mattdesmond
Member
This is my first post, so excuse me if a problem like this has been solved before. I just today received a Zorki I off of that one site you all know.
I shot a roll of film through it, shutter speeds are accurate and it works. Although I think the the Industar-22's focus might be off.
Should I...
a. take it apart or
b. just buy a different lens
Here are a couple of photos from the roll:
focused on infinity:
focused on the letters:
Any help or advice would be great! Thanks.
I shot a roll of film through it, shutter speeds are accurate and it works. Although I think the the Industar-22's focus might be off.
Should I...
a. take it apart or
b. just buy a different lens
Here are a couple of photos from the roll:
focused on infinity:
focused on the letters:
Any help or advice would be great! Thanks.
Micky D
-
Hi Matt,
It looks to me like the lens is focussing too far away.
1st. Check that the lens is fully extended and turned, to lock it out.
2nd. Set the camera on a tripod with the lens set to one meter and facing something on the wall. Then move the tripod back and forth so you have this object in focus according to the rangefinder. Then measure the distance between the object and the film plane. It should be one meter.
Check also that when the lens is set to infinity that the rangefinder also says infinity.
Then we'll see where to go from there.
It looks to me like the lens is focussing too far away.
1st. Check that the lens is fully extended and turned, to lock it out.
2nd. Set the camera on a tripod with the lens set to one meter and facing something on the wall. Then move the tripod back and forth so you have this object in focus according to the rangefinder. Then measure the distance between the object and the film plane. It should be one meter.
Check also that when the lens is set to infinity that the rangefinder also says infinity.
Then we'll see where to go from there.
mattdesmond
Member
Thanks for the advice. I found a link that details rangefinder adjustment and I will try that out first.
ZorkiKat
ЗоркийК&
Before you do any adjusting, try to check the camera with another lens first.
Such errors can be due to both.
If you're using a collapsible lens, see first if it's locked at shooting position.
And by using another lens, one which is proven, you can cancel out the possibility that the camera is off.
The examples you show indicate improper lens positioning. This is typically caused by improper lens mount positioning. Or the same could happen to the lens.
Or it could be that the rangefinder is off. In Zorki, the RF must be adjusted for both infinity and minimum focus. Unlike Leica, infinity focus alignment does not guarantee correct focus at 1 metre. See here for more info:
http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page422.htm
The Zorki lens mount surface must be exactly at 28.8mm from the focal plane (where the film is). The examples you showed can indicate that the lens mount is placed too close to the focal plane, resulting in "back focusing". The mount flange to film distance must be exact- anything more than 28,82 or less than 28.78 mm will cause focus errors.
The lens mount position is adjusted by placing shims or spacers between the mount and the body. Sometimes the shims are just bits of paper placed strategically to achieve the correct flange to focal distance at that point. These shims are so critical so that if this one bit even moves to a different position, focusing is no longer so accurate. This might not be obvious with 3.5 lenses, but it will show the effect when shooting at f/2 at close distances.
Your camera may have lost its mount shimming. This is what happens when previous repair or disassembly fails to restore the shims to the right place. Sometimes the shims aren't even put back. I've seen a lot of FED and Zorki which have no shims at all.
If you have to adjust this, you will need a device which will allow you to measure the flange to flocal distance. A very accurate caliper of sorts will be needed.
See here for instructions on adjusting the lens mount:
http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page433.htm
Such errors can be due to both.
If you're using a collapsible lens, see first if it's locked at shooting position.
And by using another lens, one which is proven, you can cancel out the possibility that the camera is off.
The examples you show indicate improper lens positioning. This is typically caused by improper lens mount positioning. Or the same could happen to the lens.
Or it could be that the rangefinder is off. In Zorki, the RF must be adjusted for both infinity and minimum focus. Unlike Leica, infinity focus alignment does not guarantee correct focus at 1 metre. See here for more info:
http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page422.htm
The Zorki lens mount surface must be exactly at 28.8mm from the focal plane (where the film is). The examples you showed can indicate that the lens mount is placed too close to the focal plane, resulting in "back focusing". The mount flange to film distance must be exact- anything more than 28,82 or less than 28.78 mm will cause focus errors.
The lens mount position is adjusted by placing shims or spacers between the mount and the body. Sometimes the shims are just bits of paper placed strategically to achieve the correct flange to focal distance at that point. These shims are so critical so that if this one bit even moves to a different position, focusing is no longer so accurate. This might not be obvious with 3.5 lenses, but it will show the effect when shooting at f/2 at close distances.
Your camera may have lost its mount shimming. This is what happens when previous repair or disassembly fails to restore the shims to the right place. Sometimes the shims aren't even put back. I've seen a lot of FED and Zorki which have no shims at all.
If you have to adjust this, you will need a device which will allow you to measure the flange to flocal distance. A very accurate caliper of sorts will be needed.
See here for instructions on adjusting the lens mount:
http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page433.htm
mattdesmond
Member
Getting closer... Adjusted the RF today and it is still a little off. I got a couple of decent shots though.
The below image is the result of using a meter stick and setting the focus to 1 meter (the horse). So you can see it's a little off, maybe by a few cm.
The below image is the result of using a meter stick and setting the focus to 1 meter (the horse). So you can see it's a little off, maybe by a few cm.
hamradio
Well-known
Welcome to rff, matt! I recognize you from another forum. 
ZorkiKat
ЗоркийК&
Did you check the lens mount flange to film distance? This matters a lot.
payasam
a.k.a. Mukul Dube
As has been said, the camera's R/F should not be suspected unless you get the same errors with other lenses known to be good. In my experience, the best infinity check is the moon.
mattdesmond
Member
It does appear that the lens was taken apart at some point. I'm going to find another lens and do a double check. Also will check the mount distance.
And what's up ham? You're all over the interweb.
And what's up ham? You're all over the interweb.