that annoying little thumb thing

[crayonstickguy]

hi there. further to my purchase enquires - re: voigtlander 50/2.5.

does anyone know whether the thumb focusing thingy on these type of lenses can be removed/replaced? i have tried focusing a leica whose lens employed the same method, and found it almost impossisble, not to mention really uncomfortable. Any reasonable (read: affordable/good image) lens suggestions, sans thumb thing? i guess that i'm just used to the old SLR 'grip the focusing ring' approach. how about a canon lense? many people on these forums give good feedback. any suggestions really (looking to buy R/R2)

cheers
m

 

[bmattock]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean, but if you're referring to the focusing tab, yes, it can be removed. But you can also focus by means of grasping the focus ring and turning. Perhaps you're referring to the 'infinity lock' that many of these lenses have? Many find them annoying and remove or disable them - frankly, I have no problem with them myself. Would this be what you mean?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[peter_n]

crayonstickguy welcome to the forum! 🙂 You are a brother!! 😀 I too have the same issue - I absolutely can't use lenses with tabs after using an SLR for so many years. It just ruins your grip on the whole camera...

If there is a ridged focusing ring you may be able to unscrew the tab stick thing on the CV lens. Otherwise its a case of sell the lens and get a 50 with a ridged or knurled focusing ring. 🙁

 

[Chuck A]

The focus tabs seem to be either loved or hated. I always liked them myself.

 

[peter_n]

Most people seem to love them. Everyone's fed up of me whining about them here so I try to keep quiet about it... 😉

 

[Roger Hicks]

Love 'em. Hate infinity locks; love focusing tabs. For the worst of both worlds try a Canon 50/1,2 with infinity lock and no focusing tabs.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[rich815]

I was not thrilled with them at first either but have found with time and effort that once you are used to them you can focus much faster with a RF patch than trying to spin the whole barrel. Now I love them. Just MHO.

 

[DougK]

I'm with you Peter, I can't stand focus tabs either. I admit it, it's the SLR influence.

 

[Fred]

No problems with the tab, I think it makes the focus quicker in most cases. Some lenses have a little screw in stalk that isn't quite as good but either work for me.

 

[back alley]

freak here - love BOTH infinity locks and tabs!!

joe

 

[peter_n]

I'm with you Peter, I can't stand focus tabs either. I admit it, it's the SLR influence.

Hey another brother! 🙂 For me it actually has more to do with the way I support the camera more than anything else. Almost unbelievably, I support and focus the camera exactly like the model in the left-side picture on p. 17 of my M6TTL manual.

This hold, with the thumb and first finger grasping each side of the lens barrel, allows my index, fourth and fifth fingers to form a platform under the camera just like she has it. So my left hand is the support that pushes against the shutter when it is pressed.

Introduce a tab into this scenario and everything is messed up. 🙁

 

[Roger Hicks]

For me the great thing about a focus tab is pre-setting focus by touch as I raise the camera to my eye. Beats collars (and autofocus) hollow! I get so many better pictures this way that I prefer an inferior lens WITH a tab to a better lens WITHOUT one. But then I've been using them for over a third of a century...

Of course the new ZI lenses try to have the best of both worlds with a locating 'bump' that isn't a tab.

But Joe, tell me: what on earth IS the attraction of an infinity lock?

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Rick Waldroup]

I have used SLR's for years, but I absolutley love tabs! For the small rangefinder lenses I have, I feel they are really necessary. I can't imagine using my lenses with out them.

 

[back alley]

But Joe, tell me: what on earth IS the attraction of an infinity lock?

i use it like a tab, holding it to focus with, much like you use the tab.
i like it for putting on/removing the lens from the body.

and for some odd reason i can never remember which way the lens turns for infinity or for close up but if it has a tab/infinity lock i can tell by feel.

plus i think they look cool.

joe

 

[cbass]

I prefer the SLR-style ring for finer focusing. I'm pretty ham-fisted with the tabs; many times I "over-correct" when trying to fine-tune the focus, especially in low light.

However, the focus tab/stick/knob/ on my CV 35/2.5 is by far the best of the ones I've used. Beats the old knurled discs of the Japanese and FSU lenses by a country mile.

 

[ray_g]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that for collapsible lenses, you are supposed to lock them at infinity before you mount or dismount them.

Since I started out with lenses with them, I guess I just got used to using the tabs or locks for focusing and presetting focus by feel, especially for short lenses. In fact, I put a little clear rubber "nipple" (the kind you use to keep furniture from sliding) on the focus ring of my canon 35/2.

 

[Roger Hicks]

OK Joe, thanks. Now that you mention it, I've never really been too unhappy with the infinity lock on the Elmar and similar lenses where the focusing tab is the ONLY way of focusing, because it does indeed become second nature to use the lock as the pivot for your finger.

But have you ever used the Canon 50/1.2 with (as I say) a collar and a lock? AAARGH! The lock is disabled (reversibly) on mine. I also seem to recall other lenses where you have a tab/collar option plus an infinity lock, but it's a long time since I last owned on. Canon? Yashica? Nikon? I just don't remember.

Contaxes are awkward too, if you focus by twisting the lens instead of twirling the finger-wheel for half an hour.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Roger Hicks]

Ray, I think it's not so much 'supposed to' as 'pretty much have to' when it comes to removal. Obviously you can't twist the lens itself (it just rotates) and it's not a good idea to force it against the end of the screw thread.

When mounting any screw-thread lens, though, it is almost always a good idea to set the lens to its closes focusing distance so the cam is fully retracted and doesn't hang up on the rangefinder actuator. It will screw on much easier if the actuator isn't trying to tilt the lens relative to the thread.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[rover]

Funny how everyone is different.

I actually don't mind the lever, that being the small stick on the CV lenses, but if not for the quality of the images from my 35 Summicron I would give that lens up. A tiny lens with no room for your fingers, then there is that huge block on it. I can live with it though and be very happy. Same with the 50 penultimate Summicron. Would be much better without the lever, but it sure works like heck. 😉

I actually like the 50/1.2, big enough to get a hold of and the lock doesn't bother me at all. And the stick on the CV 21 seems to be very useful to me.

 

[peter_n]

Doh! Why didn't I think of this before? Attached is the picture & explanation from the M6TTL manual. When I was trying to explain my hold on another forum I used the word "triangulate" to describe it and interestingly enough the manual calls it a "three-point holding position". You can see how this hold is messed up by a tab.

A question for the tab aficionados: what finger of what hand do you stick into the little concave part of the tab?