Voigtländer 35mm f2.5 Color-Skopar - Adapter not aligned properly?

[TrevorB]

Hello! This is my first post here, as I just got my first Leica, a beautiful M2.

I also got Voigtländer 35mm f2.5 Color-Skopar lens, and a cheap adapter from eBay. It seems to screw on tightly, the framelines are correct, and the focus seems to work with the rangefinder patch, although I haven't shot with it yet.

However, I just noticed the dot marking on the lens that shows the focus distance/aperture is off-center (see pictures), meaning the whole lens isn't quite rotated enough. I tried screwing the lens/adapter on more but that's about as tight as it can get...

Will this affect anything? Does this mean the adapter is faulty? Or is it totally normal?

Thanks so much for your help,
Trevor

 

[madNbad]

Spend the money and find a decent adapter. A Voigtlander or Leica adapter are well made and you'll never have a problem. If you're lucky, cheap adapters can be a bargin and work well but you may have to buy several to find the right one. Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your M2 , I love mine.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I've had similar issue with cheap MiC and Ultron 35. Can't tell you for 100%, but it was less sharp on wide open. You have very lovely set. Get one of those mentioned above. I have Leica made and it is worth of its price.

 

[jarski]

After similar experience with China adapters, am staying far and away of those with RF cameras. With mirrorless you can least see the LCD, but with film RF its often several weeks later of head scratching of why the pic looks out of focus.

 

[TrevorB]

Thanks for the advice guys. Would this do the trick?

 

[madNbad]

Yes, and use the code DIGFILM for 25% off.

 

[ferider]

Does the lens/rangefinder align at infinity (like a star at night), and the RF moves all the way down to 0.7m ? If yes, save your money, all is OK, the lens will be as sharp as it should be.

If the cosmetics bug you, you can rotate the lens flange on most LTM CV lenses. Unscrew the flange, and underneath you see several holes that the flange can be put back into, rotated by a few degrees.

Roland.

 

[TrevorB]

Does the lens/rangefinder align at infinity (like a star at night), and the RF moves all the way down to 0.7m ? If yes, save your money, all is OK, the lens will be as sharp as it should be.

If the cosmetics bug you, you can rotate the lens flange on most LTM CV lenses. Unscrew the flange, and underneath you see several holes that the flange can be put back into, rotated by a few degrees.

Roland.

Interesting. Yes, the focus aligns at infinity and at 0.7m, so looks like functionally it works!

I might try that trick at home. So I just unscrew the 3 screws behind the lens, take off the flange and rotate it, and screw it back on? Will this have any effect? I only really would want to rotate it a few degrees so the marker is aligned. Could this do the trick?

 

[ferider]

I might try that trick at home. So I just unscrew the 3 screws behind the lens, take off the flange and rotate it, and screw it back on? Will this have any effect? I only really would want to rotate it a few degrees so the marker is aligned. Could this do the trick?

Take the flange off, and have a look, there are three possible positions, a few degrees offset from each other. Might not fix it entirely (depending where the flange is mounted today, might have been moved by the previous owner).

Do use a good philips screwdriver, though, and don't overtighten going back (the brass is quite soft).

Roland.

 

[Huss]

If your lens focuses correctly, do not bother changing to a different adapter.
I have multiple high end adapters - from Leica and Voigtlander and none, I repeat none of them align properly at the 12 o'clock position. They all look like yours to a varying extent.
Yeah it's annoying from a cosmetic perspective, but if it works, it works. You have a lovely set up.