Problem with W-Nikkor 3,5 cm/ 2.5 LTM - please help

Few weeks ago I have bought LTM W.Nikkor 3,5 cm/ 2.5, nice peace of lense,

early production of Nikon ( Nipon Kogaku) ser. 242880. I was happy, I knew that

it will not provide quality like modern lens, but it was not attention...When I

shot first roll, I was badly supreised, everything was out of focus,,just every

image was badly outfocused...only on few frames,when focused very close , you

can see something...what is the problem???, Maybe somebody knows, maybe lens

was not for leica bodies..(lens distance 28,8 mm)...I will post some

examples..if you have answer, please help.

 

..darko<div></div>

Next photo...<div></div>

Next photo...you can see that the jacket close to me was sharp and everything else is out of focus<div></div>

Darko, It should be a swell lens for LTM. Check to see if any of the elements are loose. If the lens unit is OK, then the problem could be with the RF. Different repair.

 

Good luck!

Infinity looks out of focus in both shots you have labeled as focused at infinity. The middle shot, labeled focused at 25 feet, looks like the plane of focus is much closer. If this is your only lens, your rangefinder could be out of alignment. If you have other lenses that show no problems, it may be that this particular Nikkor is badly in need of colimation. It might even have been taken apart and put back together wrong. I'd send it in and get it cleaned and adjusted.

Vivek, Frederick...thanx!! I have another lenses, and they work just fine, (`cron 50, and even Jupiter-12 & Orion 15, looks OK, just this one, Vivek, I have checked the elements, and I can not see that anyone is loosed - maybe I am wrong- seems that Frederick is right, it have to be cleaned and adjusted!!!

If the RF cam is off in the lens; or in the camera body the lens still should focus with the distance marks; ie the scale. Does the RF patch move when focusing? does it converge at infinity? How does the rig focus when used by scale? isolate the variables.

Another oddball rare thing to check is if the lens fully seats; ie a used lens with a micro-burr on its threads can sometimes not fully seat to the camera body LTM lens flange. It this condition the lens when scale set to infinity will focus closer; say 25, 50, 100, 200 feet; depending on the gap/space. I have seen this where a LTM lens had a bad chamfer at the root of the threads; and it worked OK on one body; and not another.

Are the posted exmaples <i>"Focused to <b>infinity, 25ft, close"</b></i> focused with the RF PATCH or by scale focus?

If your camera body works with many other LTM lenses the camera body lens flange to film plane is probably good.<BR><BR> Thus if one forgets about the RF patch and the lens's cam for a moment; the used Nikkor should focus correctly by the distance scale. Or NOT IF its not been messed with; OR its not seated all the way. <BR><BR>Typically many lenses when fully seated "sort of" have the lens marking at the 12 o'clock position; or close. If miss-seated it maybe at a goofy position; or may not.! <BR><BR>If there is no gap and the lens fully seats on the camera body lens flange then suspect a "messed-with/Kilroyed" lens if it will not scale focus.

Hi Kelly, example "Focused to infiniti, 25 ft, close", was scale focused", so I still have to make another shots on another body to see if it was problem of bad seating- wrong position, or maybe "swell" lens, according to Vivek...

 

...thank yoU Kelly, very usefull analysing..helps me a lot!!!

 

..darko

Darko, I would simply put a ground glass (or tracing paper) in place of film, check where the focus is compared to the scale. Also with the shutter in B, check if the RF patch is engaged properly at all focus distances.

 

You have already checked with film.

Vivek Iyer wrote:

 

"Darko, I would simply put a ground glass (or tracing paper) in place of film, check where the focus is compared to the scale. Also with the shutter in B, check if the RF patch is engaged properly at all focus distances."

 

 

Kind of hard to do with a bottom loading Leica. Now if he's using a Bessa, or Canon it will work.

It is Leica M2, also did not check yet does it work perheaps with my IIIa,

I have a focus checker (Cook Perkins) for LTM lenses. Just a plain tube with the correct registry and a ground glass at one end and leica thread at the other.

I assume that you are using your lens with an appropriate Leica thread mount (LTM) to bayonet adapter for the M2 body you are using it with. If so, make sure that the thread mount on the lens has threaded into the adapter correctly, that you have screwed it all the way in until it seated properly in the adapter, and that when you mount the lens and adapter on the body, you turn the assembly until you hear the click indicating that the bayonet mount has seated correctly. If that is not the problem, you might wish to have the lens examined by one of the service facilities that specializes in Leicas. I have had good experience in the past with Gerry Smith of Kindermann Canada, service@kindermann.ca.

It should give superb results without any problems. If you can send it back to the seller you should do so as soon as possible. If not, you'll have to have it repaired -- if the glass is clean it should be worth having it fixed. Sorry to hear that you're having a problem.

@Peter: everything is OK with adapter and properly seating...other my LTM lenses are doing just fine with this adapter and this body...this one is just doing something strange,, but i think that I see the problem.....

@Bill: thanx Bill fort supporting me...I will not give up, it will work...he, he!!

 

..darko

The RF coupling cam should protrude 7.5mm from the mounting flange when the lens is focused at infinity. It it doesn't, the lens has been assembled wrong. It should be a trivial repair.