Zenitar 16mm focus...

[SurfKahakai]

I picked up the Zenitar 16mm a few weeks back and have noticed that no matter what I do, the outcome is always very soft; it's the worst when I have it set to infinity. I think I remember reading about someone adjusting a top screw but I don't recall the exact details. Can anyone help me out?

[redheat86]

I have noticed this slightly with my peleng 8mm on my Canon d30.

I have done a test with aperture and focal distances to help with this. This may not be specific to the zenitar but should help you get an idea.

http://bling.imperial.org/ben/peleng/

[SurfKahakai]

That pretty much sums up how mine look but I think my infinity setting is a little more blurry. It's very disturbing especially since I've seen pictures posted by "benvision" using the same lens and they look superb.

[redheat86]

The thing there is that its probably quite sensitive to infinity, if your to close it will blur. I had the same issue until i did my test as i posted. Before here are my horrible results.


Both of these were set to infinity but i was way to close to use it (within the 2-3 meters of available focus). As you can see on the 2nd photo i was further away but not enough for infinity to become good. Another important factor is your aperture. These were all shot at 3.8-5 i beleive so focusing is super important up until atleast 8.

this is all from personal expierance so i hope im not giving falseness..just a tip for these fisheye...

http://bling.imperial.org/ben/peleng/jump2.jpg

http://bling.imperial.org/ben/peleng/jump1.jpg

[rdenney]

I picked up the Zenitar 16mm a few weeks back and have noticed that no matter what I do, the outcome is always very soft; it's the worst when I have it set to infinity. I think I remember reading about someone adjusting a top screw but I don't recall the exact details. Can anyone help me out?

Where did you buy it?

Check to make sure the mount is tightly attached to the body. When I first got mine, the screws on the mount were loose, and the lens rocked on the body. Once I tightened the screws, the lens has been excellent.

But it must be said that the Russian lenses are like most ex-soviet products--variable. Quality control is sometimes a problem more than with much more expensive stuff from western Europe and Japan.

If it has a Canon mount, I'll bet that it's a loose mount. If it has an M42 screw mount and an adaptor, it might be loose on the adaptor.

Rick "whose Zenitar is vastly sharper than the images shown in this thread" Denney

[redheat86]

your images are sharped becuase these were all out of focus and was showing that its all in focus/aperture. IF you see my link above about the aperture tets you can see they are sharp. also there peleng 8mm not mc zenitar.

[SurfKahakai]

Where did you buy it?

If it has a Canon mount, I'll bet that it's a loose mount.

Thanks Rick...

I got it from Kiev Camera and it does have the EOS mount. I'll pull it out tomorrow and see if the mount is loose.

[rdenney]

Thanks Rick...

I got it from Kiev Camera and it does have the EOS mount. I'll pull it out tomorrow and see if the mount is loose.

Ditto me on all counts. Mike doesn't always put a screwdriver to those screws. He gets the lenses from a supplier who mounts the EOS mount (which is done ex-factory, probably in the Ukraine), and I don't think they take the care they should. But it's an easy, five-second fix.

Keep us posted.

Rick "who thinks the ex-Soviet stuff requires a bit of resourcefulness, sometimes" Denney

[SurfKahakai]

How tight should I have to go with those screws?

[rdenney]

How tight should I have to go with those screws?

Tight enough so that they are no longer loose, heh, heh.

My mount was lifting off the lens body--and it would have to be to affect sharpness that much. I used a jeweller's screwdriver of the appropriate size and tightened the screw until it felt right. That's just short of damaging the screw, either by stripping the threads or the slot. It's better to approach that point from the conservative side, heh, heh.

Just make them good and snug. If they loosen again, make them a bit snugger. If they loosen again, use thread cement.

Rick "whose Zenitar has not loosened up since that first tightening" Denney

[blackviolet]

when i got mine, i had to remove the rubber focus ring, loosen the 3 miniscule set screws, and adjust the point at which the lens was at infinity. it doesn't take long to do, but as the focus screen make it pretty much impossible to check for exact focus, i found it best to open the lens wide, take a shot, then zoom way in (or remove the card and use a pc/laptop.

once infinity is sharp, tighten the set screws, return the rubber focus ring, and enjoy the lens. note that once you stop it down a few stops, you don't ever have to focus off infinity anyway...