Front Focus with Minolta 70 -200 F4 and A700

[rick_strome]

I just got my Alpha 700 and have 3 Minolta lenses with front focus on one:

28 mm F2.8 seems to focus ok

50 mm F1.7 Seems to focus ok

70 - 200 F4 has front focus as follows.

At 70 mm and infinity focus, I need to turn the focus ring about 3/32" before infinity

to get proper focus. Thus I have to focus slightly before infinity. At this slight

change in focus, the image in the viewfinder looks in focus, but on the LCD it is

not in focus.

At 140 mm and infinity focus, I need to turn the focus ring about 2/32" before

infinity to get proper focus. Thus I have to focus slightly before infinity. At this

slight change in focus, the image in the viewfinder looks in focus, but on the LCD it

is not in focus.

At 210 mm and infinity focus, then image is in proper focus at infinity.

Thus as I zoom out, the focus error is reduced to zero at maximum zoom.

 

It appears that this is a lens problem.

Is there a simple fix to this?

Is this a common problem that any lens repair shop can fix?

I have read other threads about this topic and they seem to indicate that the

camera is the problem and should be sent in for calibration.

How can I test to see if it is a camera problem or a lens problem other than what I

have done?

I saw a lens repair discussion on Pbase, but did not notice if this topic was

discussed.

Does any one know of a good repair shop in the USA (I live in Ca) where I do not

have to send in the camera.

Thanks for any advice on this, Rick

[samn]

I was talking to a professional photographer selling photos at a street fair last weekend. He said that he just sent back his new A700 account of the same problem. He works with Sony and Minolta bodes and lenses, has several other DSLR bodies so he could determine that it was the camera.

[michael_hohner]

<a href="http://www.mhohner.de/sony-minolta/faq.php#backfocus">Read the F.A.Q.</a>