M3 with Summitar Lenses Help !

[dana_smith4]

<p>Hi,<br /> I’m having a problem with my Summitar lense i bought few months ago.As i test the lens and got all the frame are out of focus, i its not the camera as I use with other lense and its ok even its rangefinder infinity slightly out of focus.Could someone tell me how to fix it ?. I test 2 roll of film and same problem. Is it the adapter ? lens seems ok<br /> M3 with Summitar 10 blades , Made in China Adapter (Screw mount -M Bodies )<br>

Any help will appreciate .<br>

Thanks</p>

[SCL]

<p>My first question is are you fully extending the lens and locking it into position before focusing? I haven't had any problems on film bodies using Chinese made screw mount to M body adapters, although I've heard of others having problems on digital bodies due to tighter tolerances needed for the sensors. Do your other lens/es focus properly on your body and is the rangefinder also in focus for those, or is it out of focus for all of them? When you state the RF is "out of focus" do you mean that the images you view aren't clear or do you mean that either horizontally or vertically they don't coincide with each other? If it is a lack of clarity in the RF, you may need to add a diopter to accommodate it to your eyesight. If it is a horizontal or vertical alignment issue, then it needs to be properly adjusted. There are lots of guides on the web telling you how to do that if you are mechanically inclined, have the tools, and willing to take a chance with your body (over the years I've done it on my Leica film bodies), but often it is a sign that it might be a good idea to have a qualified Leica technician do the work, as there are some rather delicate potential issues having to do with the proper setting of the RF cam arm which really require expertise with the right equipment. Lastly, the lens itself may need adjustment, having fallen out of collimation or having a worn area where the cam meets the focusing helicoid....in which case again only a good technician can fix it. If you're in the USA, I can recommend contacting Youxin Ye, Don Goldberg (DAG) or Sherry Krauter.</p>

[james_elwing]

<p>Same issue; is lens fully extended. Pull lens out maybe 20mm from collapse, turn to lock. It should then be at infinity focus. All standard 50mm lenses collapsed for screw thread Leicas, only very fast f1.5 lenses didn't. </p>

[john_shriver]

<p>If you have a vernier caliper that reads in mm, there's two other quick checks you can do.<br>

First, your LTM adapter should be 1.00mm thick. EXACTLY. If not, it's junk.<br>

Second, with the LTM adapter removed, and the Summitar in the infinity lock, the rangefinder cam (brass colored) should be 7.5mm from the surface of the lens mount that would be firmly against the LTM adapter. This is measured with the depth gauge on the end of the vernier caliper. It's hard to do this really precisely with a vernier caliper, but 7.5mm is the standard infinity register of the rangefinder cam. If that's not right, somebody took the focusing mount apart and put it together wrong.<br>

As for checking that you have the lens fully extended, look at the rear of the lens. It has three tabs sticking out from the inner barrel. They should be caught in front (towards the subject) of the three mating tabs in the focusing mount.</p>

[luis_rives]

<p>I have had nothing but trouble with <strong>non-brand</strong> Chinese LTM and NEX to M-mount adapters, so I stay away from them and recommend others do. Its false economy. Now I only use Metabones, Fotodiox, or Voigtlander. Yes, these are made in China but the brand will not jeopardize their reputations by contracting to manufacture junk adapters. I must have a small fortune invested in all the brand adapters I have.</p>

[dana_smith4]

<p>Steve , <br>

my M RF patch need an adjusment on the horizontal RF patch..but try my Summarit to infinity focus and no problem. Yes i also already extending the lens and locking Clockwise. some people say that might my film doesnt sit correctly and i will try few shot tommorow morning.<br>

All, thanks for the great help and i will try as suggested and let know whats going on soon.</p>

 

[SCL]

<p>Dana - you can easily check if your film is properly positioned...you waste a couple of shots on a roll, but it is easy to do. You merely remove the lens once the film is wound on, and use a cable release to open the shutter to inspect the film. as it rides across the rails. It is pretty hard for it to get screwed up on an M body, much easier on a screwmount body. As far as the RF adjustment, a vertical adjustment is much easier to make, the horizontal one much more complicated, as it involved two steps....the screw on the roller arm which presses against the lens when mounted, and a much more dificult one on the angle of the arm itself, which adjusts the rate of advance, so that you are ok at both near distances and infinity. If you would like me to send you more detailed instructions, send me an email with your email address...it is long and detailed with appropriate warnings and tips.</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>If "its not the camera as I use with other lense and its ok", you cannot say that the film is not riding correctly.<br>

Stephen, how is it easier for film position to get screwed up on a screw mount body? I've had several bodies of both kinds -- over thirty years -- and no problem on either. </p>

[SCL]

<p>Hi Mukul - some people forget to properly trim the film leaders or insert them in the spools properly on screwmounts, and the film occasionally starts riding at an angle instead of level. I learned the hard way years ago when I got my first LTM body.</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>Ah, yes. I didn't account for mis-loads. But my experience is that a film which is not loaded correctly, refuses to advance.</p>

[james_elwing]

<p>And its an M3, not thread mount, so loading awkward at worst, but don't need to trim leader</p>