Lenses with click stop focusing rings

[prmortimer]

Hi everyone,

I'm a happy owner of a Voigtlander Snapshot Skopar 25mm, which features "dents" or "click stops" on the focusing ring (e.g., at 1m, 2m, etc.).
I find this design very practical and much more convenient for quick focusing compared to continuous focus rings, which can sometimes shift unintentionally when handling the camera. It's also way more user friendly for non-photograph friends that want to use the camera but do not easily understand how it works.

I'm on the lookout for other lenses with a similar design (in particular compatible with M-Mount systems / LTM).
So far, apart from the Snapshot Skopar and the Lomography Minitar (though the Minitar lacks a focus range on the lens), I haven’t been able to find any.

Do you know of any lenses with this type of focusing mechanism?
And why is it manufacturers didn't capitalize on this ?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Muggins]

Hi everyone,

I'm a happy owner of a Voigtlander Snapshot Skopar 25mm, which features "dents" or "click stops" on the focusing ring (e.g., at 1m, 2m, etc.).
I find this design very practical and much more convenient for quick focusing compared to continuous focus rings, which can sometimes shift unintentionally when handling the camera. It's also way more user friendly for non-photograph friends that want to use the camera but do not easily understand how it works.

I'm on the lookout for other lenses with a similar design (in particular compatible with M-Mount systems / LTM).
So far, apart from the Snapshot Skopar and the Lomography Minitar (though the Minitar lacks a focus range on the lens), I haven’t been able to find any.

Do you know of any lenses with this type of focusing mechanism?
And why is it manufacturers didn't capitalize on this ?

Thanks in advance!

It's an idea that's been about for a while as I have a Kodak Six-20 "Kodak " Junior that has exactly such a lens circa 1935.

 

[prmortimer]

Yes, I asked ChatGPT, and it also mentioned older cameras.

Some of them featured 'dented' rings with icons (e.g., portrait, group, landscape) to simplify zone focusing, making them more user-friendly for a broader audience—which I find quite appealing.

However, I couldn't seem to find any 'modern' lenses with similar features that are easily compatible with the Leica M system (without requiring a 3D printed adapter, or disassembling an old camera).
That’s essentially the core of my original question.

 

[WoodallP]

Well I suppose the basic question is why would you want your lens to be out of focus most of the time. By having click stops you are making it easy for people who don't want precision but harder for people who do. This sort of approach is more acceptable in wide angle street photography where something is likely to be in focus, and may render an unexpected result; but it is not what most M owners would want on their main lens where the ability to focus accurately is valued.

Click stops on apertures are bad enough 😂

But that’s just my opinion I should add!

 

[prmortimer]

I understand your point but I personally think precise focusing is overrated (and so is sharpness/pixel peeping).

As you mention, street photography is not about precision - and it's where rangefinders excel. And one could say the same for landscape or architecture photography.

I agree it works probably best for wide angle lenses, where using apertures f4 or above leaves plenty range (ie, from 2 to 6 meter on the snapshot skopar). And I think it could also help for non rangefinder coupled lenses in general, where speed is more important than adjusting with the finder.

There are also lots of situation where I prefer that my friends understand the camera rather missing a shot.

 

[WoodallP]

Probably an on/off option would keep everyone happy 😊 Not impossible I’m sure.

 

[caranatar]

I have a Voigtlander 12mm ultra wide heliar ltm lens with these. It makes it really easy to drive focus by feel

 

[d_c]

The focussing tab on most leica lenses gives you a physical indicator of what the focus is without looking at the scale - 6 o'clock is generally 1.5m.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

It depends. Clicks and DOF are precise as long as click is aligned with distance range covered by matching it DOF.

But if you spend six or so months with Leica mount lens on the street, verifying by RF, you'll be in focus at f2.8 and even less with not too close range on 50mm lens.

25mm at F4 ... you don't really need any clicks but focus tab and some practice.
But many don't have this luxury of time.

So, just push ISO and plow it with f8.

Street is as precise as capable you are.



by Kostya Fedot, on Flickr

We were both walking and if you know something about photography technicalities....
It is film M with 50 ISO long time expired cinefilm, 50mm Leitz lens.
Distance of object in focus, plus background should tell you how large aperture was.
You could do it, if you know the DOF and have learn the distances on your lens focus tab positions.