Question on using tele and wide in the Retina IIIc

[julio1fer]

Asking for operation help from Retina IIIc experts here.

I got locally a nice IIIc with the Longar 4/80 and Curtar 35/5.6, plus a Xenon 2/50.

When reading the manual I got confused about how to focus with the wide and tele lenses.

The manual says that, when using the wide or tele, you must first focus with the RF as you would do with the 50mm, and then transfer the distance to the scale in the wide or tele lenses. No problem with that.

But what happens with the focus ring after measurement? Should I keep the base focus ring at the distance measured, or should I set it back to infinity (besides, of course, setting the distance in the scale in the auxiliary tele or wide lens)?

For instance: Imagine that I measure a distance of 8 ft. I go to the scale in the Longar lens, and set it to 8 ft. But should I also move the focus tab of the camera back to the infinity position, or should I let it stay at 8 ft?

Second question. My Retina IIIc has two alternative distance scales at the bottom of the lens panel, one marked with a black triangle and reading in black numbers over chrome, and the other marked with a T and reading in chrome numbers over black. I gather that these are the scales to use with the wide and tele lenses, respectively. When using these, should I keep the scale distance in the lenses at infinity?

Thanks for any comment! I'd like to get over these doubts before wasting a test roll.

 

[FrankS]

This is why I don't bother trying to acquire the wide and tele lenses for my lllc. It is a fabulous camera with its 50mm lens. For wide and tele shots, I use a different camera.

Sorry can't help. Hope someone with these aux. lenses can help you.

 

[julio1fer]

Well, thanks anyway. Indeed it is fabulous just with the 50mm. But I got these two auxiliary lenses which look like David and Goliath, and I'd like to use them with confidence.

I am 99% sure that the focus scale in the lens panel must be set back to infinity after measuring, and the distance set in the auxiliary lens' scale.

Alternatively, keep the auxiliary lens at infinity but transfer the distance to the auxiliary scales at the bottom of the lens panel.

A shame that the manual is not a bit more specific. In any case, I can always burn a few frames to test my hypothesis.

 

[farlymac]

Julio, it's a convoluted affair, but really not that complicated.

Get your focus through the rangefinder.

Read the distance from the scale on the top of the lens/shutter assembly.

Say you are using the 80mm lens, and focus it is at 7 ft. Adjust the ring on the lens so that the 7 ft mark of the 50mm scale is aligned with the DOF scale center mark. This shows a distance of halfway between the 15 and 25 ft marks on the 80mm scale.

Turn the camera up so you are looking at the scales on the bottom of the lens panel. The tele scale is on the right, with a T mark. Align the scale so the T is between the 15 and 25 ft marks.

Frame, set exposure, and take your photo.

PF