Re: [Leica] Focus woes

["Robert G. Stevens" <robsteve@hfx.andara.com>]

Dave:

One other not in addition to my previous post.  Check the mounting flange
on the camera to ensure the screws are tight.  I had the screws loosen up
on a camera that I had the 180 mounted to and luckly nocticed a bit of play
and tightend them up with a screwdriver I had in my bag.

Regards,

Robert

At 12:24 AM 9/28/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Well, I got my 180mmf2 back last Monday from Leica NJ. Leica did a nice job.
>
>My first assignment(s) I decided to use it for were volleyball and some night
>football. One request I had was to get some shots of the new coach who is 7-8
>months pregnant and very camera shy. During the match I just located
myself at
>the end of the bench area and fired away. I was no more than 15-20 feet away.
>Shooting at 1/125 and f2, I latched the focuse to her eyebrows. I was
using my
>R5 with the matte screeen. I was very impressed on being able to focus on
>individual hairs in her eyebrows and eyelashes. I was using a monopod and
>oriented the camera vertical to use the front release on the R-motor.
Everything
>seemed solid as I shot.
>
>When I examined the negatives, her face was way out of focus! In fact the
focus
>was on her near shoulder (rather sharp fabric/textures).
>
>The day before I had "practised" by shooting a girl's basketball game where I
>noticed the shots I took of the bench exhibited this peculiar trait: my
subject
>on the right was out of focus, but items to the left (in camera) were in
focus.
>In fact, the subject girl wasout of focus but the girl on her right (left in
>camera) was in sharp focus.
>
>I have used matte screens in my Canon's for more than 15 years (F1n:SC/SJ/SK)
>where I often used my 85mmf1.2L wide open with very good success (great
lens!),
>and I shoot a 300mmf2.8L wide open as well for hockey with considerable
success
>(another great lens!).  I also use my EOS1 with its matte screen in manual
mode
>at maximum aperatures.
>
>The R5 was purchased used from Jim Kuehl in May or June. I set the diopter
>adjustment and it hasn't been budged since. My opinion is that the screen
is not
>held in place correctly or the mirror is out of alignment.
>
>HAS ANYONE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS OR KNOW HOW I CAN VERIFY THIS?
>
>Come to think about it, when I shoot outdoors, I usually use a smaller
aperature
>which gives more DOF. This will explain why some shots I swore I nailed
were a
>bit soft!
>
>Another thing that comes to mind is the focus screen may not be compatible
with
>a 180mm lens which is also an 2 aperature. Maybe ther eis another screen I
can
>try. The Canon F-1n FN-SK screen was optimized for 300mm lenses or longer
and it
>showed. It could not be used for shorter lenses. So maybe the R matte
screen is
>the problem?
>
>Opinions requested.
>
>Regards,
>
>Dave Strang
>dstrang@up.net
>
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