RF Check

[Bill Pierce]

I was browsing Andrew Nemeth's Leica FAQ and came across this quote from an old friend, Sal DiMarco. I doubt if this tip will generate much dialogue, but it is exceptionally useful.

"The late Bob Schwalberg once suggested a quick way to do a rangefinder test: for infinity… focus on a cloud. It is far enough away to be infinity. For closer distances, put a lipstick mark on a mirror ([or] black tape) set your camera to one meter and focus by moving the camera in and out. Once you have focused on one meter, move to the side a bit and refocus on the camera body. The scale should say two meters - if it doesn't then it's off. Finally, as he pointed out, even if your rangefinder is off a little, you lose focus at ƒ2.0 but at ƒ8.0 everything will be fine."

 

[pachuco]

Thanks Bill! I pretty much depend on that last line there.

 

[Trius]

Bill: How much is "a bit"?

 

[former member]

Lately, I've been finding the lenses can be a problem as well. The Camera's RF is perfect, the RF cam of the lens was worn down a bit. Used a Canon 50/1.4, Canon 85/2, and Canon 135/3.5 on a Canon VI-T. Only the pictures with the 135 were out of focus. Checking it later with a TTL viewer, the distance scale and actual focus agreed. But back on the camera using the rangefinder, the distance was wrong. Had to be the RF cam: using a piece of copper tape over the cam corrected the problem that RF/distance scale/actual focus agreed. This is the fourth lens that I've had to do this fix to.

 

[Bill Pierce]

Bill: How much is "a bit"?

Just enough so that you can see and focus on the mirror image of the camera instead of having it blocked by the tape.

 

[steamer]

Thanks Bill
That is a great tip, this kind of thing keeps me coming back to RFF.