I have gotten a 21mm f4 Voigtlander , and have been using it on my M2. Is the M2 one of the cameras that dont close focus? I find that the lens turns more than the finder focus, probably about 1 meter. Is this normal? thanks

-- Mike (mike@pobega.com), June 06, 2002

Answers

All M2 cameras focus down to 0.7 meter. If yours does not, it either needs an adjustment or a complete CLA.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), June 06, 2002.

How close does the V21 focus? My 21/3.4 S/A scale-focuses closer than 0.7m as I recall.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), June 06, 2002.

The lens focuses down to 0.5M, since my M2 just returned from Sherry K. last month, I believe as stated above the 0.7 is accurate , and it does, thanks all

-- Mike (mike@pobega.com), June 06, 2002.

Mike, I think you'll find all is well. The Voigtlander will focus to .5m whereas the camera only goes to .7. There is therefore a little "no man's land" in the viewfinder at the end of the travel of the lens focusing ring. cheers,

-- Tim Gee (twg@optushome.com.au), June 06, 2002.

I wouldn't take the lens scale markings as 100% accurate with an ultra wide on a RF - the very slight tollerence differences in LTM-M adaptor thickness will translate into a quite large rotational change in the focusing ring - as long as you are happy that the RF focuses accuratley I wouldn't worry.

-- Johann F (johannfuller@hotmail.com), June 07, 2002.

The VC 21mm focusses to 0.5m but the r/f only works to 0.7. So you can go closer - it is useful.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), June 07, 2002.

Sorry Johann, but if the adaptor only brings the lens-film-distance to that of a LTM - camera. The scale focussing has nothing to do with it. If this would be the case, then these lenses would become unusuable at all, not only at close apertures. And scale focussing even works well with my 135/4,5 at about 3 meters - that is probably more accuracy than any wide lens will ever need regardless of the aperture.

-- Kai Blanke (kai.blanke@iname.com), June 07, 2002.

Sorry Kai, - LTM-M adaptors are not all made the same (although they should be) - their job is to mount the LTM lens exactly 1mm further out than the M flange so as to ensure the lens is exactly the same distance from the film as a equivelent M lens. In practical engineering terms this means that the exact thickness of the adaptor is slightly less than 1mm as neither the body flange nor the lens flange are 'absolutely' flat (if they were they would sieze). It should work but you only have to be a tiny bit out in this thickness to induce a large error on the scale focus with a wide lens such as a 21mm - with a 135mm you won't, as you have observed, see any difference.As a pratical example observe the amount of lens to film displacement ( or how far the lens extends) a rotation from 1 to 2 m induces on a 135 and a 21mm lens - with a 135 you can measure this in mm with a 21mm lens you will need a micrometer and it's microns!

-- Johann F (johannfuller@hotmail.com), June 07, 2002.