M8 rangefinder adjustment

<p>Hey guys, I've got a few questions regarding the focus on my new (to me) m8, my first rangefinder. </p>

<p> So far I've acquired 2 lenses, a 28mm biogon, and a 35mm nokton, and both cannot focus to infinity. What I mean by this is that not only do the images in the viewfinder not coincide at infinity, but when either lens is turned to infinity lock the resulting photo is clearly not focused to infinity they seem to focus somewhere in the range of 100 to 150 yds. </p>

<p> Now, my question, this isn't something that can be adjusted through the eccentric hex adjustment on the coupling arm correct? From my understanding, at infinity, making the adjustments to have a coincident image wouldn't have an effect on the resulting image, just the view from the viewfinder. So, am I correct in assuming that the problem is actually the distance from the sensor to the lens, and further, given that the focus with the two lenses at infinity is roughly equivalent that the problem lies with the camera itself?</p>

<p> Any thoughts anyone? </p>

<p><a href="http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/65343-misalignment-infinity.html">http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/65343-misalignment-infinity.html</a><br>

<a href="http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/31896-m8-rangefinder-diy-other-myths.html">http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/31896-m8-rangefinder-diy-other-myths.html</a></p>

<p>I wouldn't mess around with it Steve, just bite the bullet and send it in for service. You'll probably end up doing that either way.</p>

 

<p>May I suggest there is more than one problem. Your lenses are set up for a film camera which has the same flange to pressure plate distance as an M8 flange to sensor. The problem is film lies in a trough and is not flat so some compromise is made in focus distance. With a digi M8, no compromise is necessary. When set up perfectly, I don`t think a lens can be made to work on film and digi perfectly.</p>

<p>As has been stated in the links or above, fixing the M8 RF can cause other problems. The real fix ,assuming the M 8 is perfect, is to have the lenses adjusted to the digital standard rather than film standard. Leica will not touch someone elses lens most likely.</p>

<p>The Leica RF has two distance adjustment points, infinity and one meter. They both need to be set properly, not just the infinity one which is the excentric roller you can easily see.</p>

<p>If you set the thing up to work with orphan lenses and later put Leica lenses on it, there will be other problems. Years ago, it was recommended you mate a 75 1.4 to a specific camera for everything to work properly. These things are at the edge of technology and problems are occuring that really can`t be fixed except on a camera /lens basis.</p>

<p>The resulting images does not focus at infinity indicates problem with flange-to-sensor distance in your M8. Especially when both lenses will not focus to infinity. Adjusting the rangefinder will <strong>not</strong> fix the issue.</p>

<p>Does the shop where you bought the camera have some Leica lenses? I seriously doubt the problem is with Zeiss and Voigtlander/Cosina lenses but worth trying the infinity focus with Leica lenses.</p>

<p>Stupid question: those lenses are M-mount right? If they were LTM then I can see the problem is with LTM-M adapter being too thick.</p>

<p>Kris</p>

<p>I would not do the adjustment myself. I had problem before even with Leica lens. I sent the camera and lens together to Leica for re-calibration. It is perfect now. </p>