Image shift when focusing lens

[Kenneth C Merrill]

Hey all, I've been getting a weird effect with some of my Leica R lenses where the image not only breathes (as expected) when I change focus, but it actually shifts left/right and up/down a little bit. Is that characteristic of most manual focus stills lenses or does it indicate something gone wrong inside?

 

[Phil Holland]

Image shift is common when using still lenses for motion picture filming. This is one of the concessions you'll commonly need to make with stills glass. Actual cinema glass usually does not exhibit this issue, which is one of the many reasons they are a bit more expensive.

 

[Kenneth C Merrill]

Image shift is common when using still lenses for motion picture filming. This is one of the concessions you'll commonly need to make with stills glass. Actual cinema glass usually does not exhibit this issue, which is one of the many reasons they are a bit more expensive.

Thanks so much for the info! Goes to show there's always something more to learn.

 

[paulcurtis]

Thanks so much for the info! Goes to show there's always something more to learn.

Also check that the lens mount isn't loose, it could be the act of physically focusing that is applying movement to the lens. If you're using a follow focus for example or wireless then it's pretty easy to see this.

cheers
Paul

 

[Björn Benckert]

Most still glass, "rattle" a bit when pulling focus. Usually you dont see it if camera is moving but fixed camera and quick focus pulls where not much is happening in the frame... then it usaually becomes quite visable. Some rehousings take care of the issue, some just goes on as a sleeve ontop of the still lens and do not sort the matter. That is one of the things making some rehousings way more costly than other.

 

[Bob Gundu]

My Leica R exhibited the same and I couldn’t take it anymore and ended up selling them. With age, this is common.

 

[Nick Gardner]

The common quick fix for this is to use a thicker grease. The right way is with some fancy chemical lens magicians spray on the helicoids to reduce the tolerances and then re lap them.

Nick

 

[Jarek Zabczynski]

Rokinon 24mm...drives me nuts.

 

[Sergei Franklin]

HOw I made my Nikon AI lenses work

HOw I made my Nikon AI lenses work

I was able to minimize the movement by using a rigid clip on matte box with top and bottom rods. Then I glued spacers and guides on the top and bottom of the matte box so that it rides on the rods and the front part can't move around. I also use the Optitek Nikon mount that locks the lens rigidly to the mount and lets me control iris from my remote focus.
There is still some internal shift when you change focus direction but very minimized. And this is with Preston motors. I have used this set up for many projects. If there is a decent budget then I put on my PL mount and rent cine lenses.

( the tape on the rods is only there because I was gluing more spacers on the matte box when I took the photo)


www.sergeifranklin.com

 

[Domenic Barbero]

Ive had this happen on countless lens sets. especially if you are mounting your lens gear on side of lens and using 15mm lws. Cine lenses and still. The torque when switching directions moves things around on your rig a bit. try a lens support if you can to sturdy up your rail system. but a lot of times theres just nothing you can do. Ive had this come up with prestons a ton, torque just moves things about.

 

[Andy Smith]

Image shift is common when using still lenses for motion picture filming. This is one of the concessions you'll commonly need to make with stills glass. Actual cinema glass usually does not exhibit this issue, which is one of the many reasons they are a bit more expensive.

i agree with Phil. Very common in non cine lenses. Some services can do magic with it, but not all lenses can be fixed.

 

[Stephen Pruitt]

Some of Canon L-series lenses exhibit this, but others don't. We managed to put together a set that shows no visible shifts up/down or left/right shifts, but it did take several examples to find just the right ones.

Stephen

 

[Robert Hart]

Some lenses move the image with adjustment of the focus ring when the lube has dried out or extruded and the internal moving group tilts ever so slightly when focus direction is reversed. A lens technician may be able to address with with a normal service.