Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/12/06

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: Mysterious pins on R8 lensmount
From: "Craig W. Shier" <shier@mail1.mnsinc.com>
Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 08:55:23 -0500

I would add that the feel of the focusing ring changes when AF is added.  My
theory is that to allow the AF motor to work while minimizing power and size
requirements, the focus mechanism of the lens needs to be easily moved. Much
more easily than a typical MF lens.  When you manually focus an AF lens you
get a real sloppy feel to the focus.  This also means the lens focus will
change at the slightest bump.  The motor to move an appropriately stiff (but
very smooth) Leica lens mechanism would be to big to be practical.

At 09:22 AM 12/6/96 -0500, you wrote:

>It's not that AF 'reduces optical quality':  the concern from Leica and
>Zeiss is that AF ACCURACY is not good enough to replace manual focusing for
>critical work, and, apparently, critical work is all that these two
>companies are interested in their customers doing.  Thus, both the R system
>and Contax lack AF.  (Yes, yes, I know about the new Contax -- but that is a
>specialty camera only.)  
Craig W. Shier
Manassas, VA
shier@mnsinc.com