steve_brantley2

I bet the digital photography discussion group asks a similar question - "do you use one computer or two at home with your Adobe Photoshop?"

 

My favorite times to enjoy a camera is when I have just one body and one prime lens. There was a time when I needed 2 - 3 SLRs and all my lenses, of course, tripod mounted, so that I could bracket each shot according to changes in lenses, filters, and slight adjustments with exposure and focal length focusing. Glad I grew out of that phase.

Wow! Once again, you guys are terrific. Just as I guessed. Tomorrow, my area's best local camera repairman will take a look and give me his advice. If he can do the repair without too much expense, the pro photo shop (where I bought the Leicaflex) will cover his work. But if I'm told it will cost around $200 or more, then I'll get my money back from the shop. Perhaps the next time I buy an older body, I'll first rent it for a day to run my own film through it first.

Thanks to everyone thus far with their advice. I beleive that my vision is OK enough for me to get super results when using my other manual focus camera. Also, the technician who did a quick test today on the Leicaflex did essentially put a piece of ground glass along the film plane. Maybe I should borrow another lens and see if that is the problem.

To Jay, Douglas Herr, and to other users of Leica's earliest SLR

equipment - advice is needed concerning a focusing problem with my

1966-era Leicaflex Standard (Mark II).

 

I recently purchased an immaculate Leicaflex Standard SLR. It

appears to work very well in terms of the metering and shutter

speeds, film advance and film spacing, and essentially looks brand

new. However, after making 5 - 6 initial test rolls with slide and

color print film, I noticed a very obvious focusing problem with the

images. I am confident that this problem is not due to camera shake

or by using too slow shutter speeds, or my eye site, etc. Compared

to the generally perfectly sharp images I take with an M6, or even

measured against my older Nikon FE, the test slides and prints

results with the Leicaflex are basically out-of-focus at the subject

point. While I focused on a subject at 20 feet away, such as my

car, the final images look as though I focused on the trees 15 feet

behind it. The details in the car are not sharp at all. And at

infinity focus, the camera's central focusing image does not

completely turn clear, but, still shows some amount of the out-of-

focus (fuzzy?) effect.

 

Today I had the local professional camera shop's on-site repairman

take a look at the problem, and he said the Leicaflex seems to have

a focusing problem at infinity, probably due to a misalignment in

either the mirror or focusing screen. The film pressure plate on the

door looks to be fine. He did a bench test to measure the focusing

accuracy, looking through the lens to the film plane, and said

evertything was fine there. Therefore, he speculates the focus is

off as seen through the viewfinder.

 

I e-mailed Leica USA's service department today and they responded

with a $350 CLA quote to fix the camera. I paid $400 for it and the

normal lens, however.

 

My question is, can you think of another mechanical explanation for

the focusing problem?

I haven't had any problems thus far with the depth of field preview lever on my 1966-era Leicaflex Standard SLR.

Great photos, and they evoke a lot more emotion than many of the "street shots" I usually see on this forum.

Mike, Miles and Mark (and to others who may comment on my question), thanks for this advice thus far, and I will look at each potential remedy based on your suggestions. I have done a simple 1 meter test and found the focus to also be somewhat "off", in addition to the infinity setting. While hyperfocal distance focusing may work OK for any landscape shots, the current focusing error is sure disconcerting when trying to shoot a portrait within 3 - 5 feet. Maybe I should go ahead and contact a good repairman. Regards.

I own an mid-1950s Rolleiflex TLR, model MX-EVS with the Xenar f/3.5

taking lens. It works perfectly at all shutter speeds and looks

like it is brand new. However, in an effort to improve the original

matte focusing screen's brightness, I recently purchased a split

image focusing screen, sourced from a Hong Kong seller off ebay.

The new screen has the same thickness and other dimensions as the

TLR's original focusing screen, but also has the split image

focusing added. I switched the focusing screen myself, and feel

that I did the job properly.

 

My question relates to the fact that now that I have this split

image focusing screen in place, it is obvious that my infinity

setting is off, with respect to distant objects. When the focusing

knob is turned all the way to the infinity mark, were it stops, the

viewfinder still does not show a distant object lining up in the

split image screen. It is as though I need to keep turning the

focusing knob some more, which I can't do. Perhaps the camera's

viewing lens was already like this with the old focusing screen

(which is my guess), and that I only found out about a mis-alignment

when the new split image screen was in place, Or, maybe I can't

assume that an aftermarket focusing screen can be used, and need to

put back the original screen? I don't know.

 

The lens base plate, as I call it (the part that moves back and

forth when the focusing knob is turned) appears to move in parallel

to the camera body, and doesn't seem to be mis-aligned.

 

It does not appear that my camera's viewing and taking lenses can be

screwed out and then reset to infinity, as I've read in the

archives, as they seem to be permanently mounted within the base

plate. However, there are two very small screws located on either

side of the f/stop/shutter window. Is this how I adjust the viewing

lens? But I don't see any other adjustment screw, or any screw

holding in the viewing lens. Short of me taking the camera to a

professional repair shop, is there another means for me to try and

get the viewing lens and focusing knob to match at the infinity

setting?

 

I have taken a few rolls of test C-41 film to see if the focus can

be determined adequately, and, I will use the hyperfocal distance

focusing technique.

 

Does anyone have any technical advice? Thanks in advance.

The center portion of the left side f-stop dial has a small disc located in the middle. You need to turn that disc 90 degrees, and the f-stop/shutter speed dials should be uncoupled. Good luck.

Carry it to the new "Eurotrip" movie and feel cool, and maybe, "get lucky".

Maybe it is Al, but it looks like Ralph Nader to me.

Jay, plan to visit North Carolina on July 4th and I'll set you up with the opportunity that you described.

Actually Jay, I'm a southern redneck, far right-wing pro-Bush Confederate flag waving fellow, who jus happens to like using Leicas.

 

But irregardless of what the law in Colorado or elsewhere might say about another person's privacy in a street photography setting, the bigger issue is how that person might respond to an unwelcomed photograph. Good way to get one's head busted.

 

Just go to a Hells Angels' party with a camera, and you fast learn that photographs are not welcomed.

I use the rather expensive Heliopan filters, which are as good as the Leica brand and less expensive, and still made in Germany out of Schott glass blanks. B+H filters also use Schott glass, and perhaps so does Leica.

And it's not only people in Colorado who don't like their photos taken! Once in the Canadian Rockies, I had a large grizzly bear chase me down 3,500 feet of elevation after I took his picture, either because I risked a "street photograph" by putting a pancake on his head, or I didn't ask permission first. I dunno. I'm sure glad the black bears here in the Smokies aren't as easily offended.

newest version 50mm Summicron

Try both of the following:

 

twin2@mindspring.com

twintwo@mindspring.com

 

I couldn't identify the exact e-mail address of this large, 100% positive feedback rated seller through ebay, but I could send twintwo an e-mail, which I pasted your initial inquiry into the e-mail text. They use mindspring.

You didn't mention how much you are willing to pay for a used Hasseldbald without warranty, but I might suggest you go the route that I did last year, with much success and satisfaction. I fould a great California-based gray market dealer of Leica, Hasselblad and Mamiya (and other brands) who goes by the ebay seller name "mehasselblad". His web site can be found at www.popflash.photo

 

For the money I saved on gray market goods (new 501CM kit made that went from the factory in Sweden to Hong Kong, then sourced for gray market sale in the US, I got new equipment for about the same cost as buying someone's used 501 C or CM kit off ebay. While I don't have the 2 year US factory warranty by going with gray market goods, it makes no difference with respect to buying a used 500 or 501 kit from somebody, since you don't get a warranty there either.

I can attest to this gray market dealer's honesty

As far as keeping my film away from airport x-ray machines, I have been virtually 100% successful to date, after making many trips throughout Asia, by following a few simple procedures:

 

(1) take all film out of the box or 35mm plastic canisters, and put all rolls in a clear plastic zip lock type bag.

 

(2) add enough rolls of Delta 3200 ASA B&W or infra red film to give the airport inspector the impresion that the bag is just full of this very high-speed film. These rolls of IR and 3200 ASA film don't ever have to be used, just carried around over and over.

 

(3) give the plastic bag with film to the inspector and ask for a hand inspection. At US airport, you have the "right" to have a hand inspection of film, especially "high speed" and "professional" film, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) written rules. This is not at the discretion of the TSA inspector - people with camera film in the US can ask for an inspection without x-ray.

I've used all the Fuji's Astia and Provia, and it is all great. But, I tend to shoot the newest Kodak G slide films because I just want to support Kodak,a dn I think the quality of the new G film is super.

 

As far as keeping my film away from airport x-ray machines, I have been virtually 100% successful to date, after many trips throughout Asia, by following a few simple procedures:

(1) take all fim out of the box or 35mm plastic canisters, and put all rolls in a clear plastic zip lock type bag.

 

(2) add enough rolls of Delta 3200 ASA B&W film to give the airport inspector the impresion that the bag is just full of this very high-speed film. These rolls of 3200 ASA film don't ever have to be used, just carried around over and over.

 

(3) give the plastic bag with film to the inspector and ask for a hand inspection. At US airport, you have the "right" to have a hand inspection of film, especially "high spedd" and "professional" film, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) written rules. This is not at the discretion of the TSA inspector - people with camera film in the US can ask for an inspection without x-ray.

I have the factory focusing screen in my new 501CM, as you mentioned, and I can see no need to improve upon it with another brand. I once ordered a Maxwell screen for my ROlleiflex TLR, and when I learned that Mr. Maxwell hadn't even started on it after 2 1/2 weeks, I cancelled the order.

I use a Lowepro "Nova 5" bag for my similar equipment.

Jim and Kevin, you guys are the ones who read and respond with disdain to my post about the future of film and Leicas, so it's not me who re-opens an old thread. You're both free to pass on making any comments, yet you have the urge to make some smart-ass comments instead. So the Leicaphiles who don't have anything better to say must be you fellows.

Thanks to all for your enjoyable and informative responses to my

question. I know what I'd do with my Leica equipment in this worst-

case scenerio - the same as I do with my out-dated Sony Super

Betamax machine and tapes - try to keep using it for as long as

possible. But, when is the last time you saw blank Beta tapes for

sale in the local drug store or grocery store? Probably B&H in New

York sells it, but why bother sourcing it that way? It's easier to

just move on the the next technology.

 

I most enjoyed Dennis' response that he would plan to keep wearing

his Leicas around his neck. That is probably what I plan to do,

even if I lost my sight, or mind, and sat around in a nursing home

all day!

 

I don't worry about 35mm film going away any time soon. However,

due to my occupation in international economic development and

industrial recruitment focused on Asian industries, I do have some

insight into the corporate world, particularly with Asian firms,

involving general photography. In my own state of North Carolina,

USA, we have a $ billion AGFA x-ray film factory that is shut down

and for sale. No competing traditional film company has an interest

in it themselves, and AGFA is moving into the digital side of

hospital x-ray film development. AGFA says the trend is especially

moving in this direction in third world countries, where digital x-

ray photography and "develpment" is much easier to manage locally,

and on a smaller budget, as compared to a traditional photo firm

like Kodak or AGFA investing $ millions or billions toward

traditional silver-based film processing.

 

North Carolina also has a huge factory built in 1988 by Konica to

produce darkroom photographic paper products. I know that this

operation today cannot enjoy the same profitable market as it first

found 16 years earlier, when Konica decided to build this $200

million factory in the United States. The same is true for a multi-

hundred $ million investment in neighboring South Carolina, where

Fuji Photo Film has a very large 35mm film manufacturing operation.

 

And given Kodak's announcement last week that it is cutting 25% of

its world-wide workforce, mostly in traditional film production, is

the handwriting on the wall?

 

While I might hope that some firm will make 35mm film for us from a

factory in China in the future, will it be the same quality as

today's newest Fuji Provia or Astia, or Kodak G slide films? What

firm will investment a few $ hundred million, even in China or

eastern Europe, just to satisfy a small population of 35mm hobbyists?

 

Perhaps Leica can create a digital M body that uses our existing M

lenses, if this worst-case scenerio occurs.

In the very worst case concerning the possibility (probability?)

that all 35mm film manufacturers were to stop 35mm production within

a few years, or, if the escalating cost of any remaining slide or

B&W 35mm film and/or processing prohibited the prudent use and

enjoyment of your Leica equipment, then what would we do with these

expensive paper weights? Same question regarding medium format

camera equipment.

 

Although we might say that we can see this eventuality coming in the

future, or some of us deny it, the fact remains that we don't want

to give up our 35mm Leica equipment, either as a hobby or

profession. But in the worst case, would you stay with photography

with a digital format, or just walk away from it altogether?