Leica LTM The Focoslide: not just for photocopies

[Coldkennels]

I recently picked up a Focoslide, and after some cleaning up, I've found it makes for a surprisingly functional (if a tad eccentric) close-up photography setup.

For those who've never seen one, it looks like this:



You clip a Barnack* next to the (Visoflex-compatible) viewfinder on the top, a lens on the LTM lens mount underneath, and focus through the lens before sliding the camera into position to take the photo. Actual working length depends on lens focal length and adapters used, but you can get some pretty good shots with a lot of detail if you're patient enough.

Anyway, I couldn't find a thread for photos taken with a Focoslide, so I thought I'd start one and drop a couple of my experiments in here. Hopefully some other folks in here also enjoy using this oddball contraption, as it'd be good to see some other shots done with one of these.

*note: for those interested, compatibility is a bit hit-and-miss. I don't own a If any more, but as the Focoslide has small cutouts for the RF and VF windows to ensure correct alignment, I assume a Leica I/Standard would be a less-than-perfect fit. It'll take any Leica II or III model apart from the IIIg (the change in RF/VF layout means it won't fit), an early Canon (I've used a Canon IIIa), an original FED or Zorki, and presumably most of the direct Barnack clones; the Leotax T2L is too long and the "alignment bar" doesn't fit on the area around the rewind knob.

 

[Coldkennels]

The most obvious use: plants and wood.

Canon IIIa, Elmar 90mm, Fomapan 400 in Rodinal 1:50

​

 

[Coldkennels]

Stump.

Canon IIIa, Elmar 90mm, Fomapan 400 in Rodinal 1:50

 

[Coldkennels]

The most unusual portrait I've ever taken.

Leica IIIf, Elmar 90mm, Kodak Fine Grain 5302 at 6ISO in Rodinal 1:100

 

[Freakscene]

The most unusual portrait I've ever taken.

Leica IIIf, Elmar 90mm, Kodak Fine Grain 5302 at 6ISO in Rodinal 1:100

Interesting set up. Your subject in the portrait must be quite patient. The 5302 is blue sensitive only, isn't it? I've noticed those unusual skin tones with this sort of film before.

Marty

 

[Coldkennels]

Interesting set up. Your subject in the portrait must be quite patient. The 5302 is blue sensitive only, isn't it? I've noticed those unusual skin tones with this sort of film before.

Yeah, the subject is a friend of mine who's bore witness to my various photographic experiments before, so he was more than game to sit patiently for a minute or two while I faffed around. According to my notes, the exposure was 1/2 second at f/8, but you obviously have to add onto that exposure the time for focusing and sliding the camera into position.

And yes, the 5302 is orthochromatic. I totally forgot about that when I tried taking a photograph to finish this roll last night... used an orange filter to darken a blue sky and got a totally blank frame as a result. Definitely not my brightest moment.

 

[Coldkennels]

An example of working distance:

Leica IIIg, shot with a Leica IIIf and a Summicron on a Focoslide:



The actual setup:

 

[rfaspen]

I think there were M versions of the focoslide...or maybe not so certain. I do know that there were multiple versions of LTM.
Good chance someone here will confirm (or not) the existence of an M version before I could dig out one of my Leica references.
I wouldn't mind having an M focoslide.... only needs to accommodate the M body, lens side could be other.

 

[HuubL]

yep, I have an M version with built-in bellows.
Oh, sorry, it's a reprovit II.

 

[Coldkennels]

Still Focoslidin':



I found an old Zenit 3M lying around with an M39 Helios-44 on it. On the Focoslide, you get full focusing to infinity, and the pre-set diaphragm is incredibly useful. This was at f/4, with a Canon IIIa mounted in the Focoslide - that's usually a good slave body for this setup, as I absolutely hate using the combined RF/VF in that thing.

 

[Coldkennels]

One from last weekend:



I think this is the first time in over ten years I've gone "huh, I wish I was still shooting Velvia 50". Also, I'm continually amazed by the amount of detail a 1950s 90mm Elmar can render as a macro or semi-macro lens.

(Leica Ic, 90mm Elmar, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal, Focoslide)

 

[Saganich]

Focoslide ID Chart from Lager Vol III

 

[Godfrey]

Very neat device. I know there was an M-mount compatible version of the Focoslide as well, and my festering curiosity with ancient camera equipment tickles me to hunt one up and play with it. But my sanity and sparse wallet lining prevail...

LOL! I have other goofiness to spend my excess money on. Like a set of pretty titanium finishing bolts for my bicycle... 😉

G

 

[Coldkennels]

Very neat device. I know there was an M-mount compatible version of the Focoslide as well, and my festering curiosity with ancient camera equipment tickles me to hunt one up and play with it. But my sanity and sparse wallet lining prevail...

Luckily they're relatively cheap... at least the LTM ones are.

The most difficult part of the whole process is sourcing (and understanding) all the different adaptors and widgets. I finally found a ZWTOO-HESUM for a decent price the other day - that's an adaptor that supposedly couples to the bayonet of a Summar's collapsing barrel to enable focusing between 42cm and infinity, so I can use that on the Focoslide instead of the Helios-44. There was also a ZWTOO for the 50/3.5 Elmar, a ZOONT that was the same but for very specific Elmars, a ZOOXY for work between 23cm and 1m with the Elmar, and even adaptors to use a Focotar enlarging lens (which could be interesting).

The thing that you have to watch out for is that all of these are for the earlier LTM Focoslides; the M mount one has a larger 51mm lens mount, so doesn't take LTM lenses directly and needs a different set of adaptors (VSPOO for Summicron, VXZOO for 50/2.8 Elmar, VXOOT for 50/3.5 Elmar).

Apparently they also made one Barnack-compatible Focoslide with that 51mm mount, but they (thankfully) seem fairly rare; the direct LTM option is a lot more interesting (and fun).

 

[Dralowid]

What! No stereo version?

 

[rfaspen]

Coldkennels ... Thanks for the detailed rundown of focoslides. I have M bodies I'd prefer to use because I could use either film or digital,
but I have Barnacks too (Leica, Canon, others) and if the draw of playing with yet more Leica esoterica is strong.....well let's just say I have a small collection of Visoflex stuff.🤔

 

[MarkWalberg]

There is a device similar to the focoslide called the Shull Speed-O-Copy.
https://www.arguscg.org/manuals/speed-o-copy.pdf
It folds rather than slides.
I have one but have not put it to use yet. Need to give it a try.

 

[Coldkennels]

Coldkennels ... Thanks for the detailed rundown of focoslides. I have M bodies I'd prefer to use because I could use either film or digital,
but I have Barnacks too (Leica, Canon, others) and if the draw of playing with yet more Leica esoterica is strong.....well let's just say I have a small collection of Visoflex stuff.🤔

I've played with the Visoflex, and honestly, I think the Focoslide is the better (if more laborious) system. It's much more versatile, for one. In theory, if I could find adapters for any SLR lens to the Zenit M39 mount (not LTM - I don't need the extension tube to get correct focus on a Leica body directly!), I could use any SLR lens on this thing. It's just a shame that the versions for the M-mount cameras have a different lens mount on the other side.

I wonder if you could cobble together a M-mount-compatible one with parts from the LTM version so you don't have to get a different set of adapters? Hm.

There is a device similar to the focoslide called the Shull Speed-O-Copy.
https://www.arguscg.org/manuals/speed-o-copy.pdf
It folds rather than slides.
I have one but have not put it to use yet. Need to give it a try.

That's a really interesting variation on the idea. It looks like it should be compatible with more bodies (including M mount ones via LTM adapter, I guess), but I wonder if the whole device has the same width as the Focoslide - i.e. whether it can take the same adapters?

 

[MarkWalberg]

I attached an M3 to my Speed-O-Copy.
The first picture is with it folded to take a picture.
The second shows it folded to use the viewing screen.

It is not east to mount an M camera on it. The mount on the Speed-O-Copy can be adjusted with a spanner as shown in the third picture. You have to set this just right, otherwise the buttons on the front of the camera are in the way. Also, it is not very easy to get the camera off the device.

When the lens (a Canon 50) is focused at infinity, the ground glass shows focus at about one foot. I have not tested to see if the ground glass agrees with the camera.

They made Speed-O-Copy for Leica thread mount and for Contax and maybe Nikon, but I don't think one was made for M mount.
Fourth picture is of the M adapter on the Speed-O-Copy.

-Mark W

 

[Coldkennels]

When the lens (a Canon 50) is focused at infinity, the ground glass shows focus at about one foot. I have not tested to see if the ground glass agrees with the camera.

That tracks with how the Focoslide handles 50mm lenses without one of the adapters; this is with a 50mm Summicron focused at "infinity", with the lens cap on the Canon 35/1.8 sharp on the ground glass:



I should also note here that it turns out the ZWTOO-HESUM does not give you focusing from 42cm to infinity on a Focoslide - I'd have to measure to check, but it's more like the 23cm to 1m distance given for the ZOOXY. Still quite useable, but not even close to what's quoted in the "Leica Accessory Guide" over on Butkus' camera manual site. I think that's a mix-up with an earlier adapter made by Leitz New York that, according to a book/pamphlet on close-up photography, has a "compensating ring" that can be removed to allow for infinity focusing. The later Wetzlar adapters don't seem to have that, as far as I can tell.

I've already shot a few frames with the Summar wide-open with the ZWTOO-HESUM; I just need to finish the roll in the Ic to see how they came out. They looked nice on the ground glass, though!