Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: MichaelEzra on August 18, 2008, 06:56:25 am

Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: MichaelEzra on August 18, 2008, 06:56:25 am
I have noticed that my ZD camera focuses closer than viewed in the viewfinder.

I was under suspicion that focusing area could be misaligned, but verified that it is exactly in the center.

Is this a mirror alignment? Is there a way to adjust it in US?

Thanks!
Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: stefan marquardt on August 18, 2008, 08:19:10 am
michael,

we should cross-breed or ZD´s. mine BACKfocuses the same amount.

I spoke to mamiya germany  and - would you belive it - they never ever heard of a ZD with back- or frontfocusing problems and even said, that would be quite impossible.  and - because the problem is impossible - they couldn´t offer any solution to me.

I get around it by manual focussing. at least I get 100 % exact focus when the focusconfirmation light/symbol changes from  the "0" to the "-" if you know what I mean.

stefan

Quote
I have noticed that my ZD camera focuses closer than viewed in the viewfinder.

I was under suspicion that focusing area could be misaligned, but verified that it is exactly in the center.

Is this a mirror alignment? Is there a way to adjust it in US?

Thanks!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=215766\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: chunin on August 18, 2008, 09:01:59 am
Buy have you guys done test with film to see if more likely than not if it is the camera mirror assembly?


Quote
michael,

we should cross-breed or ZD´s. mine BACKfocuses the same amount.

I spoke to mamiya germany  and - would you belive it - they never ever heard of a ZD with back- or frontfocusing problems and even said, that would be quite impossible.  and - because the problem is impossible - they couldn´t offer any solution to me.

I get around it by manual focussing. at least I get 100 % exact focus when the focusconfirmation light/symbol changes from  the "0" to the "-" if you know what I mean.

stefan
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=215772\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: MichaelEzra on August 18, 2008, 09:11:06 am
[chunin] ZD camera does not take film.

I will try to reinstall the focusing screen, see if that helps.

Stefan, have you tried that?
Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: stefan marquardt on August 18, 2008, 10:00:40 am
No I haven´t,  
When your have tried, please let me know if it helped!

stefan

Quote
I will try to reinstall the focusing screen, see if that helps.

Stefan, have you tried that?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=215780\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: Rob C on August 18, 2008, 12:25:25 pm
Quote from: MichaelEzra,Aug 18 2008, 10:56 AM
I have noticed that my ZD camera focuses closer than viewed in the viewfinder.

Iright][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=215766\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/right




Perhaps if you sharpened the pencil a little bit more...

Seriously though, Mike, I think it can only be either or both of two things: the focussing screen is out of position; the sensor is out of position. I´m not sure how the mirror could go wrong because I´d imagine it to be fairly strongly hinged by design - those mothers are not lightweight.

Rob C
Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: Frank Doorhof on August 19, 2008, 04:22:42 am
I similar problems with the 645AFD/II and the 55-110.
In the end I solved it in a way that should not work, I removed the lens and turned the screw for AF a few turns, reconnected the lens and oh wonder it focussed perfectly.

It should not work that way but for me it did.
Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: MichaelEzra on August 19, 2008, 06:11:09 am
Hi Frank,

In your case, did you also observe back (or front) focus in the viewfinder?
Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: Frank Doorhof on August 19, 2008, 06:38:27 am
no, only in the AF
It was VERY severe.
Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: Frank Doorhof on August 19, 2008, 06:41:42 am
totaly off topic, just browsed through your 9/11 work.
Amazing, real pictures.

It was my first visit to the US and we were there on 9/11 (very very frigthening) and we were only in indianapolis.
Title: Mamiya ZD - mirror alignment
Post by: MichaelEzra on August 19, 2008, 07:00:33 am
Quote
totaly off topic, just browsed through your 9/11 work.
Amazing, real pictures.

It was my first visit to the US and we were there on 9/11 (very very frigthening) and we were only in indianapolis.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=215963\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Scary times.. I hope I will never have to shoot anything like that ever again...