M8 backfocusing issues

[LeicaM3]

Being a new R-D1 owner I read with interest about the amount of problems people have with issues, e.g. backfocusing (<-link).
I wonder if it is partially due to easy testing and instant turn around. Who would test 5 lenses for backfocusing on a film camera...
BTW, mine works perfectly so far. No problems at all.


Andreas

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Are you talking about the RD-1 or the M8?

As far as I know, any rangefinder has to be calibrated properly. The ability to focus properly also depends on the shooter's abilities.

You titled your thread as if this is a problem with the M8, without any reference whatsoever to any articles, samples, discussion. I don't understand your post.

 

[erikhaugsby]

Who would test 5 lenses for backfocusing on a film camera...

Many people--Erwin Puts, possibly Raid, I would too if I felt my camera alignment was ailing.

 

[Sailor Ted]

Yes the M8's RF is stellar- could use a little flare resistant coating but it's accurate and seems tank like.

 

[ray_g]

Being a new R-D1 owner I read with interest about the amount of problems people have with issues, e.g. backfocusing.
I wonder if it is partially due to easy testing and instant turn around.

Yes, it is a peculiarity in statistics.

In the medical field, for example: The incidence of colon cancer may appear to be increasing, but it may partly be due to better diagnostic tests being used, and more people undergoing these screening tests rather to a true increase in the disease.

 

[barjohn]

On the Leica forum there is a discussion about back focusing issues with the M8 (some of them) and how to fix with a 2mm allen wrench. I would guess that is what he is referring to. Seems easier to adjust than the R-D1 bu I was surprised that the M8 would require user adjustment on a new camera.

John

 

[rvaubel]

On the Leica forum there is a discussion about back focusing issues with the M8 (some of them) and how to fix with a 2mm allen wrench. I would guess that is what he is referring to. Seems easier to adjust than the R-D1 bu I was surprised that the M8 would require user adjustment on a new camera.

John

You own an RD1 and are surprised that an new M8 might require a rangrfinder adjustment ? 🙄

Rex

 

[Ben Z]

Yes, it is a peculiarity in statistics.

In the medical field, for example: The incidence of colon cancer may appear to be increasing, but it may partly be due to better diagnostic tests being used, and more people undergoing these screening tests rather to a true increase in the disease.

In that example, looking at the number of deaths due to colon cancer in comparison to the number of incidences would confirm if more cases are being found but even more are being cured. Doing likewise with the M8, the number of incidences and the number of "deaths" are running pretty much neck and neck 🙁

Overall the RD-1's achilles heel seems to be the rangefinder alignment, which as a serious shortcoming of the design can be likened to the M8's extreme IR sensitivity. With an RD-1 you travel with a small tool kit, and with an M8 you bring a stack of IR filters 😀

But considering how much the RD-1 is maligned as a POS there are extremely few other repair issues raised besides the rangefinder. IMO at its original price of $3000 the RD-1 was a horrible value and why I never considered one. At $1400 for a refurb I felt it was worth the risk and so far I seem to have lucked into "one of the good ones". If it develops a rangefinder misalignment I will probably be able to fix it myself, and if not, Don Goldberg can. If anything else goes wrong, I've got a year's warranty. And I'm going to be a lot less steamed with $1400 sitting in the shop for a couple months than if it was a $4800 M8. And from what I'm seeing, Leica's service on the M8 while more accessible than Epson's, isn't much more reliable in terms of being able to expect it to get fixed right.

 

[barjohn]

You own an RD1 and are surprised that an new M8 might require a rangrfinder adjustment ? 🙄

Rex

Well..yes! At 4 times the price I would expect that QA would have caught this error. :bang:

John

 

[ray_g]

In that example, looking at the number of deaths due to colon cancer in comparison to the number of incidences would confirm if more cases are being found but even more are being cured. Doing likewise with the M8, the number of incidences and the number of "deaths" are running pretty much neck and neck 🙁

It gets more complicated than that, Ben. To continue with the example, the survival of patients diagnosed to have colon cancer appears to increase (and deaths, decrease) due to something called time bias. They appear to live longer due to drug or test A, but that is only because you diagnosed them earlier in the disease. Many times, the lifespan is still the same.

 

[scho]

Well..yes! At 4 times the price I would expect that QA would have caught this error. :bang:

John

Don't bet on it. I made some negative comments on the Leica forum about Leica QC relative to the dirty (grease spots) sensors being found in new cameras and I suggested that for 5K/camera Leica could at least inspect and clean the sensor before boxing and shipping the camera. That did not sit well with one of the more vocal Leica supporters over there and I was told in no uncertain terms that dirty sensors on new cameras was a fact of life. Perhaps it is but that doesn't mean I have to accept Leica's sloppy QC. If my new M8 is delivered with an out of adjustment RF and filthy sensor it will be sent back immediately. I'm not going to void the warranty on a very expensive camera by hacking around trying to adjust the RF and clean shutter grease off the sensor.

 

[Sailor Ted]

My M8's range finder focuses perfectly; my brand new R-D1s needs to go back as its RF is off from the factory- 2nd time in a row (this no doubt will be meaningless to some).
__________________

 

[ZorkiKat]

Overall the RD-1's achilles heel seems to be the rangefinder alignment, which as a serious shortcoming of the design can be likened to the M8's extreme IR sensitivity. With an RD-1 you travel with a small tool kit, and with an M8 you bring a stack of IR filters 😀

.

I have been getting a lot of purple tinged blacks with my Epson R-D1s. Does this happen more with the 's' than with the original R-D1? I used the camera this morning to shoot a portrait for a magazine. The sitter was wearing a coat, and I used daylight illumination. The gentleman's charcoal-grey suit was rendered purplish brown. Did Epson include in their refinements extra IR sensitivity? 🙄