my canon lens) or a product of too short an ebl with too fast of a lens? Or of course the dreaded i didnt focus properly?

I guess my main question is what effect does ebl on precise focus with fast 50's?

thank you in advance

 

[rover]

I will guess a combination of the short EBL and your not focusing properly. The short EBL does make focusing a fast lens, at 50mm or longer. I think it is possible to focus a 50/1.4 on the R, but you have to take greater care to ensure you are focusing correctly. I recall when I had my R I never felt my 35 Ultron was out of focus, I would just pick up the camera and it was ready to go. The 75/2.5 though was a different story. I really had to slow down and make sure I was focusing correctly.

 

[rangefound]

so if i were to get say a leica M3 would focus be easier?

 

[Keith]

Or a used Ikon ... the EBL and viewfinder put it in a different league to most rangefinders for ease of focusing.

Especially in poor light ... it has no equal IMO!

 

[Livesteamer]

Last year Sherry Krauter upgraded the finder in my M6 .85 non ttl. I just put a roll thru it with the Noctilux wide open and it's the best results I've ever had with the Noctilux. Before upgrade, the finder was too full of flare. After upgrade it has become my main camera. I normally shoot a 50mm lens but when I shoot with a 35mm lens I use my M6 with the .72 finder. For fast fifties an M6 .85 or M3 is hard to beat. Joe

 

[rangefound]

I am kinda speaking about EBL so nonchalantly but to be honest i don't understand what practical difference it makes. I know its the image magnification times the rangefinder length but what does that do in a practical sense?

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

What's implied is that both factors help... The whole size and the magnification... Both of them help us see and focus more precisely...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[rangefound]

that simple? O ok cool then, i dont feel that clueless than.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

One more thing:

Longer EBL's are comfortable... I enjoy focusing with my Bessas T (longer EBL than 99% cameras including Leicas), but I get perfect focus with my Nokton 40 1.4 and my Summicron 90 2, both wide open, with my Bessa R4M (shortest EBL Bessa), so focusing seems a personal thing depending on vision and practice...

I've found it's important not to change camera to subject distance after focusing: it's easy, while composing after focusing, to vary that distance one or two inches because of head and body position, and that's a critical problem when focusing close and wide open...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Mablo]

Bessa R rangefinder is notorious for getting easily misaligned. I would check out that too even if the infinity focus seems OK.

 

[kossi008]

According to Erwin Puts, a 50/1.4 needs 17.9 mm EBL for focusing, so it should be feasible even on a Bessa R4A/M (19.2 mm) and much more so on the Bessa R (25.6 mm).

But I did find out that switching from a Bessa R to a Zeiss Ikon (55.9 mm) has really helped my focusing, even with a slower 50/2.
As Juan said, it's a matter of personal focusing ability, and mine sucks, apparently...

 

[ethics_gradient]

Bessa R rangefinder is notorious for getting easily misaligned. I would check out that too even if the infinity focus seems OK.

I think that's just the vertical alignment, I've had mine go out twice (really need to buy some Loctite) but horizontal has always been rock solid.

I don't have any problems focusing my Canon 50mm f/1.2 wide open on my R3a. If I miss focus, it was my fault, not the camera's.