R3M focus accuracy good enough for 1.1?

[evanbaines]

I am curious: those of you who own the r3m and the 50 nokton, do you find the camera's focus accuracy to be adequate to reliably focus at 1.1?

 

[geotrupede]

Beware, the issue may be the lens 🙂

I have one and have to manually front focus to get the right spot...

It is a great lens but the inaccurate focusing is starting to bother me, in fact I am thinking to go to the shop tomorrow... (tried on a M6 and M8)

G

 

[bolohead]

I had no problems focusing the 1.1 on the r2, which has less vf magnification than the r3. I don't wear glasses. In fact, I have bionic eyes from PRK surgery. 😱 If your eyesight is good, it should be no problem.

 

[CameraQuest]

the R3* should have no problem focusing the 50/1.1

it easier to focus by aligning the edges of the focusing patch with something in the scene
instead of superimposing the two images in the focusing patch

Stephen

 

[Tom A]

I use the R3M/A for the 50mm f1.1 and had no problems - at least that I can blame camera/lens for. At f1.1 the depth of field is shallow enough that just by exhaling or inhaling, you can shift it. I have also used Noctilux (both f1.0 and f0.95) with good results on the R3M/A bodies.
When you are using "super-speed" lenses - you have to be prepared for shallow depth of field and, if possible, bracket focus by shifting the body slightly. Any movement of the "shooter" can throw it off - as can subject movement in low light.
As a rule I prefer the R3 rangefinder to the MP/M6 one - the exception being the 0.85 finder in the M, but the blasted 75 frames intrude!

 

[bennyng]

I use the 50 f/1.1 fine on the R3 series. If you are concerned, there are magnifiers that you can screw on the the viewfinder to improve your focusing accuracy.

Cheers,

 

[geotrupede]

Maybe I am the only unlucky... but please let me elaborate.

I originally did not realise that the lens was dodgy, in fact I used it the whole summer, and happily, with film at night, where you really do not see focus issues as there are more issue with the low shutter speed 🙂

But recently I used it on a M8 and started to feel that the images where not really sharp... but then I tried at home with a tripod and focusing something in the middle of the image... and bang.
There is about 6 - 10 cm of shift at f1.1. The focus is after what is in focus on the viewfinder.
I can easily get rid of the issue by turning the focus closer and guessing, it is just a little turn to the lens...

The issue is consistent on two cameras and one camera was fresh of calibration last summer so I say it is the lens.

Not a great situation, considering I paid 1000 pounds for the lens new.

Anyway I started to read the forums about this issue and found rumours that there are two version of the lens, an earlier dodgy focusing version and a newer and corrected revision.

Knock on wood, try to get the new version or simply test the lens before cash is gone. Use a tripod and place something in the middle of the frame, focus and check.

On the positive side, the lens is really a bargain considering that the alternative is above 3500 pounds used... when things are in focus the results are really nice...

Thanks for letting me speak out.
😱
G

 

[Gary E]

As a rule I prefer the R3 rangefinder to the MP/M6 one - the exception being the 0.85 finder in the M, but the blasted 75 frames intrude!

Don't you hate that with the intruding frame lines? I wish when I switched to a 50mm only the 50mm lines showed up and to 75mm when the 75mm is mounted. I only hope the Fuji XXXX with interchangeable lenses superimposes singular frame lines when the lenses are mounted. One of the reasons I loved the M3 and M2; clean and uncluttered frame lines.

Back on topic, I haven't had any issues focusing my 50/2 or 90/2 on the R3A (though not F1.1 or F1.4), but you do have to keep your eye aligned in the middle to get it just right. (The 50mm and 75mm are separated to their own frame lines in the R3*, and this is the one thing I think VC got it right 🙂)

 

[former member]

With regard to using the Nokton on the M8- there is a difference in optimizing focus for a film camera and a digital sensor. I built up the RF cam of the Nokton by ~0.05mm using two layers of copper tape. That fixed the back-focus issue for the M8.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100333

 

[evanbaines]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts all. I'm definitely aware of the issues of focusing such a fast lens: I routinely use the Canon 85L, and the RZ67 110mm lens wide open at 2.8 is pretty minuscule DOF as well. I was just curious of the relative merits of this lens on an R3* series vs. the longer base-length of a Leica, such as the M3.

 

[aldobonnard]

Using an R-D1, I had some little glitches at the limit (f/1.1) in focussing until I bought a megapearl x1.3 accessory (see japanexposures) which does help a lot.
Never had any issue with the M7/0.85, perfect sharpness at f/1.1 (as far as the shallow DOF allows, as Tom pointed...)