Zone focus question

I just bought a "new" camera. It's a very old Vito BL. It turns out

that this is a "zone focus" camera- which I know nothing about. I

know I have to put the dial closest to the lens on the distance to

my subject- but how does that change with the apeture setting? And

say I have it set to 1 meter at 2.8- what will be in focus? Just the

subject at exactly 1 meter? Thanks to the nice people in the

classic camera forum I was able to load the film- the manual is in

German. But I know there are very clever people over here too- if

anyone has any insight I would really appreciate it!<div></div>

Here are the rings:<div></div>

Congratulations on getting yourself the camera! And kudos to you for working on learning to get it right to photograph with it! Nice image you show us!

 

This is the type of equipment I used back in the 1950's! I really enjoyed using that old stuff!

 

See the markings on your camera, I don't have the picture here on the response page, showing a diamond shape, then followed on the left and right sides various f stops. As you increase the f stop number, that's a device like the iris on your eye that at a higher number makes a smaller and smaller circle entry point for the light to go through and hit your film. As you decrease the circle, a higher number, you will have a distance that the lens will be able to focus that's higher as well. And, from what I see and recollect, your camera shows meters.

 

So, at the lowest number, where the iris is fully opened, only the things at a distance you've set will be in focus at the diamond on your camera. As you close down the iris, higher number, you will have a greater depth of focused objects.

 

Another subject, I hope this doesn't throw you, is to study hyperfocal distance and that may help you. May I recommend typing "hyperfocal distance" in a search engine to help.

here's a pretty simple explanation of hyperfocal distance

 

http://www.vividlight.com/articles/2314.htm

 

cheers

 

lucas

Ok- thanks you guys! That was the word I needed "hyperfocal distance". It seems impossible that the images will be in focus without my locking onto a red box...the camera is so simple that it's tricking me- but for $40 I can afford to experiment. Hey Lucas- I got my Jump book and have really enjoyed it. I had seen the image of Dali before- so funny...

The bride and groom last weekend seemed very serious and I didn't ask them to jump. Next weekend should be better though.

Semanticaly speaking, this is a "scale focus" camera.Zone focusing is a technique.

I stand corrected- thanks Steve!

Stacy, be very, very careful. Next you'll want a camera with a rangefinder and interchangeable lenses. That'll lead you down the primrose path to the Land of Leicadom, endless didcussions over at the Leica Forum on this edition of the 35/2 Summicron versus that edition, which has more contrast, which has better bokeh, whether the "build qualty" of the M2 makes up for the slightly slower rewind knob compared to the crank on a newer M6, and on and on...

 

As far as the Vito's focus goes, choose af f-stop. On either side of the focussing mark in the center is a series of f-stops. This will show you the near and far distances that'll be acceptably sharp at that f-stop. Most photographers choose to set one f-stop smaller than on the scale to ensure adequate sharpness. In other words use the scale at, say, 5.6, but set your aperture to f/8. Have fun! It's really simple once you get the hang of it.

Al- luckily for me Leicas are just not in the budget or I can see myself going down tht road. I do see what you mean about the bright viewfinders though- even in this very inexpensive, old camera. I have read all about the hyperfocal distance and today I am ready to waste gobs of film learning to use this. Won't the bride next weekend be nervous when she sees it :) Yes, I'll still bring all the other gear too...but I want to try this out as well...Thanks!