M6 Focus Questions

[connmenvii]

I have a question about the focusing on the M6. If I am focusing on

a word it is not crisp. the letter is extended down a few mm if you

know what I am saying. Do you think this is causing focus problems

at all? I am not sure but I don't think it would. Just making

sure. I don't have a real way to check. I am in Uganda now headed

down to Rwanda in a few days. If you can send me an email about this

at aah8102@rit.edu I would really appreciate it. Andrew Henderson

[mrivers]

It sounds like you vertical alignment is off if the images are on top of on another. This

doesn't necessarily mean that the horizontal alignment of the rangefinder is in

correct, which as you know is more critical.

 

To check if the horizontal alignment is accurate, focus on infinity on the lens barrel,

and point the camera at a distant object ( several miles). The moon, clouds, of a TV

tower that are very far away are examples. Although in your camera there will be a

vertical misalignment, the horizontal images should be lined up.

 

Next, go in front of a mirror and stand about 5 feet away. If you focus on yourself,

the lens barrel should read 10 feet (twice 5 feet), and the barrel at 5 feet should focus

on the mirror frame. The rangefinder should indicate focus at these two spots as

well.

 

If these tests show the the rangefinder is off you can still use the camera. There are

two methods I use regularly even with an accurate rangefinder. One is to set the

hyperfocal distance on the lens for a given f-stop. For example, if my meter

measures f 8, I set the infinity mark on the right 8 mark on the barrel, and every thing

from the left 8 mark to infinity is in focus. I sometimes even use a small piece of tape

to hold it there for an afternoons shooting if the light isn't changing.

 

The other method is to zone focus. I can pretty accurately measure 10 feet from my

body, and will preset the lens to 10 feet, and move my body until the subject is 10

feet from me and then shoot. I try to have an aperture that gives me a bit of DOF. If I

already have the exposure set, I can shoot very quickly without bringing the camera

up to my face until the last moment.

[john_collier2]

The vertical alignment is off and you are a million miles from any Leica service. Here is

what I would do:

 

Slam the camera (either top plate or base plate first depending on the direction the

patch needs to go) into the palm of your other hand.

 

A knock put it out of alignment and a whack will put it back in.

[lutz]

Here's another method to quickly check if the focus is on: Shoot at close focus wide open and have the film developed in a 1 hour lab. Smart, eh? ;o)