Help for R3a/35mm focus issue

[simon1973]

Hi,all.I got a bessa r3a with a 35/1.7 ultron lens.The lens is M39 screw interface and using a commutator to the body.

I have take some photos but I found that the focus is not correct,it is in the back of the object.Also,the infinity is not focus in the range finder.

So I adjust it myself,adjusted the little screw deep in the hole of the hot shoe,with a ground glass on the place where the film is.I turn on a light in some distance, and focus it in the ground glass,then adjust the screw to let the range finder focus on the body. I take some photos after do this,and it seems focus is correct.

But what happend is, the lens point to about 5 meter marker when I focus on infinity object (such as a building long long away). When I tweak the lens to infinity mark,the focus is passed real infinity.And the nearest focus distance is up to 1.2m,not the 0.9m which the lens announcing.

I want to know what's wrong with my lens or r3a,it is the problem of the commutator? I found that the white point is not in the middle (a little deflection to right) when I screw the lens to the body.Does it matter?

Very sorry for my english,thanks a lot for any help!

 

[meste]

Dear Simon,

I am afraid I won't be of help with your question, however I would like to know how the Ultron 35mm workd on the R3A which has only 40mm framelines? Is it easy to use it?

I am really interested to get some feedback from someone who owns such a combination. I always wanted to get a 35mm lens but I am attracted by the R3 body whcih has 1:1 view scale, but I am afraid I won't be able to use the 35mm properly or without difficulties.

thanks,
Serban

 

[simon1973]

Hi Serban,

I shot several films after got this camera,so no much experience of this.But for my usage of the 35mm lens,it is nearly the whole viewfinder, the whole eyshot you can see from the viewfinder.Though it is a bit hard to view the bolder of the viewfinder(you eye must turn up,down.left,rigt...), but will be familiar with it and use estimate more.

Also perhaps has the external viewfinder with 35mm,but I think it is unnecessary and expensive.

 

[Spyderman]

Regarding your problem with rangefinder I am affraid you might have mis-calibrated it...

In my opinion the first suspect is the adapter: is it a precise one from Leitz or Voigtlander? Or is it a cheap no-name one? The best way to check is to test the camera with another known to be good lens. If the other lens reads the same distances then the camera RF is bad. If the other lens reads differerent distances then it's probably the adapter.

In the camera RF are 3 things that can be calibrated:
1 - infinity adjustment
2 - close-to-far relationship
3 - vertical alignment

I'm affraid that on your camera you only changed 1 or 2 and not both. But most of the time 1 and 2 should be calibrated together to get precise focussing both close-up and at infinity...

 

[simon1973]

Hi Spiderman,
My camera is a second-hand,and I don't know where the adapter from,only signed "made in germany".It seems not the very cheap noname one.

I have not other lens so I can't confirm where is wrong.I'll do it later.

Thanks a lot!