Rollei 6008 infinity focus

[thomas_corcoran]

<p>Hi all,<br>

I have a Rollei 6008 with 80mm 2.8 PQ lens. When looking at the focusing screen, the focus appears to travel beyond infinity, rather than stop there. I was wondering if this is standard behaviour, if my focusing screen might be misaligned (ie. where the lens stops is actually infinity on the film plane, just not the focusing screen), or is a simple fix on the lens itself to correct the stopping point?<br>

Any thoughts or experience would be most appreciated.<br>

Many thanks,<br>

Tom</p>

[d_purdy]

<p>I don't have the 6008 but I do have the FX. I have bought 2 new 2.8FXs (the first one I returned due to shipping company damage). Both of them came out of the box with infinity focus set wrong. They both focused through infinity as you describe. To repair a TLR you get the lens adjusted in the mount so it is correct when you have it all the way in. With a SLR that adjustment doesn't exist so first I would test infinity on film or if possible with a separate focus screen temporarily put on the film gate. With the lens focus set all the way in it should be in focus at infinity regardless of whether it looks like it on the focus screen. Once you verify that you know the focus screen must need adjustment. My SLR is a Pentax 67 and I personally replaced my focus screen with a brighter Beattie. When I did that I found that there is adjustment possible and I had to be careful I set it right. My guess is there is a way to adjust the 6008 screen as well. That would be the most likely fix to the problem.<br>

Dennis</p>

[fwstutterheim]

<p>Tom,<br /> I have not seen an easy way to adjust the focusing screen in my 6008i. The screen is not fixed using shims. It is exchangeable by the user. The screen swings up in a frame. When in lowered position the screen rests under a metal strip. This is what I can see. I am not a technician and not in the habit of taking my cameras apart, so this as far as I can go.<br /> The screen is marked TOP and OBEN. That makes it not very likely that is mounted up side down. Both words cannot be seen when the screen is mounted in the camera. The words are covered by the frame. The way to check would be swinging the frame up and looking at the screen from de "downside". <br /> First open the finder hood. Push two buttons on the left and right side and slide the hood away toward the lens. On the screen frame you will see 4 chrome dots. Two on either side. Two of them, one on either side, are higher than the other two. The high ones unlock the frame. Push both of them toward the film magazine to move the whole screen back. Use your nails. At the same time pull up the frame. The screen has to clear the metal strip. The "hinges" are on the film magazine side, so the lens side of the frame can be pulled up. Be careful to touch only the sides of the screen. The matte side, that should be down, is extremely delicate. <br /> Ferdi.</p>

[dale_edward]

<p>Thomas,<br>

Some of the 6000 series lenses were designed to focus past the infinity mark on the lens in order to compensate for thermal expansion of the lens assembly in very hot climates. The 300 mm 4.0 Schneider Tele Xenar lens for the Rollei 6000 series is one example of a lens that you can turn the focusing ring beyond infinity. <br>

If you're using the split image portion of your focusing screen to verify correct focusing, and your images are indeed coming out sharp and in focus, then I wouldn't worry too much about a lens focusing beyond infinity. <br>

If your 80 mm 2.8 lens is a PQ version, then this lens is probably over ten years old as opposed to the newer 80 mm lenses which were PQS with exception of the 80 mm Schneider 2.0 Xenotar lens. It could be that the focusing ring on your lens got misaligned by someone rotating the ring too hard. Nevertheless, as long as you are able to focus looking through the viewfinder and your images are coming out sharp, the focusing ring going past infinity is probably not an issue. </p>

[erichiss]

<p>This is a very late reply, but some information in case someone finds this thread looking for information. Rollei 6000 series lenses were set at the factory to focus at the hyper focal distance at the widest aperture and film. It's not really common, but i've seen a few lenses that will turn past the infinity mark on the barrel - in which case your lens can be adjusted or you can just pay attention to the setting. This doesn't mean that the focus screen is not calibrated, just that the lens goes past and doesn't stop where it should. A technician can adjust the lens to stop at the correct spot<br>

But to Ferdi's post - The focusing screens on the 6000 series cameras can be adjusted/calibrated by turning the four little screws at each corner of the focusing screen. The front two are in deep recessed holes and the back two are under the frame. You need a tiny phillips screw driver - and make only 1/8 a turn or less adjustments - equally on all screws. I rarely have seen one that needs adjustment however so that's the last place to fiddle with unless you really know what you are doing. Make absolutely certain the camera is not focusing at the setting seen in the viewfinder. To do this, test focus at 2 meter distance.</p>