Can't reach infinity focus with Zeiss F-Distagon 30/3.5 on P645D

[MattBurt]

I bought this lens on eBay and noticed the problem the first time I tried to use it. With the focus ring at infinity far away objects are very soft.
I thought it was a missing filter but it turns out the clear filter was there and I just didn't look in the right place for it.
I'm using a Fotodiox adapter which from what I have read works well enough and doesn't cause this issue.

Does this sound like a bad lens to you people? The eBay seller said it worked perfectly. I'd like to be sure it's not how I'm using it but from what I can tell it probably is not. I've asked to send it back but the seller doesn't want that (of course).

Any suggestions that I may not have thought of?

[eronald]

I bought this lens on eBay and noticed the problem the first time I tried to use it. With the focus ring at infinity far away objects are very soft.
I thought it was a missing filter but it turns out the clear filter was there and I just didn't look in the right place for it.
I'm using a Fotodiox adapter which from what I have read works well enough and doesn't cause this issue.

Does this sound like a bad lens to you people? The eBay seller said it worked perfectly. I'd like to be sure it's not how I'm using it but from what I can tell it probably is not. I've asked to send it back but the seller doesn't want that (of course).

Any suggestions that I may not have thought of?

The obvious idea is that your adapter is a hair too fat.
Can you focus a bit nearer eg. on a chart sharply?

Edmund

[Christoph B.]

Is the front element properly seated? That already happened to someone else:

http://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=75524.0 (last post)

[MattBurt]

I thought of that and took it apart and put it back together. So probably not, but I'll give it another look when I'm home. I hope it's something like that.

The adapter being off is another possibility but it seems like this would be a common complaint if they weren't made correctly. It doesn't look defective.

Thanks for the responses!

[eronald]

I thought of that and took it apart and put it back together. So probably not, but I'll give it another look when I'm home. I hope it's something like that.

The adapter being off is another possibility but it seems like this would be a common complaint if they weren't made correctly. It doesn't look defective.

Thanks for the responses!

Matt,
 if you can focus well closer, then it's the adapter or lens infinity focus.
 if you can't focus well closer then it's probably a repair issue, ie you will need to send the whole set in to some third party repair shop.

Edmund

[MattBurt]

Thanks. It's softer on far away things but also still not right on closer stuff.. The seller agreed to take it back so I'm going that route. Thanks for the info.

[Theodoros]

Thanks. It's softer on far away things but also still not right on closer stuff.. The seller agreed to take it back so I'm going that route. Thanks for the info.

Adapters can't be "a hair off" and not achieve infinity focus with a ....30mm fish-eye lens! IMO, your adapter is just fine, especially if you have trouble focusing close as well...

[Theodoros]

My advise would be to try the lens on a Hasselblad body before you do anything... No need to take pictures, just try it through the VF... then you decide.

[MattBurt]

I would but I don't have access to one. I live in a small town in the mountains and there's no camera shop and the other photographers I know don't have one. I'm going to try everything I can (like re-seating the removable front element) over the weekend and ship it back next week if I don't succeed.

[eronald]

I would but I don't have access to one. I live in a small town in the mountains and there's no camera shop and the other photographers I know don't have one. I'm going to try everything I can (like re-seating the removable front element) over the weekend and ship it back next week if don't succeed.

Matt, you do have a wall and a newspaper, right? Put the camera on a tripod, image the newspaper. Is it sharp?

Edmund

[Theodoros]

It can be that your back needs shimming or that the camera's mirror doesn't operate as it should, thus forcing you to focus wrong... Those things are not easy to solve through web... They are simple to find the reason behind the issue, but it needs to follow a step by step procedure as to eliminate each part... My testing sequence would be: 1. To check my back's shimming, 2. To check my VF's operation as if there is misalignment between it and the image area positioning, 3. To then check my adapter's compatibility with the above and last to check for lens issues... Just my two cents...

You can eliminate No 1 from above if you use a Pentax since it is assumed to have the image sensor factory calibrated with the camera (but you never know until you check that too...).

[EricWHiss]

I have this lens for the Rollei and its probably slightly different since it has an internal shutter etc, BUT even if you can focus even out to like 200ft then you should pick up infinity within the DOF envelope.  But you can actually remove the rubber over the focus ring and loosen the set screws and reposition the focus ring so it will bring the lens in closer to the camera.  I'd just tether the camera and play with the ring position until you get infinity focus set.   It's not that difficult.     But it could also be something up with the way the front is seated.  Does yours have the UV filter on the cone?  It is designed to work with the filter.

[MattBurt]

Thanks everyone, it seems to be better now. I took the (removable) front element off and removed the filter that I didn't even realize was there at first and took the adapter off and carefully put it all back together making sure everything got seated and screwed in all the way. Now it's a little soft wide open at infinity, but nothing like the sample I posted above. Stopped down it gets more than acceptably sharp. So my conclusion is something must not have been seated all the way. A big relief for me and the seller I'm sure!

[Theodoros]

Thanks everyone, it seems to be better now. I took the (removable) front element off and removed the filter that I didn't even realize was there at first and took the adapter off and carefully put it all back together making sure everything got seated and screwed in all the way. Now it's a little soft wide open at infinity, but nothing like the sample I posted above. Stopped down it gets more than acceptably sharp. So my conclusion is something must not have been seated all the way. A big relief for me and the seller I'm sure!

Don't hesitate to communicate privately with Eric for further assistance Matt... I'm sure there is none more experienced as to help you out  optimise your system's performance, as I'm also sure that he'll be glad to do so... 

[MattBurt]

After more tests I decided to send it back. It was improved but still not sharp for distant objects.

Today was the last day to do so and I didn't want to get stuck with it if it's not going to perform how I need it to.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!